9 Digital Signage Mistakes You’re Still Making!

While making mistakes on the path to learning is normal, there is nothing wrong with skipping one or two along the way. Below, we have outlined the most common digital signage mistakes quite easy to avoid when being aware of them!

Outdated content

In any instance where digital signage is not portraying accurate information, it becomes a waste of space. Menu items that are no longer available, pricing that is inaccurate, or announcements for events which have passed are all examples of outdated signage, digital and traditional. Most importantly, this mistake doesn’t only render your digital signage useless, it makes an impact on the viewer by telling them your digital signage is unreliable.

Your content may also be visually outdated, even if it displays accurate information. While still useful to the viewer, consider switching things up and creating a new look for data which doesn’t change often. For example, change the background of your work hours or add flairs to menu boards depending on the season to add a sprinkle of visual quality to your content.

Ignoring whitespace and content gaps

A customary way to manage visual clutter is to make use of dividers and gaps in content. As you use our Dynamic Composition to arrange data, images, and other visual elements on the screen, make sure to leave space between the content elements to create a sense of balance. Meanwhile, use content breaks to diversify your content. Elements such as a 10-second full-screen view of the current time/date or your company’s logo or slogan can be a nice way to professionally break up content and establish a pleasing content flow.

Inconsistent alignment

Speaking of content division and alignment, create predictable division and content sorting on your displays. This is the best part about building templates, as it ensures users get oriented on the content on the screen. Some standard examples include the 50:50 division, as well as including smaller banners at the bottom of the display. If you use banners a lot, for example, keep applying them to the bottoms of your layouts consistently.

Focus on other details such as making sure dividers between content elements are of a similar width, your text isn’t misaligned, and that there is a general sense of visual harmony.

Ill-fitting resolutions and aspect ratios

In case you use multiple displays which run on different resolutions, it can be challenging to maintain a consistent content flow across all of them. It’s one thing when the resolution quality is low, but there is also the issue of aspect ratios, resulting in odd gaps in your content. 

As you design layouts, images, and videos for your content, use tags in your digital signage software to differentiate sizes. This way, you can easily search for the appropriate resolutions and ensure they’re always used in their proper place.

Excessive text and wording

Your audience shouldn’t read long-winded articles on your display, nor will they want to. This mistake not only looks bad but reduces engagement! Keep your text as short as possible, eliminating needless words and finding shorter alternatives to make an impact. For example, say “Need help? Ask us!” or “Limited offer. Don’t miss out!” instead of long and descriptive sentences.

Random placements

The point of randomly placed content applies both to the content on the screen as well as the physical location. Be mindful of how the viewers’ eyes travel across the screen, using yourself and others for testing to ensure the content is perceived the way you intend it to. An unappealing visual layout can lead to tacky digital signage, which we’ve written about before! A bigger issue here is that a poor sense of direction can confuse the viewer, reducing engagement. For each of your campaigns, you must be keenly aware of how a typical viewer will scan the content on screen, which sections they’ll examine first, and which second.

As for the placement of the display in your store, don’t just place it wherever there is a power outlet available. Make sure it’s easily visible for new customers, maximizing visibility.

Featuring products which are not exciting

Digital signage should bring the spotlight on your best and most exciting offerings. If the product doesn’t spark interest, the display won’t do much for it either. This is where trial and error really matters as it helps you discover which product might spark more interest than others, aside from your standard best-sellers.

Ignoring feedback

You’re unlikely to ignore a ton of complaints saying your screen content feels underwhelming. However, you’re also unlikely to get that feedback in the first place if you don’t ask for it! Collect feedback from customers as well as employees on what can be improved for greater engagement. Perhaps the text is difficult to read, or the content is simply not interesting.

You could even collect feedback from customers via digital signage through interaction, offering them a small discount or loyalty points if they fill out a quick survey. 

Missed opportunities

There are so many ways to use digital signage in your business, and it’s very possible you don’t utilize it to its full potential. Once set up, it’s easy to manage, but it’s the setup that takes effort and time. Here are some ideas for you to explore:

• Consider the decorative potential of digital signage.

• Use digital signage for better queue management.

• Design content for quick customer interactions to elevate engagement.

• Upgrade your loyalty programs.

• Create hype for new products.

As you get the hang of digital signage software, you’ll discover even more uses. Try out OnSign, for free!