6 Digital Signage Apps to use in Your Storefront

Digital signage apps are a simple way to elevate your digital signage content quickly. They act as sophisticated templates taking external content sources of content provided by you and re-package it in an adjustable and appealing format. A simple data sheet containing product name, price, and image transforms into an animated professional-looking menu. Digital signage apps work with sources of information such as RSS feeds, time, weather, or currency conversions, alongside the data you provide directly. 

In this specific instance, we’ll take a look at apps best suited for your storefront, alongside or as your main content. The purpose of it all is to attract the attention of passersby and form a connection.

Dynamic composition and campaigns

Before we get into content digital signage apps, we remind ourselves of which content is most important for your storefront, which will be sales campaigns and promotions, of course. These are typically constructed using OnSign’s Dynamic Composition editor as well as through video and image Campaigns.

Depending on your approach, you can build sales content through apps as well, though it will be more limited and simpler, since apps are made to showcase data into a sleek and visually pleasing format. If you aim for more complex promotions to pull people in via your storefront signage, use the Dynamic Composition to build elaborate content. For straight forward info, apps work like a charm! Consider using apps as a sidekick to your main content. To give you a good example of such use, let’s start off with a very simple set of digital signage apps.

Weather & Time

A fairly straightforward category of apps, weather and time apps will display information in an eye-catching and professional fashion. Transitions between different weather forecasts for upcoming days are smooth and appealing. As for time, a good idea is always to include it in a small portion of the screen where it won’t interfere with the main content.

In terms of these simpler digital signage apps, you can always opt to include them on the side of your main content. As a banner, for example! Or you give them the full-screen spotlight for a few seconds to break down your content flow a bit.

Countdown digital signage apps

Countdown apps are less about design and placement but context. What is the countdown for, and will the viewer get excited about it? Use them for sales countdowns or big upcoming launches. A good way to approach countdowns is to keep them in mind and use them if they make sense, rather than force them on any occasion. Excessively long countdowns, for example, don’t make an impact. After all, they’re supposed to create a sense of exclusivity and urgency. You don’t want the viewer to get used to them being there at all times.

Use countdowns for sales which are soon ending or beginning, item reveals, restocks on best sellers, etc. You could also use them as small visual treats. For example, during off hours, set up a display showing off a link to your online shop, work hours, and a small countdown until the store will open its doors again.

Simple menu boards

We talked about using the Dynamic Composition for sales info. There are also digital signage apps which will do the job for non-graphics designers. Use composition templates or pre-designed menu board apps which show off one or several items at a time.

The Casual Menu Board can list available menu items while highlighting special offers and adding labels to individual menu items. For example, it can show off vegan options available. Using the Modern Sales App, show a list of items one by one in full-screen mode. Pick products which will excite viewers and reserve full-screen promotions for best sellers or new products. 

Simple RSS and News feeds

When we talk about news, paragraphs of text come to mind. In the case of digital signage apps, this doesn’t have to be the case. There are a ton of RSS feeds online you can use which will load headlines, images, and even bits of content into a visually appealing and easy-to-read format.

Currently, OnSign offers 25 apps which can re-package this sort of content into different formats depending on your preference. If you feel your target audience will want a flash of news in this way, include this as a part of your content rotation. Many apps function best in full-screen mode, as well as banners.

Social media grids

If social media is your strength, why not apply it to your digital signage! This particular set of digital signage apps can be used both in full-screen and as a sidekick to your main content, as the content density really depends on what you set up. A banner on the bottom of the display promotes your social media handles.

In half-screen mode, social media grids can show off photos from your online activities or posts sent from your followers. Or display social media content in its full glory via full-screen mode to catch more attention.

Text and scrollers

Text apps are only as exciting as the information they convey, so it’s truly up to you how you’ll use them. You can have them flow vertically, horizontally, or even use our QR Code maker to quickly lead guests to your website or menu.

These digital signage apps are a great starting point to begin upgrading your storefront content. There’s a ton of other apps to discover which may be of use to your storefront, such as sports, finance, entertainment apps, or even apps focusing on programmatic advertising. Try them all out with OnSign for free!