Screen sharing is about more than just sharing your presentation in business meetings. Increasingly screens are becoming more of a fixture in diverse locations, with the option to display everything from events schedules, advertising content and local information, to live data or directions.

As we're going to find out in this article, there are many reasons why a business owner might want to display all manner of content on screens.

Why use a display on screen?

You might have noticed that digital displays have become a major feature for communication, from advertising to business data. And there's a good reason why. As high quality and low energy display screens have come down in price, it makes sense to use the technology to create engaging content and reach a wider audience.

And having a display on screen can be more eye catching and memorable than an old fashioned print poster or banner.

Using devices such as TVs, monitors and tablets, it's become simple to network these screens in areas such as:

• Offices
• Hotels and restaurants
• Retail spaces and supermarkets
• Warehouses
• Event spaces
• Schools and colleges, and so much more...

In fact, with a consumer grade setup consisting of nothing more than a TV or monitor, screen sharing device such as a Chromecast or https://screencloud.com/hardware/beginners-guide-amazon-fire-tv-stick, and some nifty digital signage software, you can setup and install a network within minutes.

And that investment in a signage network offers a multitude of benefits, and can help you transform spaces into interactive hubs of information and entertainment.

Use cases for screen sharing using digital signage

Using a digital display gives you the ability to share a wider range of content, whether this is in your workplace, retail or events space, or other public facing area.

And with screen sharing software such as ScreenCloud, you can also create specific playlists, custom content for certain locations or edit and manage content using cloud software for remote access.

1. Sharing information

Of course, one of the most common use cases for creating a screen display is to share important information. The 'important' part can be anything from safety information to menu items and opening times.

However sometimes we need to screen share crucial information on the fly, for example if certain facilities are out of service, an important event has a schedule change or even if there is a flash sale on specific items.

With ScreenCloud, it's super easy to create and launch real time updates and screen share them on specific displays in your network.

2. In an emergency

While you likely have your fire drills organized, sometimes you might need to share crucial information. An example could be an emergency in the local area that hasn't directly affected your building, but may affect your employees or visitors arriving or leaving.

As an example, a retail center manager might need to specify that a certain exit is off limits due to an accident. Or a flood has closed part of your office and all employees need to exit through a different route.

ScreenCloud has a role-based security model, which means only people with the right permission levels can publish certain content. You can organize contributors by theme, department or use and even set up separate channels for each group to manage. 

3. During an event

There’s only so much planning ahead you can do for live events. There are bound to be last minute changes or unexpected things happening.

With a quick screen takeover, you can announce last-minute schedule changes or react to anything unexpected happening around you. There’s a sudden flurry of activity on your social media, for example. Make the most of that engagement by instantly sharing this content on your screens through one of ScreenCloud’s many social media apps. You can create and cast an entire social media wall in a matter of minutes.  

4. To share a presentation in a meeting

You probably already have a screen in your meeting room, one that’s used for sharing presentations during meetings. But connecting computers to monitors using cables is so last decade - especially when it's easier than ever to connect your device using screen casting.

With ScreenCloud you can skip getting tangled up in wires and simply cast your latest sales figures, or screen share video calls with clients to the meeting body for everyone to be in the loop.

Once the meeting is over and you stop casting, the screen automatically reverts back to showing whatever content it was originally scheduled to show.

5. For a live broadcast

Perhaps the company CEO, or the school principal, has an important announcement to share. They can be sure everyone gets the message by doing a short screen takeover to share their news.

You can do a screen takeover and stream a live broadcast via ScreenCloud’s YouTube Live app. Simply start a YouTube Live video then find the broadcast link in the YouTube Live dashboard under the “Share” tab. 

In ScreenCloud, download the YouTube Live app and add your URL, then cast straight from the app. You’ll just be asked which of your screens you want to take over, which might be one, or all, of them.

6. To quickly test a piece of content on a screen

Although ScreenCloud has a preview feature, sometimes it’s useful to see what newly added content looks like on an actual screen in a real location before you commit to pushing it out more widely. 

By doing a temporary takeover, you can get a better idea if your design is legible from a certain distance and if the amount of content is easy to digest.

And because you can set up different screens in different locations, you can easily create a test screen in a secure room so you don't need to display your content to the public (yet).

7. To personalize screens

An interesting use of screen sharing software is to create content personalized to visitors, especially in a corporate or business space.

In this post we discuss some ways that you can automate your screens to “know your customer” based on automation and pulled branding from a Google Calendar. This can be a really nice way of rolling out the welcome mat and impressing big clients.

In a retail or public facing setting, there are several ways you could make visitors or customers feel welcomed:

• Displaying team colors during a big game
• Welcoming people from cruise ships or group tours to a hotel or shopping center
• Sharing your congratulations for local university graduates, sports teams or other events

8. For a real-time announcement

Some things are worth shouting about – a super limited in-store special offer, the sales team closing an important customer, or when it’s someone's birthday.

Surprise and delight your audience by taking over a screen to make these special announcements, well, special! Sometimes it’s the little things that make people smile, like when the snack trolley has arrived on your floor, or your colleagues turn up to work dressed like Christmas trees.

How to network your digital screens?

Whether you're managing multiple displays within a single location or across various locations, it's a simple process to use digital signage software to connect different screens and devices.

Some of the benefits of using digital signage for your screen sharing software are:

1. Centralized management

Digital signage systems come with home screen dashboards that allow you to control and monitor all your displays from the comfort of one convenient location (even your home!). You - or your support agents - can update content, schedule playlists and adjust settings across displays of the entire network in the matter of moments.

2. Cloud-based connectivity

On a similar note, by using cloud-based technology, digital signage networks let you remotely access and manage your displays from anywhere. All you need is a working internet connection and access to any smart home devices to have full control over your digital displays at all times.

3. Playlists and scheduling

With proper software, you can design customized playlists and schedules for each external display, a group of displays or all displays within your network.

This also means that you have all the flexibility to suit your needs, whether you're targeting specific audiences or aligning content across different time zones.

4. Security and access control

Digital signage platforms and their robust security features protect your network from unauthorized access meaning no miscreant can tamper with it.

Only users you have whitelisted will be able to securely access the network. You can also define user permissions and track their activity to further ensure that there is nothing fishy going on.

What type of screens are used for digital signage?

One of the great things about digital signage is that it's a cost efficient option due to the fact that it uses consumer grade devices - so no need to splash out on expensive gear.

You can connect different displays and smart devices, create a unique window display using an old monitor, upgrade your internal communications with smart TVs, or connect tablets to bigger screens for different styles of content in shops and hotels.

Some of the most commonly used devices include:

1. Wall-mounted TV

The classic wall-mounted LCD or OLED TV is the workhorse of digital signage. From shopping malls to airports, they can quite literally be seen everywhere due to their versatility and durability.

Thanks to their sharp display and in-built sound system, these are perfect for displaying ads or any other eye-catching content that you can think of. Many modern TVs also include easy remote access, meaning you don't even need an external display controller.

2. Video wall

For a more professional and visually striking option video walls are hard to beat. These can either be made up of one large screen, often integrated into the wall; or they can also be made from multiple screens forming one larger display.

These are a great option for a high impact display in locations such as receptions or foyers, retail stores or at events. If you're looking for a wow factor, the video wall is most likely the display you're looking for.

3. Old monitors or TVs

There's absolutely no need for the latest generation of screens to get started with DS. Have you got old screens lying around collecting dust? Well, dust them off because they can be turned into awesome digital sign displays too. Even though they aren't originally intended for signage, they can still be equally effective when connected to a network.

All you need to do is install a digital signage software and hook the screens up, load your content, troubleshoot compatibility issues if there are any - it's just that easy.

You can even get creative and turn these screens into engaging installations such as artistic displays, video streaming or other unique ideas.

4. Tablets and other smart home devices

Tablets and personal devices have become versatile tools for digital signage. Your trusty iPad or Android tablet can double as a nifty digital signage screen with ease.

Whether it's mounted on a stand at a trade show booth or handed out to customers at a restaurant, these portable screens are perfect for delivering targeted messages in a more intimate setting.

The real magic is when you have all your displays connected to the same network. That means remote access to control them from anywhere and update content on the fly. If it's your jam, you can even schedule different messages and playlists for different screens.

Using ScreenCloud for your digital signage solutions

When it comes to taking over your displays for whatever reason - as you sometimes might have to - ScreenCloud offers a simple and scalable solution. The choice of over 10,000 businesses worldwide, ScreenCloud is user friendly, doesn't require technical expertise and comes with content templates and easy to manage playlists.

Whether starting out with digital signage, or improving your network of screens for sharing content, take a look at ScreenCloud for free, or requesta demo today.