Audience Measurement Is The Industry's Missing Link, Will Transcend Digital Signage

By Louie Hollmeyer, VP of Marketing, STRATACACHE

The need for metrics has been a hot topic within the digital signage industry. Trade show and conference panels have addressed everything from why a system needs to be in place to what emerging technology is on the horizon. The excitement and change the digital media and out-of-home (OOH) video marketplace has seen recently can leave newcomers in a tailspin. Providers are showcasing more and more forthcoming solutions that allow businesses to cater ads based on age, gender, ethnicity, and proximity.

Although digital signage has been increasingly adopted across all industries and has proven to be very influential and effective, the lack of real time audience measurement has curtailed the industry's ability to realize full potential. There are two layers of audience measurement working in synchrony. At the provider level, metrics are needed to show that a particular solution is effective and meeting the clients' goals and objectives. On a broader level, the industry needs to demonstrate that the medium is not only powerful, but clearly surpasses the effectiveness of other less targeted and less customizable mediums.

Audience measurement and viewership reporting is the key element that will transcend what is fast becoming one of the most compelling mediums for targeted, narrowcast marketing.