Digital Signage Vs Static Signage: Which Is Best For Your Business?

Every business will need signage of some sort, whether it is to show the location of their business, advertise their services or help people with navigating their way around the business. The types of signs that are available are incredibly varied, so there is plenty for you to choose from.

One of the biggest decisions to make in relation to your signage is whether it should be digital or static. In this article, we take a look at the benefits of both, to help you decide which is best suited to your business.

What is digital signage?

Digital signage is likely to be something that we have seen in many different places. It makes use of LED or LCD screens that can project an image, video, scrolling advertisement or animation.

The artwork to be used on the signage is designed and can then be uploaded to be displayed on the screen at any time. This can be scheduled to change throughout the day as many times as you like.

Not only is it used for advertisements, but it can also be used to display menus or event information depending on where it is located.

The benefits of digital signage

One of the most appealing features of digital signage is its eye-catching nature. The use of high-resolution screens means that this type of signage has a very bright and colourful display, making it very hard to ignore anything that is being promoted.

Another main benefit of digital signage is its ever-changing nature. The messaging can be incredibly targeted depending on the time of day, stories that may have appeared in the news, or promotions that can begin with a moment’s notice. This means that breakfast menus can be changed to promote lunch at a set time, you can sell off items that are going out of date, or you can change the location for an event and point people in the right direction.

The fact that the messaging of digital signage can change in this way means that you are able to react to changing situations very quickly, which can be a huge advantage to your business. By changing your messaging, it also means that you are able to target a number of different audiences at once to widen your reach, rather than having to stick to one demographic or keep your advertising generic.

Whilst digital signage can be expensive to install and licence, it can be a more affordable option longer term. The ability to continually change your promotions, information and advertising can mean that you do not need to install as much signage. You can also save on printing costs, as there is now no need to have new signage printed every time you want to change something.

Digital signage can often be an interactive experience, as it can incorporate touchscreens, or QR codes for the audience to scan. This can help to increase engagement with your brand, which goes on to help draw them into your business without them even realising it.

We all know that signage is essential for a business, but it can be hard to measure the impact that it has. Digital signage is often able to provide some measurable results that can show you how many people have seen your content.

If there are interactive features, then it can also show whether people have engaged with it. This allows you to see exactly what is successful and what is not, which can then help to inform your future marketing strategies.

What is static signage?

As you might expect, static signage is something that does not change. This means that the text and graphics are still and fixed in place until the whole sign is changed. These can be made from a variety of different materials and can have light boxes to illuminate them and make them stand out. Static signage can take the form of billboards, posters, banners and printed menus as just a few examples.

The benefits of static signage

Static signage can be a very flexible option as it has less limitations. In most cases, it does not require electricity, which means that it can not only be located anywhere that you need it, but it can also be moved to a more prominent location at different times. This lack of power also means that there are fewer running costs involved in static signage, and there are no maintenance fees, repairs or licensing worries.

Whilst static signage cannot change as frequently as its digital counterpart, this is not always a bad thing. This constant form of imagery can play a significant role in creating brand awareness for your business. When customers or passers-by see the same thing on a regular basis, it becomes recognisable, and can help to build trust and loyalty amongst those who see it.

Designing your static signage will mean that you need to take the time to get it right, but this will only have to be done once. The constant updating of digital signage can be time consuming, and so it frees you or your staff members up to complete other tasks.

If you are looking for signage that is durable, then static signage is a much better option. The different types of material on offer means that you can choose something which is capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions, that will be visible and effective no matter what time of day it is or what else is going on around it.

This also means that there is a lot less maintenance involved in static signage. There will be no connectivity issues or software updates, and so all you need to worry about is keeping it clean and in good condition.

Whatever type of signage you choose, it is important to make sure that it is good quality and well designed. It needs to show your customers a snapshot of what your business is about and entice them in, so make sure that it is able to meet their needs as well as your own.