We’re all used to digital signage in banks and restaurants, but a lot of folks are still unsure about the benefits for organizational communications.
First, digital signage can be a powerful vehicle for security and weather alerts, saving time and, potentially, lives. Second, it’s already proven to be an effective supplement to organizational communications because traditional media has limits. No matter how well you publish your messages, some people just don’t receive them or aren’t paying attention when they do.
To communicate with people, you have to get their attention. Watching TV and using computers has trained us to look at screens for information, so digital signage is a natural choice for reaching large audiences. It’s also better than email, printed posters, and bulletin boards because:
- you can deliver breaking news in real-time
- screens are bright and show motion
- you can have multiple things on a screen at once
- you can change what’s on the screen throughout the day
- and it’s cheaper than print for big audiences
It’s also better than print for green reasons – but that’s another blog post.
Also, different viewers are reached in different ways, and digital signage is extremely versatile. As we know, some people learn better from reading, others do better with audio and video, and experiential learners need interaction like touchscreens. Because digital signage can do all of these things, it helps get information across to all the learning types.
We see digital signage in stores and airports, but it’s being used more and more in businesses, hospitals and schools. Companies use it to welcome visitors, show meeting schedules, or tell employees what’s for lunch. Maybe students on campus are reminded that registration ends tomorrow or told that the west entrance will be closed this week. As the day comes to a close, screens in a clinic might show local weather and traffic so that people can plan their commutes. What you show is really only limited by the amount of stuff you can imagine and create.
Also, digital signage isn’t as expensive as you may think. Even though big screens are most common, you can use desktop monitors and even smartphones as digital signs – anything that can show a digital image can be a digital sign – so you can start with screens you already have to keep your costs down and give yourself flexibility for expansion in the future.
Now, there are a lot more benefits of digital signage and each system will be different, but I hope that gives you a good start.