WEBINAR RECAP
Recently, REACH Media Network hosted a webinar on the upcoming holidays for the rest of the year and how to use digital signage to celebrate those events. Through dynamic content, powerful app integrations, and targeted messaging, you can engage your audience through signage using certain design principles. However, we understand everyone has a busy schedule, so we’ve condensed our webinar into a blog format to summarize what was discussed. If you would like to see the webinar in all its glory, you can find a recording at the end of this blog. If you would like to get started on your digital signage journey, click the button below to begin talking to an expert.
TALK TO AN EXPERTCOMMUNICATION BASICS TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS
To the right, you will see a list of major upcoming holidays. To properly prepare your digital displays for these events, there are some communication basics to understand that we’ve broken down into 3 tips:
Know Your Audience.
While this may seem easy and obvious on paper, you would be surprised how many still miss this mark. Truly understanding your audience requires analyzing certain questions/ “What is the demographic of our audience? What content does our audience expect? Is the content being published relevant to their needs?” These are all questions that, once answered, will yield some interesting truths about your audience that will drive your content.
Keep. It. Simple.
The point of this tip is as simple as it sounds. Making your messages concise and to the point is the best way to convey your message through signage. If people are just walking by, you will only have 5-7 seconds to make an impression. You can achieve this through big, bold headlines followed by a call to action. Of course, any other necessary details (time, date, place) should be highlighted.
Personal Connection Goes A Long Way
Viewers are constantly looking for ways to relate to the content they see. Sharing audience stories, reviews, or even community highlights can make your audience feel more attached to your brand. Involving your audience through surveys or other interactive elements like QR codes can get your audience directly interacting with your displays. To make the biggest impact, you will also want to post relevant content for all holidays happening at the time. This will allow the largest swath of people to relate to your content!
These 3 basic communication principles will help you maximize engagement and interest in your displays. From there, it’s up to you to maintain your display’s allure. Real-time content updates and flexibility regarding app integrations will help you flesh out your display. Utilizing these tools to engage and even interact with your audience will open new paths of communication.
BEST PRACTICES
Following the best practices when creating your layouts often aligns with the principles previously discussed. For example, the first thing you must decide is who your audience is. On the broadest spectrum, this can reduced to internal or external messaging. Is the display for your staff/employees? Or is it for an external audience? Once you figure that out, you can use that knowledge to create the rest of your content.
Let’s break down an example from the webinar. The example to the right is a corporate internal display. As a result, we can break down certain design aspects that work well here. The calendar application is placed in a smaller widget to the right of the display and scrolls through upcoming company events. This goes a long way to reminding staff about important conferences, due dates, or registration deadlines. The playlist app displays important internal announcements, such as employee work anniversaries, upcoming company events, and other reminders. The playlist takes the bulk of the screen, ensuring messages are not missed. Finally, the ticker application scrolls along the bottom to give quick news updates. These tickers can be drawn from third-party sources or prebuilt integrations offered by REACH Media. Lastly, the news app provides real-time updates, headlines, and images on trending news topics. This can queue your staff into rising trends, holiday sale ideas, and other information. As a result, this is a comprehensive signage design that accomplishes its goal of communicating effectively with its audience.
BRANDING
Finally, it’s important to maintain a consistent aesthetic with your signage that aligns with your brand. This involves adding logos, using proper fonts, and using graphics and color schemes that align with your company’s branding. This not only contributes to your company’s overall image but distinguishes your screens from other digital displays. For help, feel free to reach out to our creative team for some professional designs.
HOLIDAY CONTENT IDEAS
Now that we understand how to design layouts effectively, we can run down a list of potential holiday content ideas! Some popular implementations we see include:
- Countdown to the holidays
- Holiday event promotions
- Holiday photos
- End-of-year details and recap
- Special holiday announcements
- Employee Spotlights
READY TO START YOUR DIGITAL JOURNEY?
Discover how digital signage can transform your communication strategy. Reach out to REACH Media Network today to learn more about our solutions, explore custom integrations, and see how we can help you connect with your audience in meaningful ways.
