EPISODE 181 | Guest: Debbie DeWitt, marketing communications manager for Visix
This episode explores the critical role digital signage plays in bridging communication gaps and energizing public participation in local communities. Moving beyond static posters and outdated bulletin boards, we discuss how dynamic, real-time displays can be a game-changer for promoting local happenings, increasing attendance, and fostering a stronger sense of community identity.
We delve into actionable strategies and content examples for public-facing screens in various settings, including government buildings, libraries, and chambers of commerce. From engaging residents with civic information and interactive wayfinding to supporting the local economy and disseminating critical public health and emergency alerts, discover how to leverage visual communications to inform, connect, and inspire your community.
- Learn strategies for promoting local events with dynamic schedules, countdowns, and QR codes.
- Understand how institutions can use real-time updates, policy summaries, and interactive wayfinding for civic engagement.
- Discover content ideas that build community pride, like local hero spotlights and showcasing arts/culture.
- Get tips for using digital signage to support the local economy with dynamic job boards and “shop local” campaigns.
- Explore best practices for critical and emergency communications, focusing on public health and accessibility.
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Transcript
Derek DeWitt: Today on Digital Signage Done Right, we’re tackling a crucial topic: how digital signage can be a game changer for public outreach. Think about your local community – festivals, workshops, gatherings that bring people together. Now, traditionally, these events rely on things like static posters and flyers, word of mouth. All these can easily be overlooked, and they’re sort of limited in their audiences.
But digital signage offers a dynamic and attention-grabbing alternative, which allows for real-time updates, visually engaging content, and the ability to reach a wider audience. It can truly energize community participation and maybe even boost attendance.
Today, I’m gonna talk about some great ideas as to what to put on screens for public outreach with Debbie DeWitt, marketing communications manager for Visix. Hi, Deb. Thanks for talking to me today.
Debbie DeWitt: Hi, Derek. Great to be here.
Derek DeWitt: I’d like to thank everybody out there for listening. I remind you, you can review, et cetera, and you can follow along with a transcript on the Visix website.
Okay, let’s jump right in. One of the most immediate and impactful applications for public-facing screens, I think, is promoting local happenings. Digital signage transcends the limitations that static advertisements have by offering a dynamic canvas, let’s call it, to showcase the vibrancy of these community events.
Deb, what are some effective content examples for boosting community event attendance?
Debbie DeWitt: Events give you a lot to work with. First off, show dynamic event schedules. You know, show an event listing with start times and locations. That’s basic information everyone needs. I would also say, you know, show some real-time updates and countdowns to build anticipation and excitement. You can show photos and videos and social media feeds. Maybe use a hashtag if you’ve got one.
And maybe you’re doing this year’s event, but you had one last year. So, leading up to it, you could show those photos, and then obviously after the event, you can show from this year. The last one I’ll say is definitely wanna show some sponsor recognition and any special promotions that they’re running.
Derek DeWitt: And on all event messaging, I think you want to include clear calls to action, like, I don’t know, “purchase tickets now”; very often using a prominent QR code that links directly to the ticketing platform, or it might be “register here” if it’s for a workshop or takes you to a corresponding link or something.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah, definitely. If you can’t use a QR code, you can definitely just show a short URL. There are tons of URL shorteners out there.
Derek DeWitt: Now, beyond just attracting people to go to the events, digital signage can also play a vital role in keeping the community informed, I think.
In environments like town halls or government buildings, digital signage can offer a significant advantage over static notices. These are often overlooked or become outdated quickly.
Debbie DeWitt: Right. You’ve got the bulletin board that has seven layers deep of notices.
Derek DeWitt: Right. Exactly. Oh, well, let me just spend 30 minutes going through this and looking underneath and, you know, oh!
Debbie DeWitt: I looked at it and saw nothing.
Derek DeWitt: Right. Exactly. It’s like Times Square but mini scale.
I think the ability to update information in real time is key. And the fact that you’re presenting it in a visually appealing manner ensures that residents in the area are well-informed, and I think they’re more likely to engage with important civic information when it’s presented in this way.
How do you think public institutions can ensure that, you know, important updates, service information, regulations, and so on, are not only accessible, but are also engaging on these digital displays?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, it’s kind of a simplistic statement, but you basically want messages that answer people’s questions. You know? You wanna address why they’re there. So, show some short policy summaries using like icons and bullet points. Definitely use short text. If you can show real-time wait time on screens, we already know, there’s tons of studies out there that show that that reduces the perceived wait time. People think they are in line for a shorter amount of time if they’re watching something while they’re there.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah. Even though they’re not.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. Right, right. But it passes the time and that’s a good thing.
Definitely use interactive wayfinding and directories to reduce stress. I think in government buildings, any kind of a healthcare facility, things like that, you can reduce stress and help people navigate those larger venues.
I think another thing, again, we always encourage people use video, you know, use video updates from officials, ’cause they feel more personal, and they build sort of a community trust.
Derek DeWitt: Provided the person isn’t, you know, completely stiff.
Debbie DeWitt: True. You know…
Derek DeWitt: Hi, I’m Joe the Comptroller. You don’t know what that does, but I’m here to tell you, and now I’m going to read my script…. Like maybe give them a little training.
Debbie DeWitt: Oh, yeah. Well, unless you do it ironically and it becomes funny.
Derek DeWitt: Oh, that’s true. It could go viral.
Now, in diverse communities, and I think most of our communities are diverse, regardless of what’s in the newspapers, you wanna ensure that critical information is displayed in multiple languages, either through rotating slides or maybe you have user selectable language options if your displays are interactive, and this promotes accessibility and inclusivity. If your goal is to inform the public and, you know, 25% of your public speaks Tagalog, then put the stuff up there in Tagalog.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. Multilingual options are really popular for interactive wayfinding, and I think any interactive screen really should consider that. And if you don’t have interactivity, then consider basically showing each of your messages, if it’s short enough, have, you know, and you have maybe two languages to cover, show them both on one visual. And if not, then show the corresponding visual right after the first one. So like, it’s in English, then it’s in Spanish, then it’s in Tagalog.
Derek DeWitt: Right, exactly. But, you know, don’t just go out there and hit every language in Google Translate. Make sure that they’re languages that make sense for your community.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. And you should be able to get those languages pretty easily. Again, we’re talking about community outreach, so these are usually gonna be government offices, chambers of commerce; most of those people are gonna know what their community needs.
Derek DeWitt: I certainly hope so.
Now, speaking of wayfinding, like you said, public space navigation can sometimes be confusing. Sometimes we’re thinking about other things, ’cause we’re there for, you know, something legal or like you said, a healthcare facility. I’m worried about my health, so I’m kind of only half dialed in. And in these sorts of complex public environments, I think touchscreen wayfinding and information kiosks can significantly enhance the visitor experience by providing clear and intuitive guidance and readily available information.
Now, this helps not only visitors, but staff gets freed up. Like folks staffing information desks in government buildings. We call it a virtual concierge. So, those people can focus on more specialized circumstances that come up. You know, sort of like having an FAQ there for the public to access as they see fit.
What are some specific uses for interactive digital signage in public areas?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, the beauty is there’s really no limit to what you can put on a touchscreen. You know, again, going back to what do they need, what questions are they gonna ask, what do they wanna know? Obviously interactive maps with turn-by-turn directions, we’ve talked about wayfinding. Directory listings – directories are probably even more popular than maps. You know, just ’cause people wanna know like what floor the department is on or whatever.
And when you have those on touchscreens, the great thing is not only those multilingual options, but you can sort and filter. Like if you need to look by department or section or, you know, just list by last name. It’s very easy.
I think another one is public transportation schedules. You know, again, these are civic kiosks, so share that civic information. And like you talked about, digital FAQs and just general information is always gonna be good.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah. Basically, anything you can put on a website, you can put on a touchscreen. It’s basically the same thing. It’s just, you know, instead of sitting at a desk, I’m standing in front of it. You don’t even have to have interactive displays. You can find a way to put this stuff into static messages. You can do a campaign with multiple messages, you can use QR codes. There are lots of different ways to make it kind of interactive.
Debbie DeWitt: I think the biggest thing is make sure it’s very clear and easy to find information. You know, your website probably has 10 times the information you would ever want to put on a touchscreen. You wanna boil it down to the people walking in the door, what did they need?
Derek DeWitt: Now shifting focus to say the local economy. You mentioned chambers of commerce, and they’re key players in supporting local businesses. They can be powerful catalysts for local economic growth by strategically deploying digital signage. And these displays act as sort of dynamic billboards and can directly support their members in community initiatives.
What’s some good content that they can use to highlight member businesses?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, first of all, I’ll say, you know, they not only might only have their own screens, but they could also maybe piggyback on the screens that are within those member businesses and vice versa. So, that’s something to think about. Obviously, member business spotlights with any special offers or discounts. You know, chambers of commerce are very good about getting that kind of thing.
Certainly, dynamic job boards. Maybe you have a QR code that leads to applications for openings at member businesses. You know, that’s a great thing to share.
You could have a shop local campaign. Shopping local is a big priority for a lot of people, but they just need to know, like, where can I even get this around here? So, features….
Derek DeWitt: Right. People are used to, oh, I’ll just go to Amazon. Well, maybe you don’t need to go to Amazon.
Debbie DeWitt: Right. And maybe you, if you’re environmentally conscious and that kind of thing, you wanna support your local community. Again, if you’re in the Chamber of Commerce building, you probably do. So, you know, those little shop local campaigns can feature some images and videos, maybe testimonials from people who’ve shopped there. You know, that could tie to a wayfinding map of like, you know, how far away is it from your house, or how far away is it from the chamber that you’re standing in, you know, so that way they know just how local they’re getting.
I think obviously, back to events, upcoming chamber events, like business mixers, workshops, they do a lot of seminars and things like that.
And then, you know, really you wanna, if you’re a chamber of commerce, you wanna advertise the benefits of becoming a member. You know, that’s what supports your chamber. You’ve gotta get those members and get those fees to serve the community. So, you wanna definitely advertise what those membership benefits are because the people walking in, they might be local business owners.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah, that’s true. I have to say, I especially love the idea of this dynamic job board, which directly connects job seekers with local opportunities. Let’s talk about making that process a two-way street, transforming digital signage into an interactive platform for community engagement. It can significantly enhance civic participation and provide valuable feedback to the local authorities at the same time
What types of messaging can foster a more participatory environment in local governance?
Debbie DeWitt: I think your messaging should always encourage participation and dialogue, you know, whatever the setting is. So, in this case, with local governments, you want to promote town halls or Q&A with local leaders.
Derek DeWitt: I mean, you could even post questions and answers on screens and websites after the event.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah, definitely. I think definitely.
Derek DeWitt: This is what was asked, this was the answer.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. And a lot of people probably had that question who weren’t there, or you know, they tuned out or whatever. So, sharing that. I think doing surveys and polls on community issues, you know, you’ve got a proposed infrastructure project or some proposed event that the local government’s funding. You know, go ahead and get those polls up there.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah. And in a lot of places, having some kind of public meeting for a large-scale infrastructure projects is mandated by law. I know here, every major infrastructure project in the city we live in requires a minimum of three public meetings. So, you know, not just advertise, hey, this meeting is coming up and we’re following the law, but hey, here’s what happened at that meeting, and things like that.
Debbie DeWitt: Like, we’re talking about doing surveys and polls. What you could do is take that poll early. That can actually prepare the people who are holding that meeting for we’re getting this question, you know, we got this question 1200 times. Like, we need to have a good statement or good answer for that. So, that’s a good way to do it.
And again, if you’re advertising these on digital signs, you just, you know, put it up there with a QR tag or a URL that goes to that poll. I would say, you know, on the back end of that, you can also show testimonials and reviews of like, your community services or those events or those projects.
Derek DeWitt: You know, you could also have, like, a suggest-a-project kiosk or show messages with a QR code for an online form for that, you know? And sometimes it can be something minimal, you know, like, hey, there should be a stop sign here, or a traffic light. And sometimes it could be something much bigger, like why do we not have enough playgrounds? Or why is the one playground in town next to the busiest road? You know, things like that.
Debbie DeWitt: It’ll be about parking.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah. It’ll, yeah, that’s true. Yeah.
I do think it’s important to show the results of community projects and public works. You know, a lot of people like to be cynical about how government spends their money, but hey, we’re spending it to try and make things better for everybody here. I think showcasing local achievements, local pride on digital displays creates a stronger sense of community identity and belonging.
What are some content ideas that can help build that sort of community pride and celebrate local achievements, so that the social fabric of an area gets strengthened?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, it’s all about celebrating the people and the stories that make that place special. You know, every place has its own identity, has its own feel. I think local hero spotlights that can feature some profiles of residents. Again, we talked about it with business leaders but do it for just local residents. Think of it as like the old newspaper. They had to go out there and do features and they would feature Earl on the corner and his garden or whatever. But do that.
Derek DeWitt: Look at the size of that tomato!
Debbie DeWitt: I mean, I’m from the Midwest, the decorations on houses around Christmas are a thing. Like, we’d drive around for hours. So like, that’s a great example of, you know, the house with the 2 million lights on it that everybody goes to see. Do a local hero spotlight.
Derek DeWitt: And then also add in there, and here’s why it’s not a fire hazard, and please stop emailing us about it.
Debbie DeWitt: It’s actually nice. Any content that can inspire more content that’s useful is really good.
I think also historical photo and story displays. You know, the history of the place and photos, you know, you’re not gonna have videos. You could make one using the little Ken Burns effect. You know, you can always turn photos to videos that way.
Derek DeWitt: I think people love to see what their area used to look like.
Debbie DeWitt: Oh, absolutely. Especially if it’s like your street.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah! Oh wow. I didn’t know there used to be a big house there. What happened to it? Click. Oh, it burned down in 1907. Interesting.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah, definitely.
Celebrating local milestones. Now a milestone could be anything. It can be a project that’s come to close. It could be an environmental or, like, a carbon reduction program or recycling or anything like that. But if you reach a goal, you know, show it on those screens. I think the same thing, showcase your local sports team. You know, that’s gonna be popular. And I mean, all the way down to the kids teams. Let’s do it. You know, not just, not just NFL or whatever. Let’s get that AAA ball. Let’s get that, you know, 7th grade girls’ soccer team up there.
And I think, you know, there are a lot of volunteers involved in local government, and I think if you did like a volunteer of the month or volunteer of the year feature, that could be very popular.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah. I think it’s good to call out people who contribute to the community. On that note, integrating local arts and culture organizations or events or initiatives into the digital signage programming, I think can also transform public spaces into really vibrant, engaging cultural hubs. This provides valuable exposure for local talent. And of course, also lets people know, hey, there’s all this stuff out there.
How can we showcase that creativity on screens to support the arts?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, the arts are awesome because, generally, the photography and the artworks are already beautiful, generally, or if not beautiful, interesting. So, you’ve already got, you know, really good content to work with. I think digital art galleries can be really cool in local communities where you show a local artist, show their works, have a bio, and even contact information. If they don’t have their own gallery, they’ve got a gallerist or an agent. That way, you know, or just even their website so that you can promote that work.
Obviously, we’ve talked about events, you know, always events every time there’s an event. And also think about not just local, you know, professional artists or semi-professional, but student artwork, student performances. You know, we have a client who promotes every single high school play that their local high school does, you know? And apparently, it’s quite a good, quite a good theatrical group.
I think you can also showcase local photography. Maybe use a social media hashtag, you know, ’cause generally a lot of those photographers will have social media feeds, just like the artists. And, a big one, highlight how to donate to these people, whether it be a local artist, a local photographer, you know, a cultural organization, or even that high school theater program.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah, yeah. They need money guaranteed, yeah?
You know, you think about community hubs, I also think of libraries. Huge for culture and community. And it’s not just books. Lots of things happen in libraries. And once again, digital signage is a powerful tool to communicate and highlight the extensive, sometimes, resources and programs the libraries offer.
How can they effectively use digital signs to showcase their diverse offerings and attract more patrons, which is kind of the name of the game.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. And I’m gonna talk about books a lot, but when I say books, I mean everything. You know, they do books, they do audio books, they do, you know…
Derek DeWitt: Magazines, newspapers.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. And also, a lot of visual entertainment. You know, it’s not just streaming. They still have DVDs, you know?
Derek DeWitt: Yeah! That’s true! And very often and the player that plays them.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah, exactly. You know, you wanna get people excited about everything you have to offer at your library. So definitely new arrivals, you know, showcase those using like eye-catching visuals of the book covers, whether it’s audio or not, it’s got a design. Event calendars for authors talks, children’s story hours, book clubs.
Definitely wanna highlight all those digital resources, you know? There may be people, especially older people, in your community that don’t know you have the digital resources. They just think you have books. And newspapers and microfiche, you know? And they don’t realize, no, no, here grandpa, have an audio book, you can’t read that anymore.
Derek DeWitt: I also can’t hear it.
Debbie DeWitt: Right. Think about the same thing that they do at like a Borders bookstore or Barnes & Nobles. Like, they do, the same things that they are advertising your library can do, like your staff picks. Or do a themed reading list. You know, it’s Halloween, you know, here’s some horror reads.
I think another big one is promoting your services. Again, it’s not just stuff. There are a lot of services like computer access, printing, scanning facilities, and a lot of them even do, like, room rentals for events.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah, yeah. That’s true. And, you know, you could also keep abreast of what your, what’s hot on BookTok and things like that.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah.
Derek DeWitt: And because you know, hey, that new, whatever Yarros…
Debbie DeWitt: Sarah Maas.
Derek DeWitt: …Sarah Mass book is coming out, and you know, you know, based on how many times these books have been checked out in the past, sometimes one person’s checking it out over and over again. But still, create excitement, hey, we are getting it, too. I know you probably want to own your copy, but you might want to read it first. And we have it available on this day, 16 hours, 43 minutes, and 18 seconds from now.
Debbie DeWitt: Right. And they’ve got those metrics based on checkout rates. And I’m just gonna put a little plug in for that; there are a lot of books now, especially with BookTok, that they will come out with special editions that have different, like a bonus chapter, they have a different cover. So, somebody may want to own a book, but they may not wanna own all six versions of it. So, they could go, you know….
Derek DeWitt: What, am I made of money?!
Debbie DeWitt: Right, right! It’s a great idea.
Derek DeWitt: And also, just basic information. How do you get a library card? How do you reserve or check out a book? And sometimes you can reserve books, by the way. How do you reserve rooms and so on? Again, I think QR codes allow people to go to an online application or reservation system. So that makes it really easy. You don’t even need interactive screens.
Now, building on the context of libraries and the crucial role that they play in promoting digital literacy and bridging that digital divide within the community. Like you said, you know, it’s often a joke of like, you know, the youngest in our communities are out there, you know, creating programs to do all sorts of crazy things, and, uh, the oldest among us are still, you know, going, I’m sorry, what is TikTok? Is it a speaking clock? Like, you know? So, there’s a wide range out there of knowledge, and libraries, I think, can be sort of on the front line in addressing that digital divide.
Digital signage can be instrumental in helping make digital literacy resources visible and accessible to those who need them most. Not just the ability to read words, but digital literacy and even how to browse safely, how not to get, you know, a hundred different viruses on your computer and so on.
So, what kind of content can they specifically focus on that helps digital democratization and digital literacy?
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. You said democratization and that’s the key word, ’cause this is about making it easy for everyone to use digital resources safely and effectively. I think absolutely, promote free computer classes and digital literacy workshops.
You know, real-time availability of public computers, how to reserve one, you know, and more importantly, who to talk to. That person who doesn’t, who’s like, I’m walking up to a computer, and I don’t know how to, ’cause you know, every system’s different. Even I have to like stop for a minute, ’cause you know, it’s got this weird, you gotta scan a, like, your credit card or your library card, and then you’ve gotta have your password. And you know, there are different sort of user interfaces. So, who do you talk to? Do you call a phone number on a phone? Do you walk up to the front desk? You know, is there a specific desk with someone who helps with the computers? All of that can go on screens.
I think, absolutely, advertising your digital resource training for the tools you have on offer. All those things we just talked about that you might have, you know, every one of those can be a message that goes up on screen.
Derek DeWitt: I’d also say, if you don’t have them specifically in there, you still can access that information someplace, maybe in your particular town library because you have limited budget, limited resources, maybe you don’t have some of this stuff. But the need is still there. Well, maybe at the county level or maybe at the state level, there’s information you can link to or maybe even get some kind of an automated feed to put that info out there in front of your patrons.
Debbie DeWitt: I mean, yeah. You aren’t Netflix, but why not have tips and tools on, you know, streaming safely? Because there are families who, you know, what are parental controls? Can you do that?
Derek DeWitt: What’s all this stuff I read in the newspapers about password sharing?
Debbie DeWitt: So yeah, like putting that up there or having a workshop that you advertise, you know, again, doesn’t have to be your service. But if digital literacy is your goal, that’s your service, is digital literacy training. Like you said, you don’t have to just stick to what you have in the library.
I think, again, signposting digital literacy staff, so people know who to go to with questions is super important on this.
Derek DeWitt: And you also mentioned, a lot of libraries have public computers. I think one thing you can do is, is if it’s possible, show the real-time availability of those computers. How you reserve one, how long you can reserve it for, and so on and so forth.
Public health is also, obviously, an ongoing concern for every community. Once again, digital signage offers a direct and visually impactful way to communicate vital public health information to a broad audience within the local community.
What are some good content examples for giving important information through public health awareness campaigns and the like?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, I think keeping this messaging accurate and up to date is essential, you know? You probably have local health resource directories, like you could show lists of healthcare providers, clinics, support organizations. Obviously vaccination drive information, you know, what’s the eligibility, you know, who should get it, who doesn’t need to have it. What are those dates, times, and locations?
I think just general wellness and healthy lifestyle tips. You know, healthy eating, small exercises, stress management. And again, if you know your audience, you may have different things to tell those different audiences, which can be very helpful. ‘Cause there’s a lot of information to weed through out there in the world. So, if you know that you cater to like an, say an older clientele, then, you know, tailor those things for that age group.
I think the other one is, along with vaccination drives, disease prevention and awareness. There are a lot of allergy alerts or flu season things that you can put up. And obviously, preventative measures and symptoms to watch for would be something you can start even earlier than when, say, flu season hits.
I think another one that’s very important right now that’s been a little bit ignored in the past is mental health resources. You wanna promote crisis hotlines, counseling services. I hate to say it, but suicide hotlines, anything like that in your community. There are a lot of people turning to AI for therapy right now, and I think that’s great if it works for you, but if you’ve got local community resources, why not put those up on screen instead?
Derek DeWitt: And in times of crisis, whether it’s some kind of public health issue or severe weather or whatever, clear and prompt communication is obviously paramount. During emergencies, digital signs can legitimately be lifesaving communications tools, because they can deliver immediate and widespread alerts. So, having robust protocols and pre-prepared content is crucial for effective crisis communications these days.
What are some best practices for rapidly disseminating critical information and public safety announcements using digital signage networks?
Debbie DeWitt: Well, that’s all about creating as much in advance as possible and cut down the number of steps you need to take in that actual emergency. You want to make sure your digital signage system has emergency alert system integration. Ours does, I’ll just tout it. It is common alerting protocol, CAP alerts, that can override the system.
You want to have already designed your emergency templates. You know, short messages with visual cues like color code for weather versus infrastructure. ‘Cause people use alerts for things like there’s an IT outage on floor 3, you know, things like that. So, you know, if it’s weather, it’s blue; if it’s IT, it’s, you know, yellow; and if it’s a security alert, it’s red. And those alerts can be screen specific or location specific, you know, or you can broadcast them across the whole system.
You need to absolutely test your digital signage to see how do alerts work. And then whatever your crisis communications plan is, make sure the digital signage is set up to whatever you’re gonna do on it happens really fast. Test that entire plan multiple times and make sure it’s kept up to date.
Derek DeWitt: And, you know, for all the kinds of content we’ve talked about, ensuring that digital signage communications are accessible to everyone is paramount. This includes creating inclusive content that ensures everyone in the community can benefit from the information being displayed.
Some key accessibility design standards that you need to keep in mind in order to ensure that your content is inclusive for individuals with disabilities are: high color contrast, this is really important; have adjustable font sizes, make sure that they’re clean and easy to read from a distance; don’t stick in things like flashing content. I know it sounds like maybe that would be kind of cool, but…
Debbie DeWitt: Not to epileptics, it’s not.
Derek DeWitt: Not to epileptics, it’s not.
Debbie DeWitt: It’s also annoying to those who are not.
Derek DeWitt: Yeah. And if you’re gonna show video or even have audio, toss up some closed captioning on there as well. And of course, don’t forget ADA guidelines. You probably have to follow them.
Debbie DeWitt: Yeah. ADA guidelines are very important because, you know, accessibility is not just a recommendation, it’s a fundamental requirement. Especially we’re talking about public-facing digital signage. You know, this isn’t within your company walls where you can kind of get away with what you get away with. This is governance, this is public facing. So, definitely need to be accessible.
Derek DeWitt: Right. You’re trying to reach everybody in your community, and chances are you don’t personally know everyone in your community, so you kind of need to cover all your bases.
Debbie DeWitt: I think of it just like designing that new government building. You need wheelchair ramps. You need to mount the screens at certain heights. All of your signage in your facility needs to be of certain sizes. You’re probably gonna have Braille. So, you know, just take that mindset and apply it to the digital stuff as well.
Derek DeWitt: Okay. So, this has been a pretty comprehensive overview of how digital signage can truly power public outreach. The examples that we’ve talked about have been, I hope, both practical and inspiring. And I’m gonna just say, I believe digital signage has the potential to be a truly powerful force for connection and education and sort of binding together our communities.
Thank you so much for sharing your content expertise with me today, Debbie. My guest today has been Debbie DeWitt marketing communications manager for Visix. A lot of cool stuff.
Debbie DeWitt: Thanks, Derek. Yeah, I’m big on the community, you know, aspect of things. We talk about it a lot for corporate communications or campus communications, but this is, this is true community communications.
Derek DeWitt: Right.
Debbie DeWitt: Community communications, is that right?
Derek DeWitt: Community Communications. Again, I thank everybody out there for listening to this episode of Digital Signage Done Right.
This is our 181st episode, so there’s a big back catalogue for you to go through, and now we are switching to one episode each month. So, expect each new episode on the first Tuesday of every month starting in 2026. Thank you for listening and for your support.