Digital Signage Trends

JUNE 10, 2021| SpeedPro

Digital signage is continuing to rise in popularity. In 2021, the global market for digital signage is estimated at around $16.3 billion and is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% over the next five years.

As more digital signs pop up in businesses and public places, we’re seeing some interesting trends in the way these signs are being used. If you’re currently using digital signs or are planning to introduce new custom digital signage in your facility, take note of these trends to help you make your signs as functional and engaging as possible.

What Is Digital Signage?

Digital signage is any sign that uses a digital display — that could be a computer monitor or television screen, for example — to display signage graphics. Those graphics could be still images or text, animated images, videos or interactive menus. The possibilities are nearly endless for how you can use digital signs. Digital signage companies can help organizations create digital signs that garner the right attention and communicate a variety of messages.

Printed signs are still highly relevant, but digital signs offer some unique advantages — mainly, that you can update the message frequently or scroll through multiple graphics. This means you can share more information and keep it fresh, all on one screen.

Some of the Most Prominent Digital Signage Trends

For the most part, best practices for digital signage design aren’t changing. The same principles of creating eyecatching graphics and text that is easy to read and understand remain just as applicable. Some of the top trends that are shaping digital signage solutions have to do with the purpose of these displays and the technology involved. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent trends to pay attention to.

1. Interactive Displays

Brands are looking for ways to make their signage more interactive so they serve as a stronger touchpoint with consumers. In some cases, this means including quick response (QR) codes, for example. Combining digital signage with QR codes allows viewers to whip out their smartphone and quickly find their way to the landing page of your choice.

The biggest trend in interactive displays, though, is creating navigable displays on touch screens. A popular example of a touch-screen display you’ll find in some businesses is a self-service kiosk. These kiosks can allow shoppers to look up items and locate them on a map of the store’s layout or sign in to receive a pickup order, for example. Touch-screen menus are also becoming increasingly popular at restaurants. You can also create informative displays that allow viewers to learn more by tapping on certain areas of the screen.

2. Live Updates Through a Cloud Connection

In years past, the standard way of updating your digital sign was with a memory card or flash drive. While this method still works and allows you to frequently change what you display on digital signs, it’s no longer the most convenient or fastest method. When your screen is internet-enabled, as in the case of a smart TV or a tablet, you can access it remotely from any other internet-enabled device and instantly change the message it displays via the cloud.

You can even use your screen to share live updates. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some businesses have used digital signs to show the number of people currently in their facility or the number of people they can still allow in before reaching maximum capacity. During a major sale, you could use a digital sign to tell shoppers how many doorbuster items are left or which items have sold out. Whatever live update you need to share, a digital sign makes it easy to do so in a professional way.

3. More Internal Use of Digital Signs

You may think of digital signs in terms of marketing and customer-facing communications, but these signs are also taking on an increasingly significant role for internal communications. In office buildings, for example, digital signs can share important and timely messages with employees. At the moment, some of these messages may be related to new procedures for maintaining a healthy work environment, whether that means sanitizing electronics after use or wearing a mask in certain instances, for example.

Some businesses are using a cloud deployment strategy to turn their digital signs into dashboards where employees can view up-to-date business metrics. Whether you’re sharing new information or scrolling through critical reminders, digital signs can help you get employees’ attention and communicate with them in a way that beats email any day.

4. Cutting-Edge Display Hardware

As display technology continuously becomes sleeker and more sophisticated, this impacts digital sign trends. You can expect to see more signs that feature the latest hardware. A few of these display types include:

• OLED screens: Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays are unique in that they don’t require a backlight, which allows them to show more depth in darker colors like black. This also means they have more contrast, making images pop better even when surrounded by ambient light.
• Higher resolution: The standard resolution for most large TVs is now 4K, but some TV screens now feature 8K resolution. These televisions boast more than 33 million pixels, which makes for an incredibly clear picture.
• Curved screens: Flat screens still dominate, but you may start to see more curved screens used for digital signage. Curved screens can add greater visual interest to your digital signs.
• Larger screens: Screens continue to get bigger, as well. In the digital signage market, the 52-inch and above segment is projected to grow at an especially rapid pace over the next five years. For lobby signage, menus and more, bigger screens are often the way to go.

5. More Outdoor Digital Displays

Another interesting development is that more digital signs are finding their way outdoors. Looking at installation location, outdoor digital signs are expected to gain the most traction over the coming years. This is due in part to advances in tech, like reflective LCD, which makes it easier to see screens in outdoor lighting. Some digital screens are now better equipped for outdoor weather conditions, as well.

Outdoor displays can be digital billboards — large digital advertisements meant to attract attention in downtown areas or on building faces. Or they can be geared toward providing helpful information. For example, this might include a digital interactive map at an amusement park or zoo so visitors can see where they are and how to find different sites and amenities. This category would also include outdoor digital menus at restaurant drive-thrus or walk-ups.

Create Custom Digital Signage With Help From SpeedPro

At SpeedPro, we make it our business to be on top of the latest trends and best practices that go into top-quality sign creation. We use this knowledge to help our clients create highly effective signage that lets them fulfill their communication or marketing goals. If you’re interested in designing custom digital signs that take advantage of the latest tech, reach out to your local SpeedPro studio for assistance.