Unleashing the Power of Digital Signage: Content Strategies for the 5th Screen

DISCLAIMER: I am quoted in the book, and I am also listed as a reference on Keith Kelsen's companion website for the book, [...]. This review is entirely of my own doing and is not a result of any arrangement or agreement with Mr. Kelsen.The hardest thing about creating something is that you write the rules as you go. What works today won't work tomorrow because there are new variables that require new rules.Keith Kelsen took on the challenge of writing about an industry that grew while he wrote it. And he has done a first-rate job.Mr. Kelsen's book, Unleashing the Power of Digital Signage, Content Strategies for the 5th Screen, (aside from owning a really long title) tries to capture the guidelines and best practices for creating and deploying content on almost all types of digital signage platforms.In the first half of his book, Mr. Kelsen groups networks into three main categories: Point of Transit (where the audience is predominantly in motion), like highway billboards and sidewalks; Point of Sale, like retailers and public gathering areas such as shopping malls; and Point of Wait, (where people are predominantly static in front of a screen), areas like waiting rooms, elevators, and bars and restaurants. There is some overlap with the fundamentals of content, and while these three categories can potentially generalize the approach, which may not work for some, it's a good starting point when considering the message on the screen.Mr. Kelsen writes about relevance as the key factor in creating compelling content. He's right. Simply put, if it isn't relevant, it isn't successful. He writes, "Fine tuning any of these networks-point of transit, point of wait, or point of sale-requires creative thinking, research, and great technology. But relevant content in context is what will make or break them every time."The second half of the book dives a little deeper into the process of content construction and delivery that can be applied to most networks. Mr. Kelsen highlights the production process, tools to use, and formats for delivery. If you have spent any time in the industry, some of this will be elementary, but it's important to have in this book, as it serves to educate those who will turn to this book without ever having even uttered the words "digital signage."In Chapter 8, Measuring the Effectiveness of Content, Mr. Kelsen lays out basic guidelines for measuring content's impact on an audience and, ultimately, the return on investment. He refers to OVAB's/DPAA's audience metric guidelines, a set of measurement techniques that arguably can be applied to any type of network.Mr. Kelsen also discusses seven keys to a successful network: Content, Relevance, Interaction, Scheduling, Placement, Refresh, and Attraction. He groups these under the ROO (Return On Objectives) methodology. I agree that these are very important to understand. However, I would argue that these are the building blocks of ROI itself, and perhaps do not need a unique methodology identifier. After all, ROO is ROI.Mr. Kelsen completes the book by talking about some of the finer points of content, such as interactivity, multi-channel/platform usage, and the legality with using content.There are a few challenges the book faces. Overall, Mr. Kelsen makes the process and understanding sound much easier said than done. At several points in the book, I asked, "Okay, so how do I do that?" But, could not find an answer. As noted above with categorizing networks into three main sectors, the real understanding is in knowing that every single network, regardless of categorization, must have a unique and developed strategy. What works for one network will almost certainly not work for another. I feel it's important not to gloss over this too much, to help the reader understand that it doesn't matter if you own one screen or one thousand screens, this stuff is challenging and often nebulous.In chapter six, Mr. Kelsen lays out some basic rules for color. He describes several points of proper color use for content and copy. But, the book is black and white, rendering the figures ineffective. (Which begs questioning the price of the book. $[...] for the book - it should have color in it. Just my opinion there.)To counter this, there is a companion website, [...], where you can find figures from the book as well as some of the full video/animations versions of case studies he references. Too often we read books with case studies and would love to see it in action. He provides them, and it's easy to relate his insight to the execution.I believe this book is more of basic understanding and education than truly strategic thought, like the title implies. But education and understanding are crucial to building a strategy. If this book does anything, it should send you away with a lot of questions. That's good, because that is where you will understand why doing content correctly is so important.This book is a solid exposition of the application of digital signage as an emerging medium to be considered in any situation where you want to say something to someone. If you are in the industry, this will serve as a dependable reference. If you are new to the industry, this is an excellent starting point to understanding digital signage.

This is a concise guide to outdoor advertising that I would recommend for anyone who would like to know about the industry and its various component parts. It is not an academic book, which I had thought it was, but sources are not cited with academic rigour however, the author has researched his topic well, clearly knows the industry and has covered a lot of ground. Nothing new for anyone already working in the industry but a great text book for A-level and first year undergraduates in this field.