Darryl Kuder of Red Dot Digital Media argues the single-CMS myth is promoted largely by CMS providers pushing one platform across all deployments.
Kuder says integrators often spec media players and software without a deep content conversation, which can leave players unable to run demanding software and cost clients more.
Kuder advises clients to decide in advance what content they will show, create in house and outsource, since the limits of a single CMS often appear only after a deployment is fully built.
Why one CMS for every screen often costs signage clients more
Red Dot Digital Media argues that the push to run every digital signage deployment on one CMS mostly serves CMS vendors. Different screens carry different content and are often run by different teams, so deployments are siloed anyway. Picking the CMS that fits each content type makes life easier for clients, even when they end up with two.
Takeaways
Match the CMS to the content. Kuder says a wayfinder and a corporate video wall rarely show the same content, so deployments end up siloed by default. The appeal of one CMS is mostly the ability to push one asset to any screen, which the myth's vendor promoters overstate.
Wrong CMS raises costs after buildout. A CMS suited to corporate communications may not handle wayfinders or custom HTML. Kuder says the limits of a single CMS often appear only after a deployment is fully built, when fixing them can cost the client more money.
Integrators skip the content conversation. Integrators often specify media players and software without discussing content, so the player may lack power for more demanding software. Kuder tells integrators multiple CMSs are fine, since the people managing one deployment type often differ from those managing another.
Spec a mid-level BrightSign player minimum. Kuder calls BrightSign the premier signage player. Red Dot specifies the mid-level XD as its minimum, which avoids overpaying while leaving processing headroom. Most CMSs run on XD and above, and clients often plan only a couple of years ahead.
Switching CMS later is easy. A global client kept asking for custom features its limited CMS lacked, so Red Dot proposed alternatives. The upgrade expanded its internal corporate communications. Red Dot has switched clients between CMSs repeatedly, and BrightSign makes the conversion simple.
Security compliance now gates CMS selection. Enterprise IT and security teams increasingly care about firmware updates and secure hardware endpoints, and many will not consider a CMS without SOC 2 compliance. Monnel stresses the reputational damage a hacked on-screen message can cause.
How to choose a CMS before buying
Decide in advance what content you will show, including whether screens need multiple sections and filler feeds.
Separate the content you can create in house from what you will outsource.
If content is simple full-screen images and playlists, almost any CMS will do.
Enterprises should consider employees who do not sit at a PC, such as factory floor staff. Kuder likes Corbit for its room scheduling and mobile app features.
Check whether a CMS builds out widgets and runs on multiple hardware types, such as system on a chip.
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On this episode 2
Show 1
Where CMS platforms are heading
Vendors are adding drag and drop widgets and apps such as Power BI and Canva integrations, largely because customers ask for them.
Kuder praises Wallboard for building AI features but expects the next wave of AI in CMS platforms is still some way off.
Red Dot is not a software company and depends on what CMS makers build, so it passes customer feedback to them, including requests for easier firmware updates and more secure devices.