It’s one thing to capture attention through digital signage content; it’s another to deliver a message that’s clear, memorable and motivates action. Effective content for digital signage can help you promote a product, share an important message or enhance an experience. Here are tips that can help you optimise digital signage content to make the most of your investment.

Keep the Message Clear and Concise

Less is more on digital signage. Viewers only usually have a few seconds to see your message, so keep your content short and to the point. Use short, actionable words that convey your core message as quickly as possible. Avoid using a lot of text or information on your slide. Stick with one key point per slide and make it as easy as possible for your viewers to understand with a glance.

Prioritize Readability

Design for readability at a distance with large and legible fonts and high contrast colours. Fonts should be legible from a distance, so avoid fonts that are too stylised or ornate. Use simple, bold fonts such as sans-serif, and make sure that there is high contrast between your font and the background – for example, white on black, or dark text on a light background.

Use High-Quality Visuals

It’s also why visual aids – including images and videos – can be so impactful. If you can supplement your voice with carefully chosen and high-quality images, your audience will be more likely to notice and absorb your message. Try to choose images that match the topic and fit the audience (and avoid poor-quality images or those that don’t match the subject matter, as these are distracting and can undermine your message). If you are able to incorporate video or animation, the audience will be even more engaged.

Follow Design Best Practices

There’s no question that digital signage content needs to be well-designed. Keep it simple, clean and organised with lots of negative space. Align the viewer’s using a grid system for global grid lines are visible and that things line up along the grid or the thirds of the grid. Everything should stay simple and uncluttered by not adding too many design elements.

Timing is Everything

Timing is also important. Content should loop at a sensible pace so that viewers have time to read and absorb the message, but not so long as to cause annoyance. For most signage, a screen should be on display on the screen for around 5-10 seconds, depending on the complexity of the message. If your signage is in a high-traffic area, shorter messages might work better.

Tailor Your Content to the Audience and Location

Where and when will your digital signage be viewed? Think about the demographics of your viewers and where the signage is located. Is it attached to a cash register in a retail store and focused on promotions? Is it in a corporate office where the content is more focused on announcements or internal communication? The more relevant the content is to the audience, the more effective it will be.

Incorporate Calls to Action

Good digital signage should drive action. Promote a product or service, direct visitors to your website, or promote an upcoming event. Add a clear call to action wherever possible. Tell your audience what to do next.