INSIGHT
THE PULSE OF
DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONTENT
BY ONE DIGITAL MEDIA
Daniel Waldron , esteemed digital signage blogger and head of Content for award-winning , outdoor digital signage enclosure manufacturer , Armagard said , ‘ Content is the lifeblood of any digital signage network , and content management is its heart .’
Andrew Ridl , CEO of One Digital Media ( ODM ) concurs and went on to say , ‘ Digital signage is only as effective as the content it displays . As the digital signage market becomes more saturated and competitive , and as consumers place more stock in mobile options for information delivery , it becomes imperative that a premium be placed on content that is engaging and memorable .’
The delivery mechanism of any message must be subservient to what is being delivered . Poor content precipitates poor customer experience , which ripples outwards , creating irreparable damage to a company or its brands . For example , the visitor to a car dealer ’ s repair facility can ’ t be questioned for doubting the establishment ’ s ability to repair her car , if the digital sign in reception reads , ‘ We are committed to kwality .’
The customer might logically conclude that they are not committed to quality if they can ’ t even take the time to correct a simple spelling error .
The psychosomatic effect on the customer moves far beyond such obvious problems as typos and misspelt words . Poor contrast , outdated visuals , shoddy design themes , expired offers , or photographic images used at a higher resolution than originally intended , all place a subconscious impression , in the viewer ’ s mind , that the company in question does not pay attention to detail and therefore can ’ t be committed to quality .
‘ Content is everything ,’ said Bill Collins , principal of research consultancy Decision Point Media Insights . ‘ A store sells content , merchandise and service , it sells an entire customer experience . So , the content of any store ’ s in-store digital media is fundamental in making the store experience friendly and helpful .’
Digital signage holds the promise of making content better than ever , brighter and more colourful , and more emotionally engaging for everyone involved . However , an important focus for the designer of the content is firstly , how do I attract my target audience , and secondly , how do I keep them interested in what is being communicated ?
Ridl said that creating successful digital content is based on the design team addressing several basic pointers :
CONDUCT MARKET RESEARCH
• While a news broadcast may be interesting for some patrons in a restaurant , it may illicit groans from others . Market research needs to be conducted in order to understand what content will pique the customer ’ s interest while sitting , relaxing and enjoying a meal , or what will drive the irritated customer mad and straight out the door .
• For example , if people on the road enjoy listening to music , a petrol station ’ s digital display could play top music videos . And if the petrol station is located on a national highway to the coast , various coastal regions could be featured , thus enhancing the holiday maker ’ s trip .
WHAT SCREEN WILL THE CONTENT BE DISPLAYED ON ? When digital content is created , the screen that it will be displayed on needs to be considered and the following questions asked : Where is the screen located ? Who will be looking at it ? What will they be doing while they look at it ?
WHAT TYPE OF CONTENT SHOULD BE DISPLAYED WHERE ?
• Text heavy content generally takes more than a few seconds to read and is best reserved for waiting areas or long queues .
• Shorter content should be used in areas where customers come and go quickly .
• Content for displays that are placed near a point of sale , such as a cash register or reception desk , create tempting impulse buys .
• Storefront digital signage that attracts customers to a store , should consist of advertising and promotional content .
• Call to action content should take the form of a video . Content may be king , but when it comes to digital signage , so is context .
BE A STICKLER FOR TEXT DESIGN With numerous fonts , sizes , and colours to select , it seems as if text design is the part of digital signage content that lends itself most to creativity . However , depending on the application , poor font choice can derail an entire project . Fonts should always be simple and legible , especially from a reasonable distance , and too many fonts will muddy the message and may lose viewers .
CHOOSE COLOUR WISELY Too many colours or the wrong colours together , can be a distraction or even worse , convey the incorrect emotion . In addition , combining certain colours may be a hit in the retail marketing arena , but garish colour combinations , used in an airport or train station may be disconcerting for the traveller who is seeking basic information such as schedules .
USE MOTION SELECTIVELY Often silhouettes and animation may interfere with readability or comprehension . As viewers should be given enough time to read text , movement should not be too abrupt .
ALLITERATION AND RHYME For quicker viewer retention and memorisation , rhyme and alliteration could be considered . Most viewers remember up to three items at any given time . By keeping the message clear and concise , and holding the screen views long enough , the message can be read and absorbed effectively .
A PLACE FOR HUMOUR There are times when a playful injection of humour can transform digital signage content from ordinary to eye-catching and attention-grabbing . Once a viewer ’ s attention is caught , a conversation can be started with excellent content to follow . For many marketers , getting a customer ‘ in the door ’ is the first step to converting them into a sale .
KEEP IT FRESH One major element separating digital signage from traditional signage is its ability to display dynamic content . If only static content is being displayed on the screen , the question remains , why even use digital signage ? Dynamic content captures an individual ’ s attention , keeps the viewer interested and remains top of mind . Customers and employees are 10 times more likely to observe dynamic digital signage content than static messages . Examples of dynamic
30 ISSUE 95 MAY / JUNE 2018 | www . SignAfrica . com