Does it matter which CMS you use when using digital signage?

If you have ever googled ‘digital signage CMS’, you know first hand that there are 1000’s of search results that vie for your attention in various ways. Results like ‘#1 digital signage CMS’, ‘turn any TV into a digital sign’, and ‘free digital signage’ proliferate the results. And if you are like me it gets overwhelming pretty quickly, and I work in this industry!

And what are we talking about when we say CMS?!

Well, a digital signage content management system is the software that controls what content is delivered across your signage. And does it matter which one you choose to use with your digital project? Well, no it doesn’t.

In a world where there are countless options for digital signage content management systems (CMS) these are a ‘few’ things I have learned over the last 16 years of being in the industry:

1. There is no ‘silver bullet’ CMS. No ‘one CMS to rule them all’.
2. There are WAY too many options out there. The world doesn’t need any more CMS’.
3. They all do the same thing! (This statement is going to ruffle some feathers!)
4. The CMS is not the most important part of your digital signage solution. Read on to find out what is!

Failure to plan IS planning to fail

If you are ready to deploy digital signage in your organization, then I will make the following assumptions – that digital signage is not a core competency and that you have particular goals and/or particular pain points you are trying to address. It is critical to start here.

How can you be set up for success when there are too many options to realistically assess?

1. Find an expert partner that understands your objectives and pain points.  Talk about your business; what will a CMS improve, why haven’t you implemented one yet, how will you measure project success, etc.  I encourage you to have your expert partner with you and discover your pain points and objectives with you.
2. Make sure the dialog is support and solutions focused. There are many moving parts to digital signage solutions that most end users are not aware of that differentiates a successful implementation from an okay one (or worse).  Logistics, content, warranties, operations, financing and post-installation support are critical regardless of CMS. Leave the worrying about technology details to the experts.

At the end of the day, your projects long term success comes down to how you are supported. The fact is everyone’s product has the same core capabilities and it really doesn’t matter what CMS you choose. The real distinguishing factor is how the end user is supported. You need to find a partner (like us!) that advocates for your requirements and understands all of the pieces to delivering a successful solution tailored for your business.