Here are a few of the most powerful tips from the Kitcast digital signage blog about digital sign content design. The reason these tips are so powerful is that they speak to the overall attitude and process of design. They address both starting issues and long-term (even design fatigue) issues. Rather than offering a series of structural or visual tips, these tips influence the designer himself/herself to help said person create better designs over the long and short term.
1. Start Simple
Seriously, keep it to a PowerPoint presentation if you have to. Digital signs must be effective when watched and glanced at, and a busy-over-developed video feed will not achieve that goal. If you opt to create interactive content that enables touchable navigation, you can also use Powerpoint as your interactive touch screen presentation software.
2. Use Words Correctly
Sometimes, the worst part of your design is the words. For example, people keep misusing the word “Addicting.” For example, you may say that you spent all day “Addicting mice to coffee.” You don’t say that your new video game is addicting; you say it is “Addictive.”
3. Practice Your Transitions
This is where your sign takes on a professional or a cheap tone. A star wipe may look fun, but it also looks cheap. Consider fades, merges or more modern scene transitions.
4. Get The Audio 100% Correctly
If your digital signs are using audio, then it suddenly becomes the most important part of your display. Poor quality audio or parts people cannot hear are going to destroy your message.
5. Show People a Different View
This is a vital digital signage content tip. If you are just showing people your products as seen on your website, then you are wasting their time. Instead, show them demonstrations of your products, or your products from different angles.
6. Written Text Needs Longer On The Screen
When people see text on a video, they overestimate how long it will take them to read it. If you have a slow-moving video, then more text is okay. On the other hand, if you are snapping between scenes, then keep the text short because they won’t bother reading lots of text if they are concerned that the scene may change at any minute.
7. Movement For Attention
If you are designing signs for people who are outside and you want to draw them into your store, then create fairly static signs that almost look like posters. Then, every few seconds, add a bit of movement. The static sign followed by a little movement will force people to instinctively look at your screen. It is far more effective than fast-moving images for attracting attention.
8. Use Various Design Tools
You can tell when somebody has gotten stuck in a rut with their designs. Try different design tools and try varying your methods and copying the work of other people to mix it up. Don’t get stuck in a rut.
9. Video Adverts Are Still Effective
Turning your digital sign content into the sort of advert you may see on an infomercial is not a bad idea in a retail setting. Just make sure your production values are high and your editing is good. Experiment with different video adverts to see which ones draw the most sales (happy customer sales, not misled customer sales).
10. Sound Design Tolerance
You have to remember that your workers will be near a digital sign, which means an annoying jingle will prompt resignations. Consider the effects of your music or sound effects on passersby or other people in your store because startling attention grabbers are not always suitable in a retail setting.
11. Get Your Transition Speed Right
The transition between screens needs to happen according to the pace of the video. An action-packed reveal needs a snap transition, but a slower softer transition may be used for different product changes or topic changes.
12. Bold Colors Against Neutral
It is going to depend on the location of your sign, but in most cases, a bold message on a neutral background is best. All bold are only suitable for kid’s cereal. Bold colors don’t stand out against a bold background.
We hope you enjoy the digital signage content tips we have discussed here. Let’s hear your views via the comment section.