Hardware

Digital boards have evolved and so have opportunities they offer

Digital boards have made tremendous progress over the years and serve a significant role in business communications, but they are not without challenges.

Photo: Generated by AI. Adobe Stock.

March 28, 2025 by Matt Vaughn — CEO and Managing Partner, Signarama

Digital boards are direct descendants of the marquee sign that spells out its message with zip letters that have to be replaced by hand.

While the marquee is still in use, digital boards and advanced technology gives customers more convenient and customized choices to choose from today. Ten years ago, if a school wanted to highlight a student or a venue had a new event to promote, someone had to go out to the sign and switch the letters — it was not an easy job, especially in bad weather or if their supply of letters came up short.

One of the main benefits of using a digital board is that digital content can be modified from anywhere and scheduled months in advance, with flexibility to highlight specific elements for maximum attention.

Boards have evolved dramatically in the last decade, in both quality and clarity.

• Functionality: Until recently, boards required a Wi-Fi connection or had to be hard-wired. Now, everything can be run with a cell-based modem and the end user can update the board anytime, anywhere.
• Design: They can stream video and use motion graphics. Even a small board can offer impressive visual effects thanks to a tighter pixel pitch that makes the text and graphics pop.
• Routine Service and Repairs: It's easier to service the boards on the backside; the manufacturer can also report on the boards and notify the shop or their client when the board needs to be serviced. This streamlines the repair process, with automatic diagnostics to identify any issues.

End users have evolved in how they deploy digital signs, too. Sports bars and brew pubs are using them to broadcast sporting events; so are colleges, but in a much larger format. Shopping centers are renting out digital space on their boards to tenants. Commercial and industrial facilities use them to highlight safety tips and other information for employees and visitors. Churches and schools are frequent customers looking for this technology; they tend to have a lot of constantly changing information to announce and need a dynamic medium for communicating it.

As digital boards have evolved, the competition has increased but compliance with standards hasn't always kept up. Less ethical manufacturers are luring people with pricing that undercuts above-board shops. These lower quality boards usually cost customers even more money and stress down the road, and they end up paying for a nicer board the second time around.

Here's what to keep in mind as you offer customers this high-quality option.

• Understand local permitting requirements. During the discovery process, take time to figure out considerations like permits, rules and graphic limitations, including if the board will be in a historic district. It's important to be fully transparent and set expectations up front on sizing, content and other design elements.
• Use a demo sign. Bring a digital board with you to client meetings so you can show them what the sign will look like in various sizes or designs. We've even taken clients for a drive-by in the car so they can see what the sign looks like to people passing by on the road.
• Consider partnering with a local digital board manufacturer for simpler maintenance and repair. The partner can continue servicing the boards throughout its warranty period, relieving you of a process that can be a hassle.
• Use DIY software for simpler designs. There are a variety of applications people can use to create their own content, like Canva and Microsoft. Some manufacturers even sell content packages, which customers often like to explore. Depending upon the nature of the company and aesthetic of the sign, it might be best to hire a good graphic designer, to save time and money while avoiding mistakes.

Digital boards have made tremendous progress over the years and serve a significant role in business communications, but they are not without challenges. They need refurbishment, regular maintenance and repair and as the technology continues to evolve, sign shops have to adapt and stay current.

At the end of the day, they're an excellent product offering for certain segments of your customer base and it is important to understand what you are recommending and why, then have a process in place to set expectations and support your client through the design phase, installation and upkeep.

About Matt Vaughn

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Matt Vaughn is the Managing Partner and CEO of Signarama Columbia, a role he has held since August 2020. With nearly 20 years of experience in the visual communications industry, Matt brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his leadership position. Before taking ownership of Signarama Columbia, Matt worked for two national sign companies in production management, where he honed his skills in large-scale sign manufacturing. He also served as the Director of Grand Format for a large commercial printer, gaining extensive experience in digital print operations.

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