The idea of smart TV dates back to the early 2000s, but it wasn't until 2008 that LG launched the first smart TV, meaning you can now connect TVs to the internet and stream content utilizing that network connection.

Because of the capabilities of smart TVs, businesses and individuals now use them as a powerful communication tool, displaying essential digital messages and advertising for their audience to create greater access and awareness for their brands, products, and services.

Gone are the days when companies used many sticky notes, flyers, chalkboards, print menus, and long email threads to enhance brand awareness. 

If you have a smart TV and would like to transform it into a powerful marketing asset and improve conversions for your business, like many other innovative-thinking businesses, this article is for you.

This post will explore the essential steps, tools, and insights to convert your smart TV into a dynamic advertising canvas seamlessly.

What you will need to turn your smart TV into a dynamic advertising tool

Turning your smart TV into a dynamic advertising tool will require the following:

• Smart TV

• Internet connection

• Digital signage software

Let’s briefly discuss each. Later in the article, we’ll take a more in-depth look at how to set it up.

A smart TV

Presenting your advertising message on TV means having one in the first place. The main factors to consider here are the size of the TV and its compatibility with your digital signage software.

A Smart TV will feature the necessary ports and connectivity options to install a media player or a digital signage player directly and connect to the internet without third-party integration. 

On the other hand, a traditional (non-smart) TV will need an external digital media player such as Amazon Fire Stick, Google Chromecast, Chromebox, Chromebit, etc. 

Once the Amazon Fire Stick or Google Chromecast is installed, you can install the Luna  Screens app via the Amazon App Store or the Google Play Store.

Concerning size, your choice of TV should be large enough to ensure your audience can see the messages displayed at a glance. 

The recommended size of a smart TV for interactive displays should be between 48 and 65 inches.

Although, this is not a rule. Therefore, you can take a cue with the following tip.

• You should pick the TV size based on the room dimensions. If the gap between the TV and people in the room walking around or sitting is at least six feet (1.82 m), then the TV should be at least 43 inches (109 cm).

• If the gap is 10-12 feet (3-3.65 m), then the TV should be around 70-85 inches (177-215 cm).

Internet connection to the TV

Without an internet connection, you can’t use a TV as a dynamic advertising tool. Also, you’ll need fast Wi-Fi to make the system work, especially if you have a 4K TV and plan to display promotional ads in 4K resolution. 

While configuring the system, note that if the digital signage is frequently downloading new content, it has the potential to impact a network with limited bandwidth.

For instance, if you have a 25 Mbps router and plan to stream digital messages while other devices on the same network are running, it may cause significant pressure and make it more difficult for employees to get things done. In such cases, you’ll require faster Wi-Fi. 

Consider upgrading the router to at least a 100 Mbps model and subscribe to a higher-speed data plan. The best routers have dual-band capabilities, allowing you to split your network between your corporate message boards and other devices on the site.

With internet quality sorted out, to connect your smart TV to the internet, you only need to turn the power on and go to the connection settings from the menu. 

Input your Wi-Fi data in the correct fields; the TV should be connected to the web. The process differs slightly for non-smart TVs requiring third-party media players to work. 

For a non-smart TV, you will have to plug your choice media player into your TV’s HDMI port and navigate the media player settings using the remote. Select the “Connection” or “Network” option and choose your Wi-Fi.

Hooking the TV to the internet is a one-time thing unless you need to change your router password.

Digital signage software

With your smart TV ready for connection to the internet, you will need digital signage software to convert your internet-connected Smart TV into a dynamic advertising vehicle for displaying products, services, and key brand messages.

Digital signage software will enable users to create, schedule, and deploy various content onto their smart TV screens. 

For instance, a restaurant business can easily display separate breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus at the appropriate times using the software scheduling feature.

To gain access, register for free on Luna Screens to access our dynamic advertising platform and grab one of our supported hardware platforms to get started (we will discuss this in detail shortly).

With Digital signage software like Luna Screens, you can launch your advertising message swiftly on your Smart TV, even if you don’t have content yet for your screen, as we offer content management templates that can get you started immediately.

You may also like: 11 Cutting-Edge Digital Signage Software Solutions for 2024 and Beyond.

How to set up and turn your smart TV into a dynamic advertising tool with Luna Screens

Setting up and turning your smart TV into a dynamic advertising tool to display multimedia digital signage will require a combination of the following:

• Hardware setup

• Luna Screens subscription

• Software configuration

• Creating content for your Smart TV dashboards

Let’s discuss each in detail.

Digital signage hardware setup

The hardware setup begins with buying the Smart TVs. Unlike the regular TV, a smart TV has a built-in operating system (OS), enabling it to connect to the internet. 

Different smart TVs have a different OS depending on who the maker is. For instance, Samsung Smart TVs operate on Samsung Tizen, Apple TVs work on MacOS, LG Smart TVs operate on LG WebOS, Android Smart TVs function on the Android operating system, and so on.

Because of this, it is best to select a digital signage program that is hardware-neutral and designed to work with different smart TV brands. 

Luna Screens subscription

Next, register for free on Luna Screens digital signage. Once registered on our platform, you can grab one of our supported hardware platforms, including Amazon Fire TV and Android, to begin the setup.

While any Smart TV can work, the recommended size of your Smart TV, as mentioned earlier, should be between 48 inches and 65 inches.

To learn more about the different operating systems that are there for Smart TVs, read: Digital Signage on your Smart TV. 

Software configuration

Your Smart TVs will come equipped with an in-built media player that will most likely run on the Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, or Android operating systems. 

The latter two have the Google Play Store included by default, allowing users to install the Luna Screens app.

On the other hand, an Amazon Fire TV has the Amazon App Store by default, where a user can also install the Luna Screens player app.

With an inbuilt media player, the additional step of purchasing digital signage players will not be compulsory. But if your TV doesn’t have one built-in, you must buy external media players like Amazon Fire TV Stick, Mini Pcs, Android Player box, etc.

You can select a media player based on storage, processing power, and connectivity application needs. As long as you have an HDMI port, you can easily connect the media player to your screen and internet sources like Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

That said, to begin the software configuration, you must establish an internet connection between your Smart TV and the Luna Screens platform. 

Once the connection is established, all you need to do is log in to your Luna Screens account and enter the on-screen pairing code. 

Pairing your TV with Luna Screens' digital message management system is a simple step that works similarly to pairing two devices using Bluetooth.

Creating content for your Smart TV dashboards

In this step, if you already have content for your TV ad dashboard, then you can import those files & create an excellent composition that you can publish immediately or schedule for later. 

But, if you can't create professional custom ads or don't have content yet for your TV screen, Luna Screens can provide you with predesigned templates that you can easily edit, including the text, colors, font, and images to match your business.

You can also sync these messages to and from Luna Screens cloud servers, allowing you to control the messages you display on the TVs from anywhere worldwide as long as you are connected to the internet.

Takeaway: Elevate your advertising game with Luna screens

Gone are the days when the TVs in your business premises have to stay glued to FOX or CNN. 

In this age where nearly everything is or can be made smart, you can transform your TV into a powerful advertising and marketing tool that will help you capture attention and connect and interact with your customers seamlessly and on your advertising budget. 

If you are looking for a smart yet affordable way to grab your customers' attention and get them to engage with your business, Luna Screens, a high-quality, reliable, cloud-based digital signage display system, can help turn your Smart TV into a dynamic marketing tool.

Advertise happy hour deals, display fast food menus, promote upcoming events, show important information like forthcoming shop closure dates, and interact with your customers using our overly simplified setup process yet powerful suite of tools.

Ready to make your Smart TV a marketing asset? 

Register for free with Luna Screens, follow the steps above, and witness the impact of dynamic advertising.