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How COVID is transforming the digital signage industry

Digital Signage Today reached out to three digital signage experts to get insight into what they see as the biggest industry trends in 2022 and beyond.

Augmented reality expects to be on the rise as companies invest into cutting-edge digital signage technology. Photo: i-Stock

December 14, 2021 by Kevin Damask — Editor, Digital Signage Today

Digital Signage Today reached out to three digital signage experts to get insight into what they believe will be the biggest industry trends in 2022 and beyond.

They also talked about how the pandemic, similar to most industries, has transformed digital signage.

Photo: i-Stock

My sources, Michael Ferrer, senior director of solution sales for Sharp NEC Display Solutions, Carol McGury, EVP, event and education services at Smithbucklin, and Bill Zimmer, VP of live marketing at 360 Live Media, shared insight how the pandemic is impacting digital signage via email interviews.

Supply chain challenges

Ferrer thinks the supply chain issue, which has been hampering products from reaching the U.S. market for months, is the largest hurdle for the digital signage industry.

"The demand is very high for many digital signage solutions for different verticals," Ferrer said. "Keeping up not only with the demand but also the schedule of projects has become increasingly difficult for the industry."

For those interested in buying products, Ferrer said the best option is to contact suppliers directly. Zimmer feels — with the virus still very much a threat — consumers will continue to leery with physical engagement.

"Specifically, people may be more hesitant to interact with digital signage if it is not clear how frequently or thoroughly touch screens are sanitized."

While investment in digital signage continues to rise, Zimmer fears companies might spend too much to implement the technology without having a strategic plan on how to use it most effectively. He said consumer needs should be at the forefront when businesses invest in digital signage.

"To be effective, users of digital signage should think strategically about how they want their audience to interact with it," Zimmer said. "Companies should begin to think about using technology that optimizes the best of physical spaces but with digital backing."

The content challenge

McGury worries that with more programs available through the cloud, large, powerful corporations will seize control of the majority of content.

"Traditional digital signage is a private broadcast around specific geographic coordinates," McGury said. "Whoever owns the sign can set the content agenda for the anticipated audience around those coordinates. This opens the door to media giants and their agendas. Everyone has a price."

The arrival of AR

Ferrer believes augmented reality will gain traction in coming years. AR should help forge deeper connections between business and consumers, along with providing a more accurate measuring tool for audience engagement.

Ferrer said the "onset of sensor triggered content (will be) on the rise, which means more sensors, people counting technology, or motion detection to convey safety information and control crowds."

There's no denying COVID has changed the digital signage landscape in less than two years and more changes are likely in this ever-evolving field. Zimmer marveled at how far the technology has come in the past 15 years. Businesses have strived to place digital signage in the hands of consumers, making it almost impossible to dismiss.

"When you think back to the first digital signage that launched in 2005, they were merely electronic copies of traditional, physical billboards. You'd walk or drive past them, notice the message, and move on," Zimmer said. "Fast forward to today, and consumers can scan QR codes to get special offers, order products without interacting with staff from inside your favorite store, stream live content, or serve up information differently based on triggers like time of day or weather changes."

About Kevin Damask

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