Digital signage enhances communications and drives engagement
Digital signage is effective nearly everywhere it is used. Whether used in the office, in schools, inside or out, digital signage is a proven attention-grabbing technology. Major advertising research organizations, including the Out of Home Advertising Association of American (OAAA), have confirmed this. According to the OAAA’s research, 55 percent of people who pass a digital billboard can recall the specific message on the screen. Among the study’s participants, 71 percent believed that digital signage stood out more than online ads or television ads.
Digital signage has a clear value for businesses, then, but its ability to engage is also useful for schools and any organization that could benefit from communicating more effectively.
What does a digital signage system consist of?
At first glance, digital signage may look like a set of standard televisions, but unlike consumer displays, digital signage is built for the long haul. With larger heat sinks and onboard fans, digital displays can run for hours, days, or months at a time without sustaining damage. They can also be mounted vertically, for additional display options.
The display, though, is only one part of a digital signage system. Other components include:
Media players
Each display is paired with a media player, which stores and delivers content to the display. High quality media players can stream content to more than one display and stream in ultra-high resolutions, which means they can fully leverage the power of digital signage.
Digital signage software
Digital signage software allows users to create layouts and develop programming schedules, so organizations have full control over when and what the signage displays. Modern signage software is designed for ease of use, so even if you can’t spare the manpower to create a lot of content, templates and other shortcuts ensure organizations can get the most out of the technology.
The content
The better your content, the greater the impact your digital signage will have. This could be photos, videos, animations, social media posts or anything that could drive viewer interest. It could also be news headlines, sports scores or weather forecasts, which can be integrated with little effort.
Businesses can benefit greatly from the advertising potential of digital signage, but there are other roles the technology can fill for commercial organizations. For example:
An entertainer and time-saver
No one likes standing in lines, whether at a burger joint, a grocery store or at the DMV. Digital signage can help keep people entertained by providing interesting content for people to consume while waiting. This content doesn’t have to be a mere distraction, either, as signage can communicate wait times and help people queue more efficiently.
A brand builder
Digital signage is a message delivering powerhouse, so if your organization is building a brand, it is easier with digital signage. This is especially effective once customers are inside and considering a purchase. Displaying positive customer reviews and social media posts is one way to sway a consumer’s mind. Organizations can also make repeat customers out of people that get involved in the company’s social media, and digital signage encourages that.
A team unifier
Digital signage doesn’t require customers to be an effective communication solution. For instance, signage around the office could be used to highlight employee birthdays or accomplishments, or keep departments focused on their goals.
Digital signage can do some things that are particularly useful for schools and universities. Some of those things include:
Better wayfinding
Wayfinding helps people better navigate a space, which is extremely helpful for collegiate campuses. At any given moment, on any given university campus, there is someone wandering around lost. It could be a student or a parent, but wayfinding via digital signage ensures they can get to their destination. Consider wayfinding for orientation days or for when students return to the campus for the fall.
Emergency messaging system
K-12 and university campuses are large enough that when an emergency occurs, there is a precious window of time for people to react. Digital signage can be used to immediately alert students, teachers, and staff to an emergency, so appropriate, potentially life-saving messaging can be delivered.
Campus spirit builder
Schools and universities are their own communities, and nothing drives a community like a timely injection of spirit. Digital signage can be a part of this spirit-building, with content that reinforces the school’s best traits.
Digital signage is versatile and easy to manage, so it can provide value to any organization. As easy as it is to manage, though, consider what an
AV integrator can bring to the project. With an integrator, digital signage can be installed quickly and configured properly, which ensures your signage solution is offers a long-term solution.
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