We know the five physical senses — sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. Digital signage mainly focuses on sight, which makes sense since over 80 percent of the information we take in comes to us through our eyes. But what about the other 20 percent? Can our other senses be leveraged in a way that creates a lasting impression and is emotionally satisfying to an audience? Here are some tips on how to create immersive experiences to engage your audience, whether you are a restaurant using a menu board or a retailer with a simple LCD:

Visual

The first thing is to create beautiful content — if it’s appealing, people will stop to look at your screens. Motion draws the eye, which is why video is so effective on digital signs. Information like weather, date and time, news feeds and local traffic also grab attention.

Some organizations try to ramp up the visuals with larger displays, like 4K high-def and video walls. These can add a wow factor and, when used correctly, can be quite breathtaking. In addition to video or streaming feeds, cinemagraphs are becoming popular on the web and can be easily incorporated into digital signs. These are still images with a single moving element (for example, woman sitting in a field at sunset with the blades of grass slowly blowing in the breeze).

Yet visuals should be secondary to the actual information being conveyed. If too much visual information is presented at once, digital signage messages become clunky, and can be irritating to look at or even confusing. Plus, the more text there is for your audience to read in a message, the longer that message needs to be on screen. Which means it can take a long time for a particular message to cycle back through your playlist.

Auditory

We get around 10 percent of our information using our hearing, but think about how important it is to comprehension. A little audio to attract attention, if used correctly, can enhance digital signage impact.

Whether or not you use audio depends on the content and the environment the digital sign is in. If the space is a noisy one, a crowded lobby, for example, then audio is probably just going to add to the chaos. And if the space is a quiet one, like a library or meeting room, then again audio would be unwelcome and intrusive. However, there are plenty of other areas where audio can add value to your visual communications.

If your digital signs show a streaming newscast, it’s always better to have the sound on — otherwise people are left watching a talking head without knowing what’s being discussed. If you can’t use sound to go with your newscast, be sure to show closed captioning so people can follow the story. In this case, show the stream full screen (going back to visual), so the eye doesn’t get confused.

by Ellyce Kelly

See Full Story at www.digitalsignagetoday.com

One of the best ways to improve your signage is lighting. Simple lighting fixes can keep your business signage glowing 24 hours a day. Illuminate your outdoor signage with options like light boxes, dramatic LED signs or mounted lighting fixtures to improve readability at night. Or spruce up indoor lighting in dark interiors with diverse lighting options. With the right fixtures, your signage can advertise for you day and night. Below we discuss factors to consider before choosing the right lighting option for your signage.

“An illuminated sign, if well-lit, will be your business’s most effective calling card,” said Jill Bonilla, a FASTSIGNS owner and former Marketing Manager of SloanLED.

Location

The type of lighting you choose for your signage should reflect where the sign is located. A sign in a poorly lit room will require different lighting techniques than an outdoor sign. You want to choose an illumination option that’s in accordance with your business’s neighborhood or the interior of your establishment. For instance, you wouldn’t install a massive neon tube sign in a commercial area of corporate offices, nor would you use elegant box-lighting to illuminate a sign for your pool hall. Consider how the sign will look at night and how well it coordinates with similar signs in the area. Also check with your city’s codes on sign lighting brightness and safety before proceeding with any outdoor lighting efforts.

Lighting Options

Depending on whether you want to illuminate an existing sign or create one from the ground up with the help of an electrician, there are a few options for signage lighting. The most common lighted signs are full-color LED graphics and picture displays. But whether you’re adding or creating, there will be dangerous electrical wiring work involved, so it’s best to consult a licensed electrician for your signage lighting needs. Here are some of the most common signage lighting options.

Backlit Displays

Backlit displays make advertising readable in most settings and lightings. They are an easy way to creatively display things like your business’s logo or message. Backlit displays are great for directories at malls or hospitals.

“We’ve seen a spike in backlit LED displays at trade shows, making for much more noticeable exhibitions than before,” Bonilla said.

by Cynthia Nutwell

See full story at www.fastsigns.com