Digital Signage Software For Universities: A Starter Guide

Editor's note: Updated June 2021

Digital signage has many uses. From digital menu boards to social media walls for events, it’s a highly versatile piece of kit. Which is why it’s ideal for use in a University or school campus.

While we delve much more into the benefits of digital signage in the education sector here, it’s an affordable, scalable and easy-to-manage way to communicate effectively to both students and staff.

Most educational facilities now utilize some form of digital signage without really thinking about it. But a majority of these implement hack-it-til-you-make-it solutions; this usually involves a lot of wires and bribes to the IT department.

But with digital signage software, power is put firmly back into your hands: make real-time edits from anywhere; schedule content; and scale across buildings and campuses without a wire in sight.

Benefits of digital signage for Universities

Multi-screen management

Without a centralized management system you’d have to treat every screen as an individual, with the content specific to that screen. If you have screens throughout your University this can become a logistical and time-consuming nightmare.

Which is why we think ScreenCloud’s digital software solution is ideal for Universities; we offer a centralized CMS system.

Managing multiple screens across a University is no different to how we advise our Enterprise customers. While it may seem daunting to manage many screens across different locations, the centralized ScreenCloud CMS makes it incredibly easy. 

Push content to any one of your screens, no matter their – or your – location. Schedule departmental-specific content to show at appropriate times and make real-time updates.

Use existing screens

Digital signage doesn’t have to be expensive. If you already have a series of screens throughout your campus all that’s left is to choose which hardware is most appropriate for your intended use. Any screen can be made “smart”. All that’s left is to download the ScreenCloud app. 

Check out our guide to deciding what the best digital signage hardware is for you.

Set user permissions and enable collaborators

ScreenCloud has been designed for anyone to be able to use; it doesn’t have to be siloed away in the IT department. But if you don’t have time to control and manage your digital signage strategy across the University by yourself, you might want to consider setting certain permissions for collaboration. 

Give restricted access to each department to contribute their departmental-specific content. This can be played in conjunction with scheduled University-wide content. Any updates or last-minute changes can then be handled by each department rather than submitting requests and waiting. 

Here’s how easily you could be setup with ScreenCloud’s software:

• Plug your chosen hardware into your screen
• Download the ScreenCloud app and pair the two by entering your pairing code

(Read our full set-up guide here). 

Flexible content

Digital signage is an incredibly effective communications tool. It is also highly flexible. 

Images

At its most basic, your screens can be used to pull through a series of images. Upload these into ScreenCloud and store in files just like you would on your desktop. You can then place these images into a custom-playlist and schedule when they’re shown. From sporting fixtures to wayfinding, this is digital signage at its simplest. 

See more content ideas for digital signage on campus here.

Social media

Utilizing the power of social media can be incredibly effective; it’s a very recognizable format. Aggregate all of your channels to show on a social media wall using apps like Walls.io or Taggbox, and drive home your University culture. You can also showcase student-generated content (albeit with moderation control and the profanity filter activated). Use it on Open Days to show off events; hold student competitions; or sync up announcements via a vibrant visual network. 

Videos

Playlists of videos keep your screens engaging and give visitors something to watch as they pass through the halls. Show things like school showreels or live-broadcast sporting fixtures and events.

Presentations

A presentation of school notices and reminders is a way to utilize your screens as another member of staff. Change messages quickly, remove irrelevant slides and add in any last minute room changes or notices with ScreenCloud’s easy to use interface.

Live URLs

Your University’s website is your shop front and a gateway into all that you offer, making it perfect for your digital signage displays. Similarly, you may have a guest speaker, visitor or school association who wants to provide information to students. Use your screens to channel HTML content through live URLs.

News & RSS feeds

Installing a news app or RSS feed to show on your screens alongside other content is a great way to keep students informed.

Matures with you

Any digital signage rollout requires a level of manning and organization. So the last thing you want is to have to change it all again in a year or two. This is why cloud-based digital signage software systems have risen in popularity within University settings. With a cloud-based system everything is done online, so there are no software installations or upgrades needed on your physical screen. Other than a spot of light dusting, you can leave your screens alone. Once your screens are paired, all content editing is managed from your PC or laptop, regardless of where you are.

Request a demo

Hand over the teaching to us. Request a demo and we can show you how to scale an effective digital signage strategy across your University. Or, check out a few case studies from some of our current customers in the education sector.