PowerPoint digital signage involves displaying advertisements and communications on a TV or any other relevant display in a slideshow format. If you are using PowerPoint digital signage most of the time, it will consist of full-screen slides that rotate through every couple of seconds. However, imagine if you could add more zones or sections of content to your digital signage.
Likewise, let’s say you could add a scrolling ticker of text or news headlines playing on the bottom of the slides. You could also add a real-time weather forecast on the side of your digital signage, then incorporate a scrolling ticker of the company’s communication. Truly, PowerPoint digital signage is not an adequate solution, especially for businesses that want to use multiple digital signage displays.
With PowerPoint digital signage, you get to know the arriving flights, available foods on the menu, supermarket offers and others. You can have these displays anywhere you want and engage with your customers perfectly. You could also use the solution to communicate relevant information in corporate lobbies, schools and hospitals. Still, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Keep reading to find out the pros and cons of PowerPoint digital signage.
PowerPoint digital signage pros
It is pretty straightforward to create PowerPoint for use in digital signage. You only need PowerPoint and Microsoft office applications. Most people have tried PowerPoint presentations, whether in schools, offices, hospitals and nearly everywhere. However, please note that PowerPoint is not a professional solution primarily because it is weak, insecure and does not support remote management.
It is a fast way to create
If you own a computer or use one regularly, there is a high possibility you've come across or interacted with PowerPoint. It is one of the simpliest applications to use. Everything is clear, and you only need a few days to start creating some attention-grabbing digital signage. Its quick and easy-to-use features enable the faster creation of slides. You can also find PowerPoint on nearly all computers and phones. However, if you need to display on more than two digital signage screens, this might not be the ideal solution for your business. PowerPoint is pretty limited and only works for small enterprises with a few screens; thus, there is no need for them to be remotely controlled.
There are many design templates available
If you choose to incorporate digital signage solutions into your business, there's a high possibility that you are interested in increasing customer awareness of your products and services. However, who will create your fabulous multimedia TV display? Likewise, you might not have in-house graphic designers to draw from. If you find yourself in such a situation, PowerPoint design templates can help.
PowerPoint design templates can be helpful for small businesses. The templates give you a graphic design that you can use to create a digital signage presentation. However, while the templates are free or affordable, they are not adequate for big businesses with a lot of content to display or require high-quality content for their digital signage. If you want a smooth solution, you might want to consider other alternatives including, for example, Canva.
Cons of PowerPoint digital signage
PowerPoint was designed as a presentation tool for corporations and was used for many years. However, no one knew that it would be a preferred tool for digital signage at some point. However, it has become popular among many businesses increasing in its usage every day. While it's beneficial, it has its pitfalls, and some of them include:
Lack of user control
One of the outstanding shortcomings of PowerPoint is that it can’t assign user roles to the editing and deployment of digital signage. When that is the case, you have no user control at all. Every person gets the same access rights which are fine but only if you have one screen to manage. However, in a situation where different screens need managing, this could be a significant issue that should be solved as soon as possible.
No remote updating
When using digital signage, the ability to update content is crucial. The case with proper digital signage should allow you to update your content remotely on your devices and then push it out to the screens. If you are using PowerPoint to deliver your content, you will be significantly disadvantaged since you will have to visit the screen to update your content physically. It’s a massive inconvenience that can be avoided by choosing a robust and better digital signage solution.
No scheduling
There is no way you can schedule your PowerPoint presentations. You should note that if you want to have an effective digital signage solution, you should schedule the content that gets played on your screens. For instance, if you are interested in saving power and being energy efficient, you may consider shutting down screens at a specific time of the day then turn them back on in the morning. Unfortunately, with PowerPoint working through a USB stick it is impossible which is a massive concern.
No recovery
With digital signage, if a display or computer loses power, ideally, everything should reboot, and the content automatically starts to play on the screen. However, PowerPoint digital signage does not work this way. It doesn't have any recovery features, so if you lose power, you will have to physically visit the specific screen that lost power and re-configure it manually.
PowerPoint digital signage can be helpful to your business but can't be adequate in meeting all your objectives. If you want to build a professional solution, don't limit yourself by the PowerPoint and USB stick. Remember, PowerPoint digital signage is a cheap, inferior solution that is only appropriate for a small business with one or two screens. If you are looking for a professional solution, you need the specialized digital signage software with remote control and other useful features.
