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TV Ads are Passé, Go the Digital Signage Way

There was a time when advertisements on TV were watched with all the attention because nothing could be done to make them go away. There used to be limited channels, and while switching channels did become an option, the ads couldn’t be ignored completely. Now, things are different. With the option to record ads on Digital Video Recorders or high-definition set top boxes offered by different cable providers, ads are merely forwarded. Though television advertising still largely impacts consumer behaviour, it is quickly being taken over by other communication media. So while your anti-aging cream could target a few women, the real impact comes from having a reach wider than television.

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What do you think can be wider than having the ad go right into the home of the consumer? Perhaps an option that cannot be fast forwarded in a place where they will have to watch it?

The answer is digital signage. Displayed in public places such as crowded streets, elevators, airports, or simply receptions of big hotels, digital signage uses multimedia content that is displayed on LCD or computer screens. Digital signage is the equivalent of the television ad, except that it reaches out to people on their way to somewhere, and can be updated quicker by means of a good network connection.

TV Ads are Passé, Go the Digital Signage Way

While digital signage is often seen as an alternative to paper signage, it can easily replace the old-school television ad as any type of content can be displayed on it. What makes it better then is the creativity invested in coming up with content that will actually have an impact on a passer-by. The dynamism of the content in place of static content will definitely attract attention, but it ought to be enough to make the consumer stop and read/listen to what is being displayed on the screen.

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Digital signage is intended to communicate with users, but the challenge lies in the fact that we are all surrounded by a multitude of screens everywhere we go. It becomes easy for us to block out information that is not relevant to our needs. So to attract attention, location and content are the most important factors. Consider that your audience will be unique each time, because the reach is so much wider now. It will be made up of a varied demographic, so the quality of content has to be extraordinarily high.

TV Ads are Passé, Go the Digital Signage Way

Demographics can be targeted by venue, and that is important research that should be taken care of when investing in digital signage content. Putting up screens, say at a business hotel will target an entirely different demographic than that you see in a mall, which is so unique and so varied. The technology that makes up digital signage is only second to the type and quality of content that you choose to showcase through it.

Digital signage can be used where a product or service is being sold, to explain more about the product. It can be used as a billboard to attract consumers on the go, by providing them brief information about a brand or to improve brand value. And it can be used in areas where people are merely waiting for something or to reach somwhere; for instance, in a taxi, a lobby, or an elevator. During this period, the consumer will be able to view and absorb more information and longer messages.

TV Ads are Passé, Go the Digital Signage Way

For a business to wholly benefit from digital signage, it is important to implement the entire package—hardware, software, analytics, and content—from one source that is aware of how to operate the technology that makes it effective. In the UAE, PearlQuest can offer you this complete service. We provide the hardware, the software, and the content that makes your investment in digital signage worth every penny. We conduct in-depth research and create strategy that will result in compelling content for your audience. One call to us can make your decision to implement digital signage worthwhile.

 

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Digital Media Boom Expected to Grow in 2014

Every year, analysts forecast the trends that will change the way entrepreneurs, start-ups, as well as well-established brands drive business. While the Internet has been a huge contributor to this change, 2014 is believed to be the year it will legitimately flourish and alter how we conduct business, make purchases, and transform our overall lifestyle.Every year, analysts forecast the trends that will change the way entrepreneurs, start-ups, as well as well-established brands drive business. While the Internet has been a huge contributor to this change, 2014 is believed to be the year it will legitimately flourish and alter how we conduct business, make purchases, and transform our overall lifestyle.

2013 saw several ways in which the internet affected entrepreneurial mindset and consumer mentality. In keeping with these radical changes, 2014 is expected to be the year where this trend will almost be set in stone and will make business more efficient and productive. No chances can be taken; to keep up with the competition, the Internet must be embraced in all its glory, and this is particularly true for small businesses and start-ups. What were the trends in 2013 that make 2014 the year of the Internet?2013 saw several ways in which the internet affected entrepreneurial mindset and consumer mentality. In keeping with these radical changes, 2014 is expected to be the year where this trend will almost be set in stone and will make business more efficient and productive. No chances can be taken; to keep up with the competition, the Internet must be embraced in all its glory, and this is particularly true for small businesses and start-ups. What were the trends in 2013 that make 2014 the year of the Internet?

Mobile Traffic to Websites Increased Tremendously
The number of smartphone users increased, which altered the functionality of the Internet for them. Surfing, purchasing, transacting, all shifted to mobile devices and changed the way people use the internet; which meant that the next big thing would be changing website functionality to appeal to the mobile user. So …

Websites became Responsive
One website that catered to the desktop user, the laptop user, the tablet user, and the smartphone user was the norm in the business. 2013 was called the year of responsive design by Mashable.


The App Market Flourished
‘There’s an app for that.’ Apple’s leading catchphrase for its iPhone 3G model could not be truer for 2013, and this trend is only expected to reach greater heights in 2014. Apps will not remain restricted to the general consumer. Even businesses are developing apps for internal use to enhance employer-employee communication, and to drastically improve employee efficiency.

Internet Ads Were Massive Revenue DriversWe have all seen ads as a part of every website we visit, but in 2013, ads seeped through social media platforms to ensure that even in our spare time, we made purchasing decisions or ignored those ads completely. One of the biggest trendsetters was Facebook, followed by its purchase of Instagram which it soon commercialized by introducing ads on the image-sharing platform.'
We have all seen ads as a part of every website we visit, but in 2013, ads seeped through social media platforms to ensure that even in our spare time, we made purchasing decisions or ignored those ads completely. One of the biggest trendsetters was Facebook, followed by its purchase of Instagram which it soon commercialized by introducing ads on the image-sharing platform.’

Content Became More Original, Less Spammy
With Google’s Panda and Penguin updates and very regular tweaks in its algorithms, the focus shifted from mediocre content to high-quality content for a rich user experience. This is not limited to the written word. Videos, images, infographics; all of these boomed in 2013 and 2014 is the year more methods of content sharing—augmented reality for example—will be explored to enrich how a user views it.

The Sharks Acquired the Little FishYahoo purchased Tumblr, Facebook acquired Instagram, and more recently, Facebook has also acquired Whatsapp, a leading ad-free chat messenger that connects people all over the world. Internet giants are taking over the Internet and altering our communication patterns, our ability to absorb information, and slowly, even the way in which we function in our daily lives.
Yahoo purchased Tumblr, Facebook acquired Instagram, and more recently, Facebook has also acquired Whatsapp, a leading ad-free chat messenger that connects people all over the world. Internet giants are taking over the Internet and altering our communication patterns, our ability to absorb information, and slowly, even the way in which we function in our daily lives.


All these trends, as big as they are, are only going to get bigger in the upcoming years. And this is big for businesses world over, regardless of whether you are a startup or a flourishing one. While an online presence is mandatory (though research reveals that still only 40% of business owners have a website), to truly one-up the competition, constant evolution and a keen eye on changing Internet trends is crucial.

To give your business in the UAE the online presence it needs, get in touch with us at PearlQuest. We are constantly working on methods to enhance consumer engagement with businesses, and can help you connect with your audience through the internet in a viable method that provides an enriched user experience. From responsive web design to augmented reality applications, PearlQuest can enable you to stay ahead and change the way you communicate with your target market.

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Using Microsoft Kinect as an Effective Business Tool

In 2010, Microsoft launched Kinect for the Xbox 360. It allowed users to control video game characters and movements by gesture and voice directed toward a 3D sensor camera that was often required to be placed over the television.

Come 2012 and Microsoft transcended the video gaming arena and launched Kinect for Windows, a device that can be integrated with the Microsoft operating system to introduce gesture and voice control, thereby extending its application beyond gaming and into the commercial world. In our previous posts we have already stated that using interactive technology is a matter of intuition; it does not require training. In fact, it operates on a touch-free interface; it is entirely gesture and voice-controlled. This takes it a step ahead from the now commonplace touch technology.

That is why, when you as a retail store owner introduce this technology in your store, you will definitely find more and more customers attracted to it. It works excellently as a tool to drive sales and generate profits. It also functions as a strong marketing technique that will make a visit to your store memorable, and keep people coming back for more, eventually converting the visit into a sale.

Kinect for Windows has already been used by several clothing and toy stores to give users a feel of what it is to wear a certain item or play with a certain toy. So in a clothing store, a customer doesn’t have to change to see what a particular outfit will look like. The Kinect device will do it for them. They can choose between colours, prints, and sizes. They can even have pictures clicked in those clothes, scan the QR code to download them to their smartphone, and purchase the items immediately. The technology functions like a mirror that does all the work for them. All they have to do is gesture towards the outfit. It can even create a virtual shopping cart so that they only have to collect the items from the cashier instead of carrying around a shopping bag or cart.

While this virtual dressing room exists within a store, Kinect can be used even in window display, thereby reaching out to and attracting a larger group of customers. Impulse shoppers form the majority of shoppers for any retail outlet, and Kinect can be that one attractive factor that strengthens this impulse to buy. If you are participating in a trade show, this technology can be the showstopper for many passers-by and can increase interaction between you and your potential customer.

There is no specific age group that should be targeted. The NUI (natural user interface) of Kinect for Windows allows a person of any age to intuitively use the device and its associated applications.

The application of Kinect for Windows can go beyond retail and even put the tourism industry on the map. By creating virtual tours of places that people intend to travel to, travel companies can enhance the client’s experience to ensure that they get an almost real feel of what it is like to be in a particular city. It can be used as a tool in education, allowing children to learn virtually by capturing their attention.

Any screen can be turned into a gesture-controlled one with the Kinect sensor – a window display, a regular LCD, and even a desktop monitor. To implement this technology for your business, give us at PearlQuest a tinkle, and let us tell you how it can transform your business, sales, and revenue. Armed with the technology to implement Kinect for your business, PearlQuest can revolutionize the way your business functions and give you a head-start from the competition. Whether you are a small-business owner or a business with a national presence, allow us to upgrade the way you conduct business and drive sales to it.

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Augmented Reality for Businesses

The confused customer is a reality in almost any business. Your product is brilliant, but unless the targeted customer doesn’t understand its full potential, the product can be a mere genius waiting to be discovered by the common man. And this is where augmented reality (AR) comes into the picture. By simulating an experience akin to a real one, it can help a consumer understand the actual purpose of and the process to make the most of a great product.

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Augmented Reality utilizes 3D images to create a life-like experience. Using an app on a smartphone, virtual scenes can be created in the real world, allowing a user to engage with the experience as though it were real. This enables a better understanding of any kind of product or situation, and allows him to make a better business decision.

Introducing AR in marketing can then provide an enormous boost to sales and revenue, as you can decide the kind of experience your customer can have with your product, and make it engaging enough to generate the need and desire to purchase it. What’s more, you can introduce this convenience even in the comfort of their home, which means they get to experience the product in an environment that they are most comfortable in.

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An example of a company that did this was Mitsubishi Electric. A sales consultant visits potential customers interested in purchasing heating and cooling systems (such as air conditioners), with a tablet and an app called meVIEW. The app is used to click a picture of the designated space, and then place units by ME in that spot, allowing the customer to get an almost first-hand view of how the appliance will look there, once installed.

Each day the use of augmented reality for businesses enhances the belief that it is an explosive marketing technique that can give you an edge over the competition. In fact, because this technology has still not completely permeated through the vast range of business models it can be applied to, if you invest in it at this very moment, it could give you a head-start over your peers. And since almost every modern-day consumer is armed with a smartphone, the implementation of augmented reality has become much simpler. With apps designed to support this technology, its use is simple, and only needs basic guidance from support staff, thus making the entire process much more productive and efficient.

A furniture store can use it to showcase different settings to customers, and even enable a better view in their home. An education centre can use augmented reality to provide students with hands-on knowledge about different concepts, techniques and processes. Product manuals can become obsolete as AR can be used to train individuals to set up or repair a certain product by creating a virtual scene based on a real-world product.

The implementation of augmented reality will not only lend your business a ‘wow’ factor, it will educate your consumer at the same time and strengthen his decision-making ability. There will be fewer chances of him telling you ‘I’ll get back to you on that’, because once they have seen the particular product in the spot it is meant to be in, what is left to ponder over? This, of course, is just one example of its many benefits. As suggested above, augmented reality can be applied to almost any business to reinforce purchasing decisions. So while it increases sales and revenue, it also cuts back on the cost of owning real estate to showcase your product. You can showcase your product almost anywhere.

Augmented Reality and Gesture based experiences
Augmented Reality and Gesture based experiences

PearlQuest is equipped to make augmented reality a fully functional part of your business. With service and consultancy, PearlQuest can enable your business to gain an edge and head-start over the competition, and stand out in a market that is yet to realize the potential of this technology completely. Contact us today and let’s take discuss how AR can be streamlined to suit your business and attract valuable clientele and customers.

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Business Advantages of Responsive Web Design

2013 was called the year of responsive design by Mashable. If your website is still not responsive, it’s time to understand why you need to make the switch, and quickly. It is estimated that in the upcoming years, mobile browsing will overtake desktop browsing.

At one point in time, standalone mobile sites were the norm. It meant developing an entirely different website for a mobile device. This required the creation of multiple codes and updates on two sites: one for the desktop, and one for the mobile device. But responsive design is different. It adapts itself to different screen resolutions, regardless of which device you are using (smartphone, tab or desktop, and even those that haven’t been invented yet). In fact, some websites even offer adaptive design, where the website detects the device and its functionality changes accordingly to make the browsing experience smoother. So why should you update your website to make it responsive?

The SEO Advantage
To put it simply, Google gives preference in search engine ranking to websites that have responsive design. Google’s philosophy revolves around optimizing user experience, and this very same philosophy forms the basic premise of responsive design. The easier it is to view your website on any device, the higher it is likely to show up in search results. Moreover, because you have only one consistent URL across different platforms, it becomes easier for search engines to index your website.

The Ease of Updates
We already said it, we’re saying it again. You do not have to update your desktop site AND your mobile site. You have to update only one site that can cater to your consumers across all platforms.
Since you have to update only one website, resources can be spent in creating high-quality content that need not be duplicated across websites of the same domain.

The Cost Efficiency
The cost of updating different websites and correcting information on each every time you find something wrong can be saved; and this saving is larger when your business is largely driven by online traffic.

The Data Consolidation
Google analytics is kind in that it allows you to track traffic on your website from different devices in one spot. With a responsive design, it is easier to analyse this data and use it to enhance your website’s browsing experience. With a non-responsive design, it is very difficult to get a clear picture of the total traffic to your website and where this traffic came from.

The Increase in Sales
Picture this: your customer visits your website on the desktop and is unable to view it for some reason. He decides to just view it from his smartphone because he really wants to book that show or buy that book. But your website makes him zoom in and out of his phone to locate exactly what he wants to, and he gives up and goes to a competitor website that is responsive and user-friendly. In short, a responsive design makes your user less likely to find some other website and ensures that he sticks on as a loyal consumer of yours.

Keeping Up with the Future
Like we said, mobile responsive website design can be viewed on devices that haven’t even featured on the market yet. This means your website is pretty much ready for anything that makes its appearance among the audiences. And this saves you the huge cost of changing your website design every time a new device makes an appearance.

As the number of devices increase in the market, as their consumers make the switch from one device to the other, as they increasingly adopt the browsing-on-the-go culture, and as the number of websites among which you have to stand out increase on a daily basis, it becomes exceedingly essential to adopt responsive design for a website that could be catering to any consumer. Whether he wants to read, to shop, to get a quotation for a particular job, or just locate you so that he can come visit you, the process should be effortless, and the website, easy to use.

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Advantages of Multi-Touch Technology

We have already spoken about how the future is multi-touch and the advancements in this technology over the years. Only the tip of the iceberg has been discovered. Multi-touch can take the world places, and each day the technology becomes smoother and more efficient so as to facilitate its use even by the not-so-technologically savvy. This technology goes beyond the basic pinch-and-zoom feature that is enabled on your smartphone and tab. If you haven’t been introduced to multi-touch yet, or believe that it is mere hype that you can do without, think again. Multi-touch technology brings with it a host of advantages, and that’s what we are going to enlist here.

Efficient
Multi-touch facilitates use by multiple individuals at the same time. It makes the entire process time-saving and cost-saving, and enhances work flow so that efficiency increases exponentially. If a team of 4 individuals is working on a presentation, this presentation can be completed much sooner on a gesture-based multi-touch interface rather than a regular computer where there is only one mode of input, i.e. the keyboard and the mouse, which can be used only by one person.

Customisable
Multi-touch can be customized to suit the requirements of any group. The software can be matched with different types of hardware, from a regular computer with say a Windows operating system to an LCD; and the content management system can be tailored to suit the requirements of the business.

Suitable for an array of businesses
You may be in the business of anything, teaching, learning, retailing, production, entertainment, digital signage, health care, or more—multi-touch can be used by you to enhance the efficiency of your organization and your business, thereby saving you costs and increasing profits.

User-friendly
Because touch technology is intuitive, it hardly requires any training to be used. Though technologically advanced, it provides an interface that is extremely easy to use and understand. It is also more accessible with larger icons, the ability to use multiple applications at the same time, and more. Research shows that children are most comfortable with this technology and in fact, enjoy it immensely. This means its application in the education and learning sector can have far-reaching powerful and positive implications.

Less Bulky
Your input devices reduce. No keyboard, no mouse. All you need are your hands to operate multi-touch devices and screens. These devices may be stationary or portable, but overall, the amount of space they take up is much less.

Easily Upgradable
A device that can be configured without any hardware can be upgraded online easily by designers to enhance functionality, update content, fix any bugs, load applications, and perform any other necessary functions for the same.

As we mentioned earlier, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Revolutionary changes are being introduced to this technology every day. Even the popular Microsoft Surface multi-touch table that looks like a coffee table and has a touch screen is a basic platform and is being worked upon to make it more future-friendly and efficient. Making this technology work with any hardware and software can enable it to provide functions that we are unable to imagine yet. The level of efficiency that it can introduce and get us used to is only yet to be seen. Time will be more effectively managed, as will resources that incur heavy overhead costs. This invisible interface that will change the way we access and process information is yet to showcase its impact. When it does, the ramifications will be significant and definitely positive.