Three lessons we’ve learnt from helping thousands of brilliant Aussie businesses communicate more effectively
Historically, digital signage conversations revolved around hardware. And while hardware still matters, over the years we’ve seen that conversation shift.
Before Fusion Signage, we spent years as a digital signage integrator, designing, installing and supporting digital signage networks across Australia. Back then, most discussions centered around the physical components; which screen should we use, which media player is best, how should it be mounted?
What became increasingly apparent, however, was that the most successful digital signage deployments had little to do with the screens themselves. Success came down to understanding an audience, communicating clearly, and removing the friction that stops content getting to screens quickly and consistently.
The questions customers were asking weren’t about hardware. They were about content and the software. How do we get content onto screens quickly? How do we keep it fresh? How do we launch campaigns across multiple locations?
That realisation ultimately led us to focus entirely on Fusion Signage.
Here are three lessons that continue to stand out.
Simplicity beats complexity
That applies to both the content on your screens and the software behind them.
When it comes to content – the challenge is that customer attention is finite. Customers aren’t standing in front of a screen studying every message. They’re ordering lunch, browsing products, waiting for an appointment or simply moving through a space.
The most effective screens we’ve seen are often the most focused, with a clear purpose and a clear message.
The same principle applies to the software managing those screens. Over the years, we’ve seen businesses invest in systems packed with features, only to discover that updating content becomes time-consuming and over-complicated.
The businesses getting the most value from digital signage are often using systems that make content creation and scheduling an easy part of everyday operations.
Because if it’s easy to update, it gets updated.
Relevance beats technology
There’s a lot of excitement around audience analytics and AI technology, particularly solutions capable of triggering content based on who is standing in front of a screen. It’s genuinely exciting (and a little scary, some might say), but relevance existed long before AI.
Some of the smartest digital signage strategies we’ve seen rely on understanding customer behaviour and being intentional about what content is displayed, where and when.
One of digital signage’s greatest strengths is the ability to tailor content to specific locations, times and customer journeys. And with an array of digital signage software integrations now available, content can be made even more relevant through dynamic data (such as location-specific pricing).
When planning your content, ask a few simple questions. Where is the screen located? What is the customer trying to achieve at that moment? What do we want them to do next?
A customer entering a venue has different needs to someone waiting for an appointment. Someone standing in a queue has different priorities to those walking past the entrance.
The most effective digital signage strategies focus on the moment the customer is experiencing. When content reflects the situation, location and mindset a customer is actually in, it becomes far more relevant.
And relevant content tends to get noticed.
Choose flexibility, not lock-in
Businesses rarely stay the same.
We’ve worked with franchisors (and franchisees) that started with a plan for a handful of screens and now manage hundreds. As their businesses grew, so too did their communication requirements.
That’s why flexibility matters.
When choosing a digital signage platform, it’s easy to focus on what the business needs today. But the most successful deployments are often built with tomorrow in mind. The software, hardware and support should be able to evolve alongside the business, rather than becoming a limitation as requirements change.
We’ve seen businesses sold the dream, only to discover later that the platform doesn’t quite do what they need. By then they’re tied to lengthy contracts, proprietary hardware, or support arrangements that no longer suit the business.
The best digital signage software gives businesses room to evolve. Ideally the platform grows with them, but if their needs eventually outgrow the platform then they should have the flexibility to move to one that fits them better.
Technology will continue to evolve, and the digital signage industry will continue to change with it. But after years spent helping Aussie businesses communicate through digital signage, these lessons remain remarkably consistent.
Keep it simple. Keep it relevant. And give yourself the flexibility to adapt as your business grows.
Because digital signage isn’t really about screens.
It’s about communication.
Author: Emily Ingram, co-owner and marketing manager at Fusion Signage.
