What is Digital Signage?

Digital Signage is a phrase used typically to describe the use of a display device, for example an LCD, plasma, LED or projector to display content, such as public information, entertainment and advertising messages at the point-of-purchase or at any other public venue.

Content can take the form of anything designed for on-screen display, including text, animations, movies, audio, images and interactivity. The most important factor for successful applications is eye-catching and interesting content, usually designed by specialised agencies or in-house specialists. Compared to traditional static signs the benefits of Digital Signage are that content can easily be changed, animations and movies can be employed, plus there is the ability to adapt content to the context and audience, even in combination with interactive systems.

Digital Signage is the result of the convergence of information technology and electronic display devices with the media industry. Technically part of Outdoor/Out-of-Home media now often described as or referred to as Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH).

The implementation of digital signage can range from a single display screen attached to a PC to many hundreds of displays and more, distributed nationwide and connected via an IP network. Display devices are typically controlled by a media player that is updated with new media/content via digital file transfer, either manually using portable storage or via a computer network, such as the Internet or an Intranet.

Player networks offering control over many displays in many venues have replaced manually operated groups of displays. Developments in web services and standardised API’s (application programming interfaces) has enabled customised content management, and remotely controlled distribution and playback of digital content across networks of displays. The ability to customise each message to audiences at any location and even at any area within a location provides a unique benefit to marketers.

Digital signage can also be used to interact with mobile phones, using SMS messaging and Bluetooth to increase audience interactivity. SMS messages can be used to post messages on the displays, while Bluetooth allows users to interact directly with what they see on screen. For example a viewer might be sent via Bluetooth, a discount code, an interesting fact, a complimentary music download or a user review for a product being advertised on a nearby display.

After largely being an unknown and untried medium for a long time, Digital Signage is now well on it’s way to becoming a standard part of media plans, appearing everywhere, in airports, banks, retail stores and hospitals. Providing the first and the only medium that can effectively reach consumers when they’re ‘out-of-home’ and especially while they are shopping.

In terms of development the Digital Signage market is in its early stages and further advancements in the near future will enhance performance, the quality of data displayed and how it can be interacted with. A recent new development being the implementation of 3D displays using a technology called autostereoscopy that allows the viewers to see a 3D image without using special glasses.

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What is Digital Signage?