Top 7 Mistakes Once You Have Digital Signage

Let’s talk about the top mistakes with digital signs that we see people make after they’ve bought a system, and how to avoid them with some simple digital signage best practices:

Mistake number 1 – Mounting the screens too high
No matter how great your messages look, no one can see them 20 feet in the air. Before you mount your screens, you need to think about screen heights and viewing angles from the sides so people can read your text. Also, if you have interactive screens, they have to be mounted where people can easily touch all the way to the top of the screen and you should consider ADA guidelines for those who are disabled and in wheelchairs.

Mistake number 2 – Trying to do too much on the screen
Your software comes with a lot of options, but you don’t need to show everything at once. Remember that your goal is to deliver information. Your message can get lost if you have your screen packed with so much that viewers can’t pick out the different things you’re telling them. You’re better off using different features at different times to keep drawing people in and keep them interested.

Mistake number 3 – Letting messages get stale
If you’ve left something on your playlist too long because you forgot about it, chances are your audience has, too. Keep it fresh by showing new content every day, and show things more often for shorter time periods verses running one thing on the screen all day long. New content is what keeps your audience coming back.

Mistake number 4 – Not updating your software
In addition to keeping content fresh, you need to keep your content management software fresh as well. New software features will let you do more with your messages more efficiently. And don’t forget to update hardware once in a while, too.

Mistake number 5 – Using audio where you shouldn’t
In public areas like lobbies, lounges, or cafeterias, you may want to use audio on your screens for videos or TV channels you’re piping in. But if you’re running something with audio somewhere that people are working and need to concentrate – especially if it repeats a lot – you may end up annoying your audience more than attracting them.

Mistake number 6 – Forgetting the call to action
Everything you publish should prompt the viewer to do something – and they can’t do that unless you tell them how. So make sure your messages direct people to where they can get more information or take the action you want them to. This will help you with measuring ROI, which we talk about in another video.

Mistake number 7 – Not publishing policies
You’re always going to have new people who come on board and need to know how to use the system. So once you’ve had it up and running for a month or so, write down policies and put them somewhere that everyone can see them, like on a website. Again, we have another video that goes into detail about policies, so I’ll just say here that you need to have guidelines so everyone’s on the same page about what they can and can’t do with your digital signage.

>>Grab our infographic to keep these pointers handy