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One thing we can all agree on is that signage has come a long way - but whether or not it delivers on the intended purpose depends on a myriad of factors, but largely on the tools you’re using. Recent data shows that using storefront signs can increase foot traffic by 17%. Even if your static posters persuaded customers to take some sort of action, they’re not as effective anymore. Today's consumers expect relevant, timely, and visually stimulating information that only smart digital signage can provide.
In this guide, you'll learn about the advantages of smart signage, its components, common misconceptions, and features. We'll also explore real-world examples of how businesses across different industries are using smart digital signage to streamline their operations.
What is Smart Digital Signage
Traditional signage systems could only broadcast a set message. They had minimal to no interactivity, content changes often required manual intervention and the system couldn’t collect any sort of data.
Smart signage refers to digital displays that use advanced software and other technologies to change and adapt their content based on their audience and surroundings. These displays can automatically update, respond to user input, and connect with other data sources to provide a more relevant and useful experience.
Businesses and advertisers can better target their messaging based on the time of day or the audience demographics. Smart signage can also gather data on audience engagement, such as how long viewers look at certain content, and tailor content accordingly to maximize its effectiveness. It also features interactive capabilities, such as touch screens and sensors.
Smart signage is not just a singular technology (screens), but a combination of hardware, software, and connectivity elements. This combination is what makes a sign "smart" – its ability to display dynamic content, be remotely managed, adapt to viewer behavior, and provide feedback.
Is Smart Signage Intelligent?
You might see the term “intelligent signage” used interchangeably with smart signage, but they are different. Intelligent signage takes the concept of smart signage further by using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to analyze various data sources and adjust content for personalization.
For example, a smart sign might use beacon technology to send personalized recommendations or discounted offers to a consumer's smartphone based on their location with the store. An intelligent sign, on the other hand, will use facial recognition software to identify the customer’s approximate age, gender, and even emotions. The sign then selects an advertisement from its database that is specifically tailored to match the customer's demographic profile and preferences. If the sign identifies a middle-aged female customer browsing the cosmetics section, it can display ads for skincare products tailored to her age group and gender.
While both terms refer to digital signage with enhanced capabilities, smart signage generally focuses on connectivity and advanced features while intelligent signage emphasizes the integration of AI and data analytics to deliver more personalized and contextually relevant content.
Components of a Smart Digital Signage System
Hardware
Screens: Digital screens are responsible for presenting multimedia content to your audience in a manner that catches their attention. They come in various sizes and use technologies such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for affordability or LED (Light-Emitting Diode) for superior brightness and outdoor suitability. Available resolutions range from standard to high definition (HD), ultra-high definition (4K), and beyond.
Media Players: Digital signage content often comes in complex formats, including high-resolution videos, animations, and interactive elements. Media players are compact, specialized computers with the processing power to decode and render these files smoothly for continuous playback. Media players can be built into the displays themselves (System-on-Chip or SoC) for simplicity or exist as external devices for greater flexibility and processing power.
Peripherals: These are optional devices that extend the capabilities of your signage. Touchscreen overlays turn displays into interactive kiosks where users can access information or navigate menus. Sensors, such as cameras and beacons, can gather data about audience demographics, attention levels, or proximity, for tailored content delivery.
Software
CMS (Content Management System): This is a cloud-based software platform that centrally manages and controls the content displayed on your screens. Users can create, schedule, update, and monitor content across multiple screens or locations from a single interface. It also integrates with external data sources (like news feeds, weather updates, or social media) for real-time information displays.
Analytics and Reporting: A smart signage system often includes analytics to track key metrics. This software measures how many people viewed your content, how long they looked at it, and how they interacted with touchscreens. These insights help you understand the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-driven improvements.
Connectivity
Wired vs. Wireless: Reliable internet connectivity is essential for remote updates and data gathering. Wired connections (Ethernet) typically offer the highest bandwidth and stability, ideal for large content updates or high-resolution visuals. Wireless networks (Wi-Fi) are suitable in situations where wiring is impractical - such as a warehouse with a large coverage area, it would be difficult and expensive to run cables throughout the entire space.
Cellular Options: In remote locations without wired or reliable Wi-Fi access, cellular connectivity (4G/5G) enables you to manage your smart signage network from afar. Cellular connections allow remote content updates and provide internet access to your signage.
Common Misconceptions About Smart Signage
Just a Costly Upgrade
It's easy to assume smart signage is an unnecessarily expensive upgrade compared to traditional displays. However, this ignores the long-term cost savings it offers. Think about it: traditional signage requires regular manual updates that lead to labor expenses and potential downtime. Smart signage allows for remote, centralized updates that reduce these maintenance costs.
Additionally, creating and changing content for smart signage is much easier and less costly than the constant design and printing cycles needed for static displays. Finally, expanding a smart signage network is far more streamlined as your business grows than scaling a traditional one. While the initial investment may be higher, smart signage delivers ongoing savings and flexibility that more than justify the cost.
Too Complex for Small Businesses
Another misconception is that smart signage is too complex for small businesses. But that’s only because people underestimate the availability of user-friendly, affordable solutions designed specifically for smaller operations. Look Content Manager is ideal for small to medium businesses to easily create, schedule, and display engaging content across their smart signage network.
Take for instance Coziahr Harley-Davidson, a family-owned dealership serving the motorcycle community in Central Illinois. They deployed smart signage displays in the waiting area to inform customers of upcoming events and activities in the dealership and weather maps for the current riding conditions.
Harley-Davidson found their initial digital signage solution overpriced and lacking customization. With Look Content Manager, they gained the ability to tailor layouts, colors, and shapes, which provided a better overall visual experience for their customers. Look also provided them with seamless integration of web APIs, reviews, and YouTube videos from Harley-Davidson itself.
Core Features of Smart Signage Solution
Remote Content Management
One of the defining advantages of smart signage is the ability to manage content remotely. You can update displays from anywhere with an internet connection, so there’s no need for on-site visits. With content automation, you can schedule updates, set expiration dates for promotions, or trigger content changes based on factors like time of day, weather conditions, or audience demographics. Remote content management requires a capable CMS with robust features.
Lafontaine Gourmet is a fast food restaurant that needed a smart signage solution to manage their digital content across all locations. Initially, they used USB-based menu updates that were time-consuming, expensive, and lacked scalability for their planned expansion. Their search for remote content management led them to Look Content Manager where they could create and update menus instantly across all restaurants from a central location. Furthermore, Looks’ attractive pricing model ensured it would continue to be a cost-effective solution given their plan to scale their business.
Third-party integrations
Modern CMS platforms come with inbuilt apps for popular services such as Google Reviews, RSS feeds, or Power BI. But if you’re looking for custom integration with your existing systems, you can use APIs to communicate with your point-of-sale dashboards, inventory management tools, or audience analytics platforms. If you’re using Look CMS, you can use Zapier integrations to connect your signage system to an enormous range of apps and services without complex coding.
Interactivity
Self-guided exploration and autonomy from consumers are pushing the popularity of interactive displays. Smart signage is meeting this demand through touchscreen interfaces that provide detailed product information or wayfinding maps in navigation.
QR codes are further bridging the gap between offline and online experiences, while also providing businesses with metrics associated with their smart signage. With Look, for instance, you can create custom QR codes with UTM tags that let you understand the performance of your campaigns.
Hyper-Localization
Technologies such as GPS, beacons, and sensors are making it possible to deliver highly relevant content and messages tailored to a specific location. This means the signage can adjust displays based on the viewer's immediate proximity, local demographics, current weather conditions, or even real-time events happening in the area. For example, a retail store can use hyper-localized smart signage to promote sales of warm clothing if the local temperature drops unexpectedly, or a restaurant could display a customized menu based on the time of day and local demographic trends.
Conclusion
Smart digital signage gives you the power to transform your visual communication. You can update messages instantly across multiple locations, showcase eye-catching visuals, and gather insights into how your audience interacts with your displays. This level of control and adaptability opens up new possibilities for customer engagement, brand promotion, and operational efficiency. Ready to see how easy it is to manage your visual communication? Look Digital Signage offers intuitive software designed to streamline your content creation and deployment. Try it today with a 14-day trial period, it’s free!
