Monthly Archives: April 2015

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Creating the Right Outdoor Digital Signage Content

Ask anybody involved with digital signage and they will tell you content is king. Okay, there is danger of this becoming a cliché but as the purpose of all advertising and information screens is to display content, then in the case of digital out of home (Dooh) it is truly is the most important aspect.

Creating content for digital signage is an art in itself and while many people assume that generating the subject matter for a digital screen is just like creating a Power Point presentation. This, however, is fairly misguided. Presentations are watched by captivated audiences in meeting rooms while digital signage has to work to get noticed, the content has to literally jump out and grab people’s attention otherwise it does not get viewed.

And with outdoor digital signage things can become even more complicated. Outdoor content has to contend with bright sunlight, dreary days and be even more noticeable as people often have virtual blinkers on when walking in outdoor locations and can end up ignoring the street advertising.

To ensure you are generating lively, engaging and eye-catching content of outdoor digital signage, here are five tips to keep you on the right track:

Never crowd an advert with too much information and text. Remember that digital signage gets viewed for perhaps two or three seconds – less with outdoor digital signage – so the message should be got across in just a brief glance.
Don’t overload the content with too many different fonts or colours. Use two main colours, preferably linked to your brand and choose just a couple of fonts, perhaps one for headline and one for body copy. Never use all caps as people need to see the shapes of words to comprehend them (particularly if the content is only glanced at).
Ensure you are aware of the technology you are using, and in particular ensuring you are aware of the screen size and aspect ratio otherwise the content could disappear off the side of the display.
Remember the content is for outdoor digital signage and not TV – limit the moving images that are used and keep things simple and concise. Maximise any transitions or length of adverts to just a few seconds.
With outdoor digital signage content that was designed for an indoor screen can look completely different when used on an outdoor screen. Outdoor displays have to cope with bright sunlight which can affect how colours and images look. Always test any outdoor content before you go live with it.

Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the digital signage industry helping to develop outdoor digital signage and protection for plasmas. Please visit us for more information about LCD Enclosures or other digital signage solutions.

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Should I Only Use My Message on Hold to Promote My Products?

If you are creating an on hold message for your business than its tempting to use it purely as an infomercial about your products and services.  On hold messages are a great way to educate your callers about your product line and the benefits they can bring, but you can also use this time to help your callers in other ways.

An on hold message first serves to let your caller know that they haven’t been disconnected or abandoned.  If left with just silence, a caller will be unsure whether their call is being directed to the correct person or has been forgotten about.  Use the message to thank your caller for making the call and that you appreciate their business and assistance is only moments away.

Also use your message on hold to inform your callers about your business opening and closing times – and if these are affected by any holiday periods.  Include your full business location and directions as to how to find you.  If your customer service team have any frequently asked questions that can easily be included within your on hold script than this could save them time and increase their efficiency.

Why not notify your callers if your company has any employment opportunities.  Satisfied customers could potentially be an excellent addition to your work force. If you’re able to fill your vacancies through your on hold message then this could save your company recruitment and advertising costs.

Why not use this opportunity to show your company as the leader in its field.  Tell your callers about any industry awards and recognitions.  Publicize your credentials and mention any professional associations and memberships that you belong too.  Mention how long you have been working in the industry, tell callers about your experience you have gathered from your years in the business. 

You could also offer your callers expert hints and tips – share your knowledge and suggest they sign up to a newsletter for weekly/monthly updates.  Giving professional advice and tips will show your callers that you know your business and have the experience that will inspire your customers with confidence.

Use your on hold message to educate and inform your callers.  Your callers will appreciate it and so will your bottom line!

Alison Pitman
Professional Voiceover Artist. Provider of audio recordings for business including, podcasts, website audio, phone system recordings, training and presentation narrations, corporate video narrations, product tour audio, radio and television commercials and much more. Please visit my website to hear my demos http://www.thephonevoice.com/. 24% Discount on On Hold Voiceovers During July!!

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Digital Signage and the Food Industry

It would be difficult to have not noticed the meteoric rise of digital signage over the last few years. Screens used for marketing, promotion and branding are now ubiquitous throughout shopping malls, department stores, in concourse, and even along the high street as outdoor digital signage.

There is a whole host of uses for this dynamic new media. Its flexibility and versatility also means there are a wide variety of industry and market sectors that have turned to it as a form of advertising and marketing; however, some industries have really gone to town with digital signage.

The food industry is one such sector. Digital signage advertisements and promotions for restaurants, fast food diners and sandwich bars one of the most common types of content viewable on digital out of home screens (Dooh).

Restaurants are now utilizing outdoor digital signage as digital menu boards outside their premises while many fast food restaurants now display menu items inside too. Many of the advertisements on digital posters, billboards and outdoor display screens we see about are also advertising food.

There are several reasons why food and meal advertisements are so commonly displayed on digital signage displays. The first is the way an LCD display will make the food look so much more attractive than just a single photograph. Images of food can be videoed allowing such nuances as steam emanating from the dish to make it much more tempting and appealing.

Whether menu boards are interactive or looped to display images of all the fare on offer, customers can get to see what the meal looks like rather than have to rely on an enhanced image that commonly bears little resemblance on the true aesthetics of the meal.

Another reason why digital signage is commonly used to promote food and meal items is the unique ability it has in scheduling content. No other from of outdoor media can do this and it means that certain adverts can be displayed at certain times of the day. For the food business, this is a great boon as it means that at meal times, such as lunchtime, when passers-by may be hungry or looking for somewhere to eat, the scheduled adverts can appeal directly to this targeted audience.

Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the digital signage industry helping to develop outdoor digital signage and protection for plasmas. Please visit us for more information about LCD Enclosures or other digital signage solutions.