Digital signage isn’t just for the in-store experience. It also drives online traffic. 35% of the audience visits the brand’s website or searches for the brand or product online after seeing a digital billboard. According to the 2023 Solomon Partners Benchmark Report Estimates for the U.S., out-of-home advertising produces the highest levels of consumer recall versus other media channels like live/streaming TV, podcasts, radio, print, and online. Its success, however, depends on the correct implementation and a precise marketing strategy. Tailoring your sign for your target audience is crucial to the success of digital display integration. So, where should you start?
Integrating Digital Displays into your marketing campaigns
Here are some key criteria for successful and effective digital display integration into your business or organization.
Audience and Targeting – understand your target audience and their preferences. Tailor your content to resonate with them and display it in locations where your target demographic is likely to see it.
Objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – clearly define your marketing objectives and the KPIs you’ll use to measure success. Whether it’s increased brand awareness, lead generation, or sales, having specific goals will help you evaluate the impact of your digital displays.
Content Strategy – develop a well-thought-out content strategy that aligns with your brand and marketing goals. Create visually appealing, engaging, and relevant content that catches audience attention quickly and delivers your message effectively. Include calls to action. These can also include visiting a URL, social media page, or a photo of the ad that gives away a free sample.
Content Format – consider different content formats, such as videos, images, animations, interactive elements, and dynamic content. Each format can serve a specific purpose and engage the audience differently.
Display Locations – choose strategic locations for your digital displays to maximize visibility and reach your target audience. High foot-traffic areas and places relevant to your brand and products are ideal choices. Established sign manufacturers offer up-to-date and well-researched traffic count reports and ROI figures to help you make data-driven decisions.
How to optimize your digital display
Identifying the right message
Are you advertising to motorists on a highway, parents dropping off kids at school, customers who walk into a store, visitors to a clinic, or the traffic passing your establishment? Communication is key. There isn’t much dwell time on a busy road, and motorists can only register clear, concise messages as they drive. Therefore, billboard messaging should be minimalist, short, compelling, and eye-catching. However, there’s more dwell time inside a store, and you can extend the length of your message to deliver more information.
Focus on unique selling points. Choose a language and message that resonate with your target audience. Before launching your campaign, research your target audience. This data helps you to define audience interests, values, and motivations. The messaging should build emotional connections, and lead to increased brand awareness, engagement, and sales.
Defining your goals
Clearly outline the objectives you want to achieve with digital displays. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, promote specific products or services, generate leads, or boost sales? Clear objective can shape the message for better effect. For instance, if you are a big chain restaurant with outlets in every city, you might want to focus more on brand exposure when advertising on billboards. However, if you are a local restaurant, you may want to build location awareness alongside your brand or product.
Choosing the right content
Digital signage displays are a visual game. Studies show that people are more likely to remember the visual component of your ad than the words. Simple and conceptual designs are more impactful. The European Advertising Academy recommends less textual and pictorial content for better quality and engagement. Consider one big, uncluttered image and short, concise text. Video clips should also be short enough for the entire message to register.
Create visually captivating, engaging, and relevant content that catches the attention quickly and delivers your message effectively. The content should align with your brand identity and stands out from competitors. High-quality images, videos, and animations can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your message. Skip formal language. You want to evoke emotions that trigger action.
Digital signage content is incomplete without a call to action. Whether visiting your store or website, making a purchase, or following your social media pages, a clear and compelling CTA drives engagement. Change up your content regularly. The same media or advert displayed everyday on digital signs are easier to get ignored.
Focus on the design elements
The size and configuration of your sign is determined by whether it is an indoor or outdoor sign and the viewing distance you prefer. Your sign manufacturer can help you decide specifications according to your needs. These factors also determine the pixel pitch & matrix, and brightness.
Choose legible fonts that are easy to read from a distance. Avoid using too many fonts and maintain consistency throughout the content. Consider font size, weight, and color contrast to ensure readability.
Select a harmonious color palette that aligns with your brand and evokes the right emotions. Use contrasting colors for text and background to improve legibility. Limit the number of colors to maintain visual coherence. Incorporate elements, such as logos, colors, and taglines, to enhance brand identity.
Use high-quality images and graphics that resonate with your target audience. Visual elements should complement the messaging and create an engaging visual experience. If using animation, keep it subtle and purposeful. Avoid distracting or overly complex animations that may divert attention from the core message.
Use white or empty space effectively to give content room to breathe and enhance readability. A clutter-free design ensures that the message stands out. Ensure that your design fits the aspect ratio and resolution of the digital sign display to avoid stretching or distorting the content.
Personalization
Relevance adds value to content. Personalizing your message to real-time events like weather, traffic, time of the day, location, and the audience garner more interest. Moods and needs are different as people drive to work and back. The chances of someone stopping by your store on their way home are higher in the evenings and seeing the benefits of your breakfast cereal on their way to work might prompt them to buy it at a store.
Timing and placement
Determine the operating hours for your digital sign. If the location is indoors, consider the building’s hours of operation. Outdoor signs usually operate 24/7. These should have long-term solutions, such as weather resistance, durability, secure mounting, nighttime visibility, remote control capability, and potential power-saving options. Real-time updates relevant to external factors like weather, holidays, and events can boost sales. It’s more effective to stay hyper-relevant.
When it comes to the placement of outdoor signs, choose high-traffic areas with optimal visibility. It should be easily noticeable and free from obstructions to ensure maximum impact. Avoid placing signs in cluttered environments with too many distractions, as this can reduce their impact and visibility. Ensure that the design and aesthetics of the digital sign blend well with the surrounding environment. The sign should complement the overall ambiance rather than stand out awkwardly.
Signs viewed from a shorter distance should be at eye-level. If the sign is for wayfinding, place it where people might need guidance, such as near entrances, elevators, or key decision points. Understand the behavior and preferences of your target audience. Consider where they are likely to notice or spend time when deciding the location.
Conclusion
Digital signs should be tailored to your target audience, location, and purpose. Doing so ensures you are maximizing the benefits and impact of signage. Is your LED sign doing what it should? LED craft offers end-to-end signage solutions from consultation to high-end graphics. Designed and manufactured by us, our signs have no intermediary costs. Call us today to tailor-make your sign for optimum ROI.