Digital signage is one of the most effective on-site marketing tools businesses use today. They are an engaging, interactive, and visually appealing display for promotional and branded content.
Plus, digital signage makes the customer journey more satisfying. It guides customers through the entire process – from the first contact to checkout – making visual marketing tactics more profitable.
But to enjoy these perks, you need to understand how to use modern signage. And for that, you must first take note of the following five blunders that should be avoided, according to digital signage experts:
1. Wrong location
Using digital signage is an eye-catching marketing and communication method with a high efficacy rate. With the combined power of multimedia content and high-definition screens, it can capture re attention even from people who are only passing by.
However, this power would only go to waste if your digital signage cannot be viewed easily or does not have any relevance to its surroundings.
Because of this, you must select a better location for your digital screen than some random vacant wall. Plan the location thoroughly around who your audience is and where they usually go. Then, think about how the displays can guide them through the sales funnel with the support of their surroundings (e.g., commercials shown near the products on sale).
A few good locations you should consider are:
- Waiting areas
- payment counters
- Lobbies
- Building or commercial space entrances
Besides the audience’s location, you should also position your digital signage to ensure clear and unhindered viewing. There shouldn’t be any furniture, pillars, or masses of people that block your target audience’s view of the screen.
Remember three key things:
- Angle
- Line of sight
- Traffic
Following the ideal placement for your signage ensures a high return on investment (ROI), not to mention it helps you reach more people.
2. Low-quality hardware
Besides the location, you should also be wary of the equipment you select for your digital signage. Make sure you choose the right hardware, particularly the screen and player.
The screen should be capable of displaying and playing the type of content you want to deliver to your target audience. That said, regular televisions (like those used in homes) may not be the best hardware for the job.
If you want something designed for the job, consider professional digital screens. Compared to your standard TV, they:
- Higher brightness ranges can be beneficial in high-glare and outdoor applications.
- Come with specialized features, like vandalism resistance and waterproof parts.
- Last longer and have available unit replacements, if necessary.
- Have slim edges and more mounting options.
Besides the screens, you also need to choose the right kind of player for your digital signage.
In most cases, businesses go for cheaper alternatives like smart TVs and Android-powered set-top boxes. Unfortunately, these are not designed for the job, which means they have certain limitations you need to be aware of.
For smart TVs, their insufficient processing power could limit your signage’s video and animation capabilities, preventing you from maximizing digital signage features. Some don’t even have built-in players, resulting in a more challenging setup.
Meanwhile, Android set-top boxes vary in terms of quality and performance, so these:
- This results in low-quality video and animation, making the content suboptimal and amateurish.
- It May work only for a few months, with replacements not readily available for the long-term.
3. Disorganized and cluttered information
Digital signage has two main roles: information dissemination and brand promotion.
However, there is a good chance it cannot deliver one or both if there’s too much information in the content.
Adding too many details on each slide (or using too many slides) can make your display look cluttered and disorganized. It also impedes your audience from getting any takeaway information because they’ve been bombarded with too much, causing them to fail to remember any of it.
To prevent this, here are some tips you can try to organize and select the correct information to display on your screens:
- Stick to one subject. Select only one primary topic where all your audience’s attention should go. You can add other details, but only those that support the main subject.
- Avoid adding too many lines. The number of text lines should depend on the screen’s size and viewing distance. You can use online tools to compute the right proportions or follow the 3-by-5 rule (three words each line for a five-liner page or five words for a three-liner).
- Keep the presentation short. If you’re using a slideshow, avoid adding too many slides. One or two should be enough to make your presentation more focused. However, you can add a few more if you also feature general information, like the weather forecast or news.
4. Lack of brand strategy
Businesses always want efficiency in operations and communication. But despite looking for ways to improve on this, many still decide to cut corners in areas crucial to customer interaction, like branding.
Failing to establish a brand strategy will make the effort of putting up digital signages moot and inefficient. Without it, your digital signage marketing could also fall short, especially if the messaging is impersonal and generic.
Only showcase personalized content on your digital screens to avoid alienating your audience. Don’t just display top-down messages directly from your company’s internal communications.
Instead, “speak” to your customers in a language they understand to ensure better message reception and keep your ROI from suffering. Customizing your digital signage content based on your geographic location and audience persona is also good.
For example, you can sprinkle local slang phrases or include a language translation feature in your presentations. Both will help ensure that your message is delivered and understood.
Doing this will help boost your memorability and conversion rate. In turn, it will increase your overall business efficiency.
Don’t forget to add your brand, of course. Stick to your approved color palette and place your logo where ideal. Visual cues and messaging will help your audience remember who you are.
5. Dull and unhelpful content
Depending on your chosen hardware and program, you can do more than inform people about your company. You can also guide your customer’s journey.
Invest in a good service provider so you can capitalize on the wealth of content that can be displayed on digital signages. Besides static images and texts, you should also use videos and incorporate animations, live TV, social media feeds, etc.
You can also integrate automated content to make the most of what digital signages can offer. Besides constantly filling your digital displays with content, they also support brand consistency.
Below are a few content samples you can easily automate for your digital signage:
- Social media feeds (like Instagram or Twitter)
- Weather forecasts
- News and current traffic information
- Business-related and community events
- Internal dashboards (e.g., workforce commendations)
Maximize your signage
Digital signage offers plenty of advantages for your business. However, you can only maximize these perks if you know the potential pitfalls you need to avoid. Start by avoiding the blunders and looking for more ways to make the most of your digital signage.
