• Ciara Williams
• Collaboration Technology
• Digital Signage

How Much Does Digital Signage Cost (& Why Does Your Business Need It)?

Summary:

• Digital signs help you communicate, advertise, inform, and entertain people. A complete system includes display(s), media player(s), a CMS, a DMS, the network, and the content itself.
• Costs for digital signage vary widely depending on complexity and scope. You can expect to pay around $4,700 for a basic setup and up to $195,000+ for more advanced, high-end systems.
• Digital signage delivers a proven return on investment in hospitals, banks, offices, manufacturing plants, and many other industries. These systems make spaces safer, boost sales, keep people engaged, and improve productivity by up to 25%.
• Working with an AV expert is the best way to maximize your return on investment. This helps to avoid waste and unnecessary spending, but also helps align the project with your long-term goals.

Digital signage is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers, visitors, and staff. Large-format, high-resolution displays are a versatile and scalable medium for sharing dynamic content that’s highly visible and engaging.

The Nanolumens video walls our team at ET Group developed for Bentall Green Oak’s lobby are one clear example of how digital signage can beautify a space, but there’s more. You can use the same technology to power features like:

• Wayfinding kiosks
• Retail ads
• Digital billboards
• Office displays

Keep reading to learn how much these systems typically cost, how to find the right solution for your needs, and how to make it pay for itself by implementing it strategically.

The Components of a Digital Signage System

Digital signage” doesn’t just refer to just the display itself—even if that’s all visitors and guests ever really see. Instead, it refers to an integrated system of components like:

• The content itself, e.g., photos, maps, video, art, and live data feeds
• A Content Management System (CMS) like Appspace
• A Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular network
• A physical media player device like the BrightSign HD6
• One or more commercial-grade displays

Think of it like a series of interlocking gears. You become the first cog by uploading content in the system. The CMS then schedules it and sends it on to the media player over your network, which translates it into a language your screens can understand.

Read More: 5 Ways to Use a Video Wall in Your AV Design

Factors That Influence the Cost of Digital Signage

Just like any other technology, the more advanced or complex your system is, the more it’s going to cost you. Each component comes in versions ranging from affordable to premium, so the options you choose will affect the price.

Other common influences include:

• The Scale of Your System: A single 43″ display is easy and affordable to set up. You’ll pay a lot more if you need a national network of digital menus across multiple locations.
• Content Creation: Basic branded slideshows aren’t costly to create. Motion graphics, real-time data, and interactive content are more expensive to produce from a design standpoint.
• Installation: Both the complexity of the installation and the condition of the space you’re in will affect cost. Some older buildings need retrofits or workarounds first.
• Maintenance: You’ll need someone to manage your IT infrastructure and your digital signage system. ET Group can handle this for you if you don’t want to hire someone in-house.

It’s important to be aware of expenses like these because they can drastically affect your total spend. In fact, many businesses under-budget initially solely because they don’t know what to expect along the way.

Average Costs for Hardware, Software, and Installation

Next, let’s take a closer look at what it costs to develop a digital signage solution. We’ve included a breakdown of average costs for procurement, installation, operation, and management, but please keep in mind that these are ballpark estimates only. It’s best to contact us for a custom quote if you’re looking for a number you can start planning your system around.

Hardware

Software and Services

Installation and Maintenance

The Takeaway

Expect to pay at least $4,700 for a basic digital signage setup and up to $195,000 or more for a custom-built, high-end system.

The ROI of Digital Signage for Canada’s Biggest Industries

So how much money can digital signage bring back to your business? To dial in on the facts, we collected statistics from studies that looked into the impact of this technology in different industries.

Here’s what they found:

• Retail: Stores that used digital signage saw an average increase in sales of around 31.8% and around 32.8% more repeat customers. Foot traffic also increased by around 24%.
• Healthcare: Business increased by 15 to 150% when hospitals and clinics installed digital signs. Up to 75% of caregivers and patients said they found these systems helpful, and research shows the information on them can reduce accidents and sickness rates by up to 20%.
• Manufacturing: Up to 93% of manufacturers said they already use digital signage at trade shows and exhibitions. Another 90% said it helps them train staff and increase productivity on the floor, which can reduce defects by up to 41%.
• Finance: Banks heavily rely on digital signage in lobbies and behind the scenes. Around 95% said they were satisfied with their decision to invest in it because it paid for itself over 18 months.

There are benefits in the office and at most corporations, too. There, a tailored digital signage system boosted productivity by up to 25%. Using signs to highlight hard-working employees made other employees work harder and helped create a sense of community, too.

Tips for Budgeting and Choosing the Right Digital Signage Solution

Digital signage can deliver serious benefits, but it’s also very easy for projects like these to go sideways or get completely out of hand without the right planning. The best way to stay on track is to partner with an AV company who can help you develop a solid strategy for success.

Other best practices include:

• Clarifying your ROI goals upfront. You can’t judge success until you have a goal to work towards, so start by trying to nail down what you’re trying to achieve: more sales, less waste on printed materials, better communication, etc.
• Getting to know AV. Spend some time reading through blogs, case studies, and industry reports about AV. Insights on the year’s top hardware, how to prepare for an AV installation, and how other people use digital signage will help you get more out of your investment.
• Thinking long-term, not just upfront. Don’t fall into the trap of only planning for upfront costs for hardware and installation. Factor in longer-term influences like recurring subscriptions, licenses, managed IT services, and content creation, even if you need to ballpark an estimate for now.
• Going all-in-one, if possible. If you’re looking for a relatively straightforward solution, it may be worth considering System on Chip (SoC) displays with built-in media players. They’ll help you save a bit of money and might simplify your setup.
• Looking for cloud-compatible, hardware-agnostic solutions first. Not being tied to a specific location or brand will give you more options to choose from—and help you save some money.
• Feeling spaces out with VR design. Building a potential solution in virtual reality first gives you the power to visualize it, refine it, and gather feedback on it before you commit. This reduces the risk of spending thousands on tech that doesn’t work out.
• Refreshing content strategically, not reactively. Be smart and intentional about the content you display on your signs and how you plan to update it. Map out updates in advance, focus on assets that directly support your goals, and make sure every update actually serves a clear purpose.

The bottom line is that you can’t really design and implement solutions like these overnight if you want them to benefit your business long-term. Take the time to do it right—it’s definitely worth it!

Let ET Group Design Your Next Solution

AV can be complicated, even for experts like us. The simple truth is that having the right help is the key to deploying and adopting digital signage successfully, but you need more than just a vendor who will sell you a display and consider the case closed.

At ET Group, we have over 45 years of experience helping businesses design, develop, deploy, and manage advanced AV solutions like these. Partnering with us on your next project will help you make the most of your money—because it’s too important to waste on costly mistakes.

Ready to learn more? Book a discovery call with ET Group now.

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