These Digital Signage Myths Are STILL Around!

As digital signage evolves, so do the misconceptions and myths. Still, there are some that the industry is yet to outgrow. While some digital signage myths have bits of truth in them, it’s important to dismantle them, lest they intimidate you from taking the leap forward and using it to its full potential.

Digital signage needs minimal management

Let’s begin with some of the most common myths, surrounding the amount of work and management needed to maintain digital signage. One of the most common beliefs is that digital signage may be left alone once it’s up. This is certainly among the most damaging myths, as so many digital signage setups go to waste because they’re not updated.

The richest content rotation needs to be updated eventually, as repeat viewers get accustomed to the content, and stop valuing its relevancy over time.

Digital signage needs too much management

On the entirely opposite end of the spectrum is the belief that digital signage needs too much management. Unlike the previous myth which makes digital signage owners complacent, this one intimidates and stops businesses from taking the leap and investing into digital signage in the first place.

Yes, there is some truth to this perspective, that at a certain point you need to employ one or multiple people to manage your digital signage. That, however, is only the case after you’ve surpassed a significant number of displays in operation. So, yes, digital signage needs special management, but certainly not at the beginning, and not in the case of most small businesses. For small businesses, after the initial setup, managing digital signage will only require a relatively low amount of time which can be combined with the same tasks for managing a social media presence.

Digital signage is only useful for advertising

This myth may also act as a guideline. Advertising is a hugely important use case for digital signage, but it is not the only one. You shouldn’t feel pressured to implement advertising of any sort into your digital signage content rotation if you feel it doesn’t belong there.

Digital signage can be used for something as simple as saying hello to customers who enter your store. Other use cases involve entertainment, news updates, or even ambiance. Furthermore on the topic of advertising, there are instances where using it for ad-related purposes is better than others. At times, such content can be disruptive to the viewer. If used to lower perceived waiting times, such as in long queues, repetitive ads can make the experience feel longer. At others, it can help you take advantage of high traffic spikes to raise awareness about a product or your branding.

Small businesses don’t need digital signage

This myth is somewhat tied to the one about excessive management requirements. In essence, lots of small businesses think they don’t really need a digital display. Many believe that only a complex network of dozens of displays can make an impact, and investing in one or two displays isn’t worth it. Thus, they think a small business would waste valuable resources on it.

We’ve already outlined several great uses for digital signage in small businesses. Be sure to check them out! For a start, a single digital display can replace printed signage, allowing you to update any information you wish to share very quickly. This is the very basic level, of course, as there are plenty of other uses, such as engaging visitors, answering their questions, and letting customers browse available products.

You need expensive hardware to start out

This myth is another one intimidating newcomers to digital signage. You may choose to get expensive hardware and kick off with a bang. Or you may spend absolutely no money on hardware by utilizing old displays, or purchasing second-hand hardware components. High quality hardware does make a stronger impact, but it is not a must-have ingredient to make a difference.

We’ve compiled a list of uses for your old displays which can apply to a variety of uses. These can include interactive experiments, creating visuals to enhance the ambiance, and enriching your store-front.

Next to digital advertising, digital signage is unnecessary

People have a tendency to compare mediums, believing that their efforts are best spent focusing on only one or some of them. A common comparison is made between digital advertising and digital signage. It may be due to the mutual word digital, but what is not actually digital these days?! People may have the idea that an online ad will reach more people than a digital display ever could. This may be true, but the context and the audiences are different. Unlike online ads, digital signage captures attention in a more physical way, where decisions are directly made. Not to mention, online ads are commonly ignored or skipped, while digital signage has a more powerful impact paired with spatial recall.

Keep in mind, however, that these comparisons aren’t meant to tell you that one is superior to the other. Rather that each has their use in appropriate contexts and audience targeting. Instead of viewing them as separate entities, the two mediums can cooperate. Digital advertising can bring in additional foot traffic to the store, while in-store digital signage can further enhance the retail experience, leading to greater customer satisfaction.

Moving in the opposite direction, digital signage can lead existing shoppers online via QR-codes, website links, or social media information. Setting a cross reference up is easy with digital signage software. It is another must-have ingredient which debunks many myths on this list. Give it a try!