The Dos and Don’ts of Digital Signage
While we do believe that digital signage is an important part of any business’ marketing strategy, we also understand that it’s a pretty big investment. You may be worried about whether or not you’re going to get your money’s worth, and that’s a very rational concern. Fortunately for you, if you’re well-informed about how to use digital signage, it’s sure to make a sound investment. That’s why we’ve put together a few of the most important dos and don’ts of digital signage. Take a look!
Do: Invest in a Commercial-Grade Screen
Why invest in commercial-grade digital signage to begin with, though? Standard TVs seem like they do the same thing, and they’re significantly cheaper. The problem, though, is that consumer TVs and commercial-grade digital signage are designed for two very different purposes. Consumer TVs are designed to be used for standard use around the home, whether that’s binging your favorite TV series, watching a movie, or playing video games.
They aren’t, however, designed for displaying advertisements around the clock, standing up to outdoor weather conditions, or any other requirements for digital signage. A consumer TV won’t last long if it’s used under these conditions. It’ll burn out quickly and cost you more in the long run. Commercial-grade digital displays, on the other hand, last longer, are more durable, are designed for more frequent use, and have far greater image quality. Though they are a bit more expensive, they’re worth every penny.
Do: Use Clear Messages and Engaging Content
Clarity is the key to capturing interest. High-quality images and videos combined with a bit of good graphic design make for engaging and eye-catching displays. Eye-catching displays are, of course, just the thing you need to bring some more foot traffic to your storefront, so the importance of clear, engaging visuals can’t be overstated.
Do: Choose a Good Location
When it comes to getting eyes on your brand, finding a good location is just about as important as equipment and content. You can have the best content on the highest-quality display, but it won’t drive any customers to you if they never see it.
Carefully consider several factors before choosing a location. First, will your digital signage have to compete for attention? If you set up your signage in areas that are already densely populated with signage, you’re less likely to be noticed by a passerby. Second, will there be a lot of foot traffic near your digital signage? While areas with more foot traffic tend to have more competition, it’s a good idea to put your sign in a place where many people will have a chance to see it. Essentially, the secret to finding a good location for your signage is balancing these two factors. The better the balance, the better the location.
Do: Update Content Regularly
Effective advertising requires you to not just captivate customers once, but to keep them coming back for more. To do this, you need to regularly swap out the ads you’re displaying for something fresh and exciting. Be sure to work with your advertisers and graphic designers to implement a regular schedule for updating your content. This ensures that you’ll be able to both secure and maintain a wider customer base with your ad campaign.
Don’t: Cut Costs by Sacrificing Quality
Cheaper displays perform worse in the short term and usually have lower image quality. You won’t have to worry much about the long term, though. Low-quality displays tend to die off quickly due to screen burn, so you’ll probably have to replace them before too long. (Is that a silver lining? We’re not quite sure.) Features also tend to be more limited, so you may not be able to create the engaging content you’re dreaming of. Overall, the money you’ll save upfront isn’t worth the constant replacements and headaches you’ll have to deal with over time.
Don’t: Neglect Maintenance
As with any piece of work equipment, your digital signage needs regular maintenance to stay at the top of its game. Be sure to check in on the hardware and software regularly to ensure that there aren’t any issues. If there are, though, these regular check-ins will ensure you catch them before they become a larger issue. Neglecting this can lead to some much worse, much costlier malfunctions down the road, so be sure you’re keeping a solid maintenance schedule.
Don’t: Use Cluttered Designs
Cluttered designs are much harder to read and understand, and therefore less engaging to would-be customers. When putting together content and designs for your commercial displays, be sure to keep images and logos simple, and don’t crowd them together.
We’ve found that one of the best ways to avoid overcomplicated designs is with the 60-30-10 rule. The 60-30-10 rule states that you should pick three colors for your advertisement: a primary color, a secondary color, and an accent color. 60% of your advertisement should use the primary color, 30% should use the secondary color, and the last 10% should top things off using the accent color. Using this rule will help you to avoid excessive visual noise in your ads, making them more engaging than ever.
Don’t: Give Your Viewers Information Overload
Can be easy to overwhelm your viewers without realizing it. Goes hand-in-hand with avoiding cluttered designs, but it is important enough that we felt it warranted its own section here. Overwhelming viewers will cause them to stop paying attention to your content, so be sure that your displays can be easily understood at a glance. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid large blocks of text, which are hard to read and don’t get your point across as effectively. Instead, say what you’re trying to say using a catchy slogan or tagline, which is both efficient and memorable.
To Summarize
Now, we get that that’s a lot of information to take in, so we’re going to follow our own advice and condense it into a few sentences. Simply put, getting the most out of your digital signage is a matter of creativity, careful planning, and regular maintenance. While high-quality digital signage is expensive upfront, it’ll pay for itself tenfold in increased foot traffic throughout its lifespan, so don’t settle for anything less than the best. Once you have your digital signage, be sure to take good care of it, and get the most out of it using easily digestible, tastefully designed advertisements. If you take the time to do everything correctly, the difference for your brand will be like night and day.
The Importance of Ongoing Optimization and Adaptation
The technology for commercial audiovisual displays is constantly evolving, so as an advertiser, it’s important for you to stay with the times. Continuing to optimize and adapt your digital displays to the current market will give you an edge over the competition, allowing you to excel in your niche, no matter what it is.
The Future of Digital Signage
With this constant evolution in mind, it’s tough to say what the future of digital signage holds for business owners like you. One thing’s for sure, though: it’s only going to become more prominent as time goes on, so there’s no time like the present to start implementing it in your content strategies.
That said, it’s vital that you find a high-quality, trustworthy provider that’ll have your back as the technology continues to grow and change. That’s where we at Teksetra come in. Whether you need to read up on the importance of digital signage or are ready to take the plunge and invest in a display of your own, drop us a line and we’ll lend you a hand!
