It is important for small businesses and entrepreneurs to make a lasting impact on their target audience. Digital signage is a dynamic way to do this, grabbing attention with eye-catching visuals and delivering timely, relevant information.
This guide will allow you to explore the benefits of digital signage, what to consider when selecting the perfect display, and how to create and implement an effective digital signage strategy. Get ready to take your small business to the next level with digital signage!
Benefits of Digital Signage Displays
Digital signage has quickly become an indispensable tool for businesses of all sizes and with good reason. These high-tech displays offer several key benefits that can help your small business thrive and grow:
Increasing Brand Awareness
By showcasing your brand’s unique identity and message, digital signage can boost brand recognition and solidify your presence in the market. Well-designed visuals and strategic placement of your digital sign can make a lasting impression on passers-by and customers, encouraging them to remember and recommend your business to others.
Enhancing Customer Experience
Digital signage can enrich the customer experience by providing relevant information, such as product details, promotions, or customer testimonials. By engaging customers with dynamic content, you can make their visit to your store more enjoyable, which in turn can lead to increased sales and loyalty.
Effective Advertising Platform
In an era where traditional advertising methods are becoming less effective, digital signage offers a powerful platform to promote your products and services. You can use your digital sign to showcase high-quality images, HD videos, or interactive content, capturing your audience’s attention and enticing them to learn more about your business.
Reducing Perceived Wait Time
By displaying entertaining or informative content, digital signage can help reduce perceived wait times in queues or waiting areas. When customers are engaged, time seems to pass more quickly, making their overall experience more enjoyable and increasing the likelihood of repeat visits.
Promoting In-store Deals and Specials
With digital signage, you can easily advertise limited-time offers, special pricing, or flash sales. This can entice customers to make an impulse purchase or take advantage of a promotion, driving up sales and revenue for your business.
Strengthening Internal Communications
Digital signage can also serve as a valuable tool for improving internal communication within your company. By displaying announcements, updates, or even employee recognition, you can help foster a sense of unity and boost morale among your staff.
Real-time Updates and Adaptability
One of the greatest benefits of digital signage is its ability to deliver real-time updates. Whether you need to change a product price, announce a last-minute special, or broadcast a public health advisory, digital signage allows you to keep your content fresh, relevant, and adaptable to the immediate needs of your business. This kind of flexibility isn’t possible with traditional signage.
Boosting Impulse Buys
By highlighting new products or promoting timely deals, digital signage placed near checkouts can entice customers to add last-minute items to their purchase. The ability to change these promotions quickly and frequently keeps the content engaging and increases the likelihood of impulse buys.
In-store Directions and Maps
Especially in large stores or multi-store businesses, digital signs can guide customers to the products they’re looking for. By simplifying the shopping journey, you can make the customer experience more seamless and satisfying, which can lead to return visits.
Energy Efficiency and Environmental Friendliness
Modern digital signage uses energy-efficient LED technology that consumes less power than traditional signs. Furthermore, by reducing the need for paper posters and banners, digital signs contribute to a greener, more sustainable business model.
Take the following steps to optimize your digital signage:
- Strategic Placement: Position your digital signs in high-traffic areas where they’ll get the most visibility.
- Eye-Catching Design: Create visually appealing content that aligns with your brand identity.
- Clear Messaging: Ensure your message is clear, concise, and easy to understand within a few seconds.
- Interactive Elements: Consider incorporating touch screens or QR codes to engage customers further.
Choosing the Right Digital Signage Display
Selecting the right digital signage for a business, particularly for use in advertising, information display, or enhancing customer experience, requires careful consideration of various factors. This ensures you choose a solution that effectively meets your communication and marketing needs. Here’s a guide to the key criteria for choosing the best digital signage:
- Display Quality and Resolution:
- Scale of Importance: 9/10
- High-resolution displays offer clear, crisp images and videos, which are crucial for attracting attention and delivering quality content.
- Screen Size and Orientation:
- Scale of Importance: 8/10
- Choose a screen size and orientation (landscape or portrait) that suits your content and the space where the signage will be installed.
- Durability and Build Quality:
- Scale of Importance: 8/10
- For signage intended for outdoor use or in high-traffic areas, durability and resistance to elements like weather and vandalism are important.
- Connectivity Options:
- Scale of Importance: 8/10
- Consider the range of connectivity options (like Wi-Fi, Ethernet, HDMI, USB) for easy content updates and integration with other systems.
- Content Management System (CMS):
- Scale of Importance: 9/10
- A user-friendly CMS is vital for easily updating and managing content. Cloud-based systems offer remote management capabilities.
- Brightness and Visibility:
- Scale of Importance: 9/10
- The screen should be visible in various lighting conditions, especially if located outdoors or in brightly lit indoor spaces.
- Interactivity Features:
- Scale of Importance: 7/10
- Touchscreens or interactive capabilities can enhance user engagement, particularly in retail or informational kiosks.
- Energy Efficiency:
- Scale of Importance: 7/10
- Energy-efficient models reduce operational costs and are better for the environment.
- Ease of Installation and Maintenance:
- Scale of Importance: 7/10
- Consider how easy it is to install and maintain the signage, including accessibility for repairs and updates.
- Cost and ROI:
- Scale of Importance: 8/10
- Balance the cost with the expected return on investment. Higher initial costs may be justified by better performance, durability, and impact on customer engagement.
- Scalability:
- Scale of Importance: 7/10
- The system should be scalable, allowing for future expansion or updates as needed.
- Warranty and Support:
- Scale of Importance: 7/10
- Good warranty terms and reliable customer support are important for addressing any issues that may arise.
These criteria are key in choosing digital signage that meets the specific needs of a business, ensuring effective communication, customer engagement, and value for investment. We applied these criteria to the products we featuer in our list below.
Our Recommendations: Top Digital Signage Displays
SAMSUNG Business 55-inch 4K UHD LED Commercial Signage Display
Features:
- 55-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) LED display with 300 nits brightness
- Non-glare panel for better visibility
- Versatile connectivity: USB and HDMI
- Built-in media player for easy content playback
- Crystal 4K Processor for intelligent UHD upscaling
- Slim, elegant design with 3-side bezel-less display
- VESA 200 x 200 wall mountable in portrait or landscape mode
- 16/7 operation reliability and IP5X dust-proof rating
- 3-year commercial warranty for peace of mind
SAMSUNG Business 55-inch 4K UHD LED Commercial Signage Display
ViewSonic 75″ 4K Interactive Digital Display
Features:
- 75-inch 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160p) resolution for clear, crisp visuals
- 20-point multi-touch functionality for enhanced collaboration
- Ideal for large conference rooms, classrooms, and ballrooms
- Built-in quad-core processor for smooth performance
- Versatile connectivity options: HDMI, VGA, RS232, RJ45, USB
- Out-of-the-box annotation and content-sharing capabilities
ViewSonic 75″ 4K Interactive Digital Display
Sungale 19″ Wall-Hanging Commercial Digital Signage
Features:
- 19-inch HD resolution screen
- Send promotional content to the display from anywhere
- Simultaneous loading and sending of content to multiple displays
- Utilize videos or images with voiceover or music to grab attention
- Amazon Alexa controller compatibility for voice control
- Touchscreen interface
- 16:9 aspect ratio, 70Hz refresh rate
- VESA (100mm x 100mm) mounting type
- Corded electric power source
Sungale 19″ Wall-Hanging Commercial Digital Signage
LG 22” Back-lit Digital Display
Features:
- 22-inch IPS FHD LED (1920 x 1080) resolution for sharp and clear visuals
- Smart Signage Platform with webOS for smooth content playback and easy app development
- Various sensor applications supported via USB plug-in
- Multiple interface options: HDMI, USB, LAN, RS232C
- Remote monitoring and control through Control Manager
- Optional Real-time Care Service with LG ConnectedCare for efficient maintenance
LG 22” Back-lit Digital Display
ViewSonic 55 Inch 4K Ultra HD Free-Standing Digital ePoster
Features:
- 55-inch 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) resolution for crystal-clear, vibrant visuals
- IPS wide-angle viewing for an immersive experience from all angles
- 7H scratch-resistant, anti-glare glass faceplate for durability and improved visibility
- Embedded SoC platform for a streamlined installation and maintenance process
- HDMI, DisplayPort, and LAN RJ45 connectivity options
ViewSonic 55 Inch 4K Ultra HD All-in-one Free-Standing Digital ePoster
NEC MultiSync 55-inch Diagonal LED-Backlit LCD Display
Features:
- 55-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) LED-backlit LCD display with edge-lit technology
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) for enhanced contrast and color accuracy
- Wide color gamut panels for a broader range of viewable colors
- Landscape and portrait orientation options for installation flexibility
- Two HDMI ports for robust connectivity
- Intel® Smart Display Module compatibility (Small or Large)
- Glossy screen surface for vibrant image display
- 500 cd/m2 brightness, ideal for high-end digital signage applications
NEC MultiSync 55-inch Diagonal LED-Backlit LCD Display
CX Outdoor LED Scrolling Sign
Features:
- High-quality, strong aluminum case
- PC software support for Windows systems only (Win8/WinXP/Win7/Win10)
- Wi-Fi connection compatibility for iPhone and Android app-based content updates
- Supports scrolling texts, time, numbers, images, and videos
- Display resolution: W160 x H64 dots with P6 dots density (6mm distance between dots)
- Energy-saving and low power consumption
- Multilingual support
Planar 55″ LCD Interactive Large Format Digital Display
Features:
- 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio
- Support for native 4K resolution at up to 60Hz
- Vibrant 550-nit brightness specifically designed for digital signage applications
- Embedded Android for easy content management
- Wi-Fi for network connectivity
- Narrow bezels and slim profile
- Suitable for 24×7 operation and can be mounted in landscape or portrait orientation
Planar 55″ LCD Interactive Large Format Digital Display
Displays2go Standing Digital Signage Kiosk w/ Wheels
Features:
- 43-inch non-touch HD screen with vivid graphics
- Locking wheels for mobility and stability
- DiViEX Slideshow App for streamlined marketing content management
- Plug ‘n play connectivity: USB and HDMI ports
- Android 7.1 operating system
- 1-year warranty for added peace of mind
Displays2go Standing Digital Signage Kiosk w/ Wheels
ViewSonic ViewBoard 4K Ultra HD Interactive Flat Panel Bundle
Features:
- 4K Ultra HD 3840×2160 resolution
- 350-nit high brightness for vivid imagery
- Wide viewing angles for a better viewing experience
- Dual 10W speakers for quality audio output
- HDMI, DVI, and VGA inputs for connecting various high-definition devices
- Built-in multi-core media player with 8GB storage for multimedia playback via USB without the need for a PC
- Embedded LAN, optional Wi-Fi, and an Internet browser for enhanced connectivity
- vController software provides a simple and intuitive interface for remote management via a PC server or laptop
- Flicker-free and blue light filter technologies for a comfortable viewing environment
ViewSonic ViewBoard 4K Ultra HD Interactive Flat Panel Bundle
Essential Digital Signage Content Ideas
Creating engaging and relevant content is key to the success of your digital signage strategy. Consider incorporating these content ideas into your digital signage:
Promotional Content
Highlight your products and services with attention-grabbing visuals and special offers. Digital signage allows for easy updates, so you can adapt your promotions to seasonal trends or showcase new products as they arrive.
Social Media Integration
Bring your online presence to life by integrating your social media feeds into your signage content. This can help increase your followers, encourage social sharing, and keep your audience informed about your latest news and updates.
Testimonials and Reviews
Showcase positive customer feedback and reviews to build trust and credibility with potential clients. This can help set your business apart from competitors and foster a loyal customer base.
News and Updates
Keep customers informed about the latest developments in your industry or company news. This can help position your business as an authority in your field, while also keeping your content fresh and relevant.
Interactive Content
Encourage customer engagement by incorporating interactive elements into your digital signage, such as quizzes, polls, or touch-screen features. This can create a memorable experience for your audience, and may even encourage them to share their experience with others.
Implementing Your Digital Signage Strategy
To maximize the impact of your digital displays, follow these best practices when creating and implementing your digital signage strategy:
Identifying Your Target Audience
Understanding your target audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points is essential for creating effective digital signage content. Tailor your messaging and visuals to resonate with your ideal customer, making sure to address their specific concerns and desires.
Selecting Appropriate Content
Choose content that is relevant, timely, and engaging for your target audience. Consider using a mix of promotional, informational, and entertaining content to keep viewers interested and showcase the full range of what your business has to offer.
Planning Content Scheduling and Frequency
Create a content schedule to ensure your signage stays up-to-date and fresh. Regularly updating your content can help maintain viewer interest and ensure your messaging remains relevant. Consider using automated content management tools to simplify this process.
Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Digital Signage
Monitor the performance of your signage strategy by tracking key metrics, such as sales increase, customer engagement, and social media growth. Use this data to refine and optimize your content and strategy over time, ensuring you continue to achieve the desired results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the ideal screen size for my digital signage display?
The ideal screen size for your digital display depends on factors such as viewing distance, location, and intended use. Consider the space where your display will be installed and how far away your audience will be when viewing the content to determine the appropriate size.
How much should I expect to spend on a digital signage display?
The cost can vary greatly, depending on factors such as size, resolution, technology, and additional features. Budget displays can be found for a few hundred dollars, while high-end models can cost several thousand. Determine your business needs and budget to find the best solution for your company.
What type of content works best for digital signage in small businesses?
The most effective content for small businesses often includes promotional material, such as special offers, new products, or sales events, as well as engaging visuals, such as HD videos or high-quality images. Social media integration, customer testimonials, and interactive content can also be highly effective in engaging customers and increasing brand awareness.
How do I choose the right digital signage software for my needs?
When selecting signage software, consider factors such as ease of use, compatibility with your display hardware, and the availability of features that meet your specific business needs. Look for software that offers management of content, scheduling, and performance analytics to help you optimize and streamline your strategy.
How can I make my digital signage content more engaging and interactive?
To create more engaging and interactive signage content, consider incorporating touch-screen features, quizzes, polls, or even games into your display. Additionally, integrate social media feeds, live updates, or user-generated content to keep your content fresh and relevant.
Taking the Next Step: Bringing Your Digital Signage Display to Life
Now that you have a better understanding of digital signage displays and their potential benefits for your small business, it’s time to take action. Assess your current needs and resources, and consider collaborating with professionals or seeking guidance from experts in the field. With a well-thought-out digital signage strategy in place, you’ll be on your way to boosting your brand’s visibility, engaging your target audience, and driving sales.
Remember, digital signage is a powerful tool that, when used effectively, can help your business stand out in today’s competitive market. Embrace this dynamic and innovative technology to create a lasting impact on your customers and set your small business on a path to success.
Image: Amazon