First of all, what even is digital signage?
Signage is the collective term for commercial or public display and display content such as imagery, maps, and information posters. Digital signage is a sub-segment of this, where the ‘sign’ is screened on an LCD, LED, or as a projection. This digital form of signage can be more interactive, easier to read, and can display a wider variety of content, including video and streaming media.
Customers are more likely to look at a digital screen for direction and information, and you can use this as an opportunity to create eye-catching and engaging content, upsell products, or promote your services. Digital signs are everywhere, from parks, museums, your local cafe, and even McDonald’s. Knowing how to best use this diverse range of capabilities to best suit your business needs will save you time, money, and pain down the line.
So, how does it work?
Digital signage has a lot of pieces to make up the whole puzzle. This ranges from hardware (the screens and mounts), software (content management system and interface), installation (the physical installation and site-visits), content (what the screens say), and maintenance (routine check-ups, software updates). All of these components work together, alongside your WiFi or network, and manage and display content across your screens. Most companies that offer digital signage provide this via cloud-based or internet-based software, making it easy to update and upload content.
Make sure your digital signage plan is completely tailored to you. An easy way to start is to ask yourself these questions:
- How many digital displays do you want in your [shop, museum, cafe]?
- When do you want them live and displaying content?
- What content will you put up? How often will it change?
- What is your budget?
This should help you answer the big question:
“What is your ideal result using digital signage?”
This answer can have many different responses, from simply informing or guiding customers through your store, displaying a product demo or an inspirational video, or upselling your products.
What are the costs?
Costs can sometimes be a scary word, but this is to ensure you are fully informed prior to getting any bills. While the initial cost of hardware and software may seem big, these are one-off costs and have decreased dramatically in the last few years as the digital signage industry is taking off. Most companies have ‘soft costs’ (content creation and network management) and hard costs built into the payment package.
The soft costs can often be what is the more inconsistent and hard to judge part of digital signage, and will force you to think about your digital signage content strategy.
This includes:
- Frequency of changes
- Number of signs
- Customer-facing vs. not customer-facing
- Where the screens are displayed
When searching for your digital signage provider, look for ones that can provide you instantaneous updates with minimal extra costs (for example, updating prices on your Digital Menu Boards). The beauty of digital signage is that you can update your screens remotely and quickly, and you don’t need to go to a separate printing house to reprint anything (e.g. a menu if it has changed).
This is all making sense… But what are the benefits? Why does it work?
Digital signage can boost your sales by up to 23%, as it gives you an easy and attention-grabbing platform to communicate with your customers. The bright, content-driven displays are eye-catching for any audience as we have been taught to look at screens for information and entertainment. Some companies can use their displays to influence customer behaviour and purchase decisions, such as highlighting a special, or broadcasting an aspirational video to fulfil a customer need. With a cloud-based digital signage provider, content is easily customisable and you are able to do it from the comfort of your home, office, or even sitting at the table in your business. You have an opportunity to merge creativity and data, by creating dynamic and contextual content, and even integrate AI into your system to bundle items together, driving sales further.
Something less talked about is how you can utilise your digital signage for additional revenue. Whether you look at integrating an advertisement within a certain timeframe or on a playlist, or you create a spot in the display to advertise in, you can sell these ad spaces to other companies. These ads can elevate the status of brands in their target market, which could look and feel ‘right’ in your store. Thinking about using any free space is an easy way to create revenue, and even build trust with customers if you are displaying advertising content that aligns with your brand and company.
On top of all of this, digital signage helps you increase your presence in-store, and lets customers feel informed and engaged. Using digital signage creatively, you can reduce perceived wait-times by providing engaging content, holding the attention of your customers (through streaming media or interactive displays). The power of the buying market is shifting to consumers who want to figure it out for themselves, so providing product demo videos, what’s on sale, or where to go for help, can empower the customer to make their purchase decision.
This sounds amazing!
Because it is! Digital signage is growing fast as an industry because people are catching on how easy and effective it is. You have the freedom and flexibility to empower your customers, drive your sales, and even create an interesting, inspirational, or informative atmosphere for your business.
About Us
Lighthouse Digital is your go-to, one-stop-shop for any digital signage, billboard, and digital marketing. Our capabilities go from anywhere in the marketing funnel, from creating awareness with your target audience, to driving those sales and leads.
We can provide it all for your digital signage solutions for any business sector so you can communicate with your target market and customers in real-time, integrated digital marketing campaigns, and digital signage. Whether it’s the hardware, installation, or the software, we do it all.
We specialise in making your investments work harder for you, with a tailored multi-channel approach best suited to your business, we focus on increasing traffic, conversions, and creating long-term campaign success.