Content is a crucial component of a digital signage system. Even if you have the most advanced technology and the largest, clearest screens, if they are not displaying well-thought-out and well-made content, you will have a piece of tech that won’t do anything good for your business.
Because of this reason, if you want to maximize the potential of your digital signage system, you have to know how to create content that catches the attention of your target audience. Using digital signage systems like Rise Vision can help you easily update and manage your engaging content.
However, creating engaging content is not as easy as you may think. Even if you find a formula that works, it can become stale quickly, especially if your messages are focused on the same group of people every day.
Creating Digital Signage Content That Appeals to Your Audience
Although the task of creating engaging content for digital signage regularly may seem daunting, following the right tips and strategies can make the process less stressful and go a bit smoother.
Moreover, following these tips and techniques can ensure your digital signage system gives you the results you are looking for.
Trusted digital signage experts share below the six best tips for creating engaging digital signage content:
1. Establish your goals.
Creating content that appeals to your audience depends greatly on having clear goals.
Your goals will serve as your guide in producing content that works for your business. As such, you need to set clear ones so that they can help you narrow down your ideas and create messages that help you connect and engage with your audience.
The usual goals for digital signage content include marketing and boosting sales for your products, keeping customers entertained while they are in your shop or business premises, or sharing important information.
Whatever goals you have in mind, be specific and clear and keep them in mind as you create your content.
2. Know your target audience.
Knowing your target audience is another vital step that you should never skip if you want your digital signage system to show messages that they will find engaging.
To know your audience, start by collecting your repeat and interested customers’ basic demographic information, such as their age, gender, race, occupation, and educational attainment.
Knowing these details will allow you to choose the right tone and words that appeal to your target market and get them interested in engaging with you.
You can get these key pieces of information by conducting a short survey.
Next, think about the information they need or want to see on your screens and align them with your goals.
For instance, if your goal is to boost sales for a new product, your content should highlight the benefits your audience can get when they buy it. It should also explain other details they should know about the product.
Knowing your audience is part of having a customer-centric approach to running your business, which can contribute to its success.
3. Keep your content short and simple.
When you’re ready to create content, follow these tips to ensure you display one that gets your audience’s attention and moves them to do something:
- Put the most important information on the first or top part of your message.
- Use words that your audience will understand; also, avoid long and complex sentences and paragraphs.
- Always proofread and edit the content and have another person double-check it if possible.
- Choose a simple color scheme with high contrast, such as light text on a dark background.
- Ensure font types and sizes are readable at varying distances and viewing angles.
- Minimize unnecessary noise and clutter in your designs since they will only prevent your audience from understanding your intended messaging.
- Always add a CTA to your content.
Lastly, always remember to keep your content designs concise, crisp, and clean, and crisp. Avoid cramming it with too many images, graphics, and text.
4. Choose a dynamic design.
Dynamic or moving content almost always beats static content. This is one of the main features that make digital signage an excellent marketing tool.
Dynamic content allows you to use and include different elements, including images, videos, animations, motion graphics, and RSS and social media feeds in your content.
These elements breathe life into your digital displays and catch the attention of your audience.
However, dynamic content doesn’t mean having only different elements that move. It should also be regularly updated to maintain freshness and keep the audience interested.
Once you’re done creating your dynamic content, ensure your design features all the basic minimalist guidelines. Also, test it before you actually deliver it to the target audience; show it to some people, get their feedback, and use their feedback to improve your content.
5. Incorporate storytelling elements.
Adding a story that unfolds periodically over several episodes or content is an excellent way to keep your audience interested in your next installment.
This is a surefire way of keeping your target audience excited and engaged in all of your current and upcoming digital signage content.
Having a long-term campaign can also create a buzz and conversation away from the screens, as people who see your content can compare their theories and impressions even if they are not on your premises.
If you think storytelling won’t work for your planned content, consider adding elements to your messages that make them easier to be grouped according to a certain category.
For instance, you can use blue as the background for instructional content and red for your sales updates.
Doing this enables you to create a consistency that will help viewers identify the overall topic quickly and encourage them to engage with what interests them most.
6. Use attention-grabbing attractors.
Lastly, you can get people used to looking at and reading your digital signage by including attractors in your content.
Examples of attractors worth adding to your content are:
- The current date and time
- Current weather and forecasts
- News headlines
- Real-time traffic information
- Social media updates
When people glance at your screens for this information, they are also exposed to your other communications. As such, they will know your key updates and be more interested in your brand.
When you follow these tips, you can have digital signage content that works for your brand and helps you reach your business goals.