You can’t go a day without seeing or hearing the latest ads from countless home security monitoring systems. Having one can lower your homeowners’ insurance rates, deter crime and give you peace of mind when you are not at home. Video surveillance systems are becoming routine throughout our lives at home, at work and in public venues. We are being watched when out in public or in a residential neighborhood. So what’s the purpose of the security system, anyway? And how do you decipher what’s a good option for you? Here are some quick pointers.

The first step is to determine what you want to monitor. Is it the access to the exterior of your entire property? Your house? Your front door? Or just the inside environment? Do you want to monitor your home only when you’re not at home? Do you have pets inside when you are gone that may trip a motion sensor? Do you want to check in from your mobile device? Are you confident with the do-it-yourself set up? Most security systems today come with everything you need out-of-the-box. Taking into consideration what you really want to monitor will help you determine the right system for you.

The top priority for me is being able to access my monitoring system when I am away from home. If you use video surveillance equipment, make sure your system has a large enough hard drive capacity to record and store data without overwriting it too soon. If you are using a wired versus a wireless system, make sure you have enough cable to place the devices in all of the essential areas of your home. For me, that includes all points of entry into the home—doors, windows, garage door. Set up motion detectors to alert you when movement is detected, especially when windows or doors are opened. Most video systems will send you a snapshot and start recording when they sense movement.

Pedro Pérez is a founding partner of Nuevo Advertising Group and an adjunct professor of Global Brand Strategies at Ringling College of Art and Design. For over 17 years Pedro has offered clients his knowledge and expertise. Perez has always demonstrated a keen analytical sense combined with a good dose of common sense in crafting digital and online marketing strategies as part of an integrated marketing plan.

Read more at Perez' blog at Nuevo Advertising