Blog

6 key design elements to drive digital signage engagement

Digital signage blogger continues with part three of a series on content design aimed at helping end-users create compelling digital signage content.

October 16, 2014 by Kelly Eisel — Copywriter, Industry Weapon

In our past two blogs, we discussed why design is important and what mistakes users commonly make. In this blog, I'll give you some tips to engage your audience through content creation. Remember, when your design has the correct elements, viewers are more inclined to notice and take the message seriously.

Aesthetics are vital to boosting audience engagement 

Clear, concise communication always prevails. If the intended message is hidden behind scrolling news feeds, weather updates and poor design, how long does it take the audience to receive the message? A distinct, aesthetic design can clear communication overloads by displaying the main message but also including relevant secondary elements.

Did you ever see a handwritten sign taped to a wall? It looks rushed and sloppy, and no matter the message, it often has a negative connotation (e.g., "Don't touch. Wet paint."). Compare that sign to a well laid out design piece, and the emotional effect is the exact opposite of the first. The same rules apply to digital design; you don't want sloppy, negative content on your signage.

Luckily, not everyone needs a graphic design degree to create engaging content. A few simple tricks will keep your signs lively and entertaining for years to come.

Top six elements of engaging content 

1. Relevant content:

We recently switched our lobby video wall from just a directory to a directory that also displays news and weather elements. Since then, our viewership has greatly increased. Relevant content is extremely important. Not everyone is interested in your business's news, but everyone enjoys being up to date with current events.

2. Clean, concise communication:

If the message is lost, what is the point? Here's a tip of the trade — look at your content for three seconds. Did you see the message you want your audience to receive? If not, you may need to rethink your efforts. Most viewers will only glance at your content, rather than stand there and soak it all in. Think of your digital signs as billboards. Limit campaigns to one idea and keep text to two short sentences. In fact, keeping your posts below 250 characters can get you 60-percent more engagement than you might otherwise see.¹ Use multiple slides to communicate if one isn't enough, rather than squashing everything onto one.

3. Updates:

A vital piece of keeping digital signage entertaining is keeping the content fresh and updated. If you don't have a new message, at least change the appearance of the campaign to keep people looking at the screen. Simply rearrange the components of the campaign or change the images and colors.

4. Photography:

Images speak in volumes to viewers. Using photography to enhance your message could be the difference that makes audience engage and receive your message, rather than ignore it. If you don't have access to your own pictures, stock photography sites have millions of images to choose from in every category imaginable. If you have limited funds try Creative Commons, they offer a ton of user generated images, many of which are free to the public. Just remember not to go overboard, your message is still number one.

5. Motion:

Adding motion can help grab attention for longer spans of time. This can be done a few different ways: Adding subtle motion to secondary elements, while leaving the main message static, can draw more attention to your message. If your message is too long, take the message(s) and create a video or animated clip that will increase your viewer's dwell time. It gets better; according to Online Publishers Association, 80 percent of users recall a video ad they viewed in the past 30 days. ²

6. Interaction:

Always include a call to action with your message: What do you want your target audience to do with the information you are posting? Respond? Repost/share the info? Let them know exactly what to do so that they can get involved (e.g., "Like us on Facebook!"). If there isn't a direct action to take, at least point your viewers to where they can learn more about the topic of your message (e.g., "Learn more on our Intranet.")

For the campaigns that you create, just keep these rules in mind. By following these guidelines, I guarantee that your digital signage will attract more viewers and increase your organization's communications.

¹Buffer ²Insivia

About Kelly Eisel

---

None

Connect with Kelly: