The digital signage industry has seen a significant change over the few decades from mere static billboards to dynamic and interactive tools that captivate customers, reinforce experiences, and deliver business values. This evolution has been driven by technology, increased market demand, and improved knowledge of the use of digital signage in reaching consumers. In this article, the main events and drivers of the digital signage development will be reviewed and the further evolution of the industry will be predicted.
Early Beginnings: The Basics of Digital Signage
Digital signage was developed in the last few decades of the twentieth century as an advancement from conventional passive signs and postcards. In the early stages of digital signage, it was as simple as connecting a TV or a monitor to a media player and playing video loops or a slideshow. At this stage, the industry has been facing technology constraints and high costs. Television screens were large, costly and not as versatile as needed for the changing and more frequent content updates businesses wanted.
Nevertheless, the potential was seen. The possibility of generating attention and providing a more attractive solution in comparison to conventional static posters was given by even the simplest digital signage. Early configurations of these technologies were especially common in retail contexts, as they could be effectively applied for advertising, showcasing of the brand messages or for creating an extended in-store environment.
The New Technologies of Flat Screens and the Cutting Down of Expenses
The year 2000 could be considered as a turning point in development of digital signage due to the availability of cheap and efficient flat screens. LCD and LED technology innovation displaced conventional CRT monitors that were thicker, dimmer, and more rigid with their applications. When such new screens became more pervasive, the usage of digital signage increased in transport, hotels, healthcare, and educational sectors among others.
Besides the cost savings in hardware, the internet connection also became more accessible for the controlling and updating of digital signage content. It also meant that businesses could now change the content of their displays remotely without having to physically visit the site and make the changes themselves. This led to the creation of digital signage networks that could be effectively managed on a much larger scale and thereby became the solution of choice for multi-location companies.
New Technologies in Software and Content Management
When it came to digital signage, the hardware advanced, as did the software that supported the improvement. Earliest solutions needed manual update or employed basic DVD / USB media players, which was very tiresome and ineffective. The use of cloud-based CMS in the early 2010s completely shifted digital signage, providing the ability to update and schedule content from any location with an internet connection. This shift greatly reduced the costs associated with content deployment while at the same time providing more flexibility and control over messages.
Since most of the content displayed on the signs could be updated frequently, the application of digital signage for communicating change-oriented messages to the different target groups became possible. Companies could now send messages according to the place or time or even the type of customer. For instance, a retail store may offer breakfast offers during the morning, and dinner offers at night. This enhanced the importance of digital signage and made it important to brands that wanted to design unique experiences for their customers.
Interactivity and Engagement: The Touchscreen Revolution
With the advance of smartphones and tablets having touch screens, the digital signage industry also adopted them. Touchscreen technology enabled interaction with digital signage since customers can manipulate content directly. It was this transition from an inactive background to an active one that created new opportunities for the use of digital signs in retail, customer service and navigation.
Some features enabled the customers to navigate and view the products, search for information or even order through the displays. At shopping malls and airports for example, touch screen information kiosks were adopted for use in guiding visitors around the confusing structures. In Restaurants, self-service technologies included touch screen orderliness that enabled customers to order foods without forming a line thus enhancing the flow of the restaurants. Two, the use of interactive digital signage made the experience more engaging and thus brands could relate with their target customer.
Signage and Personalization Based on Data
In the recent past, big data and AI have enhanced a new form of data-driven digital signage. As a result of this flow of real-time data feeds, digital signage has become a more personalized affair with options to segregate customers based on age, gender, location, or even weather. For instance, an electronic billboard might announce a cold drink when the weather is hot or an umbrella during rainy weather.
AI also helps in analyzing the effectiveness of digital signage campaigns and adjusting content based on the audience engagement. The facial recognition and the analysis of the mobile data can help to identify who interacts with the signage and for how long. Due to this approach, organizations are able to develop close to perfect solutions that will be able to appeal to the targeted audience and thus increase the overall return on investment.
Connectivity with the IoT (Internet of Things)
The IoT has even taken digital signage to the next level because the displays can communicate with other smart devices and sensors. Digital signage can also be controlled using IoT to display certain content in response to events happening outside. For example, a sensor in a store could be measuring the number of people in the store and based on that population the promotion could be displayed. In smart cities, for instance, they serve the purpose of advertising real time information like traffic information, quality of air or even alerts.
It also means that the maintenance of the digital signage network can be done more effectively with IoT integration. Sensors can identify when a display is requiring service or if there are some problems with connectivity to prevent disruption of digital signage systems.
The Future of Digital Signage in a World After COVID-19
The outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic affected the digital signage sector through increasing the uptake of touchless and innovative approaches. This made digital signages vital in conveying essential public health information, observing social distancing and offering touch-less service information. Spaces that can be adapted without direct touch include QR codes and voice control, which enabled the companies to provide their clients with a safe experience.
This includes, but is not limited to health and safety messages, and the pandemic also brought the significance of digital signage that can be easily changed and amended. Since organizations’ environment was rapidly changing, the opportunity to change messages instantly became critical. This trend should be expected to persist in the future with digital signage being core to meeting future market challenges and customers’ demands.
The Future of Digital Signage
On the near horizon, the digital signage industry has a bright future and does not look like it is going to fade away. New technologies in the form of augmented reality, virtual reality, and 5G connectivity are already on the horizon for digital signages. AR and VR can be used for producing interactive experiences, while 5G will provide a fast and reliable connection for real time updates.
Another trend on the rise is the concern with sustainability in the industry as well. Some of the trends include the use of energy-efficient digital displays and eco-friendly parts that can be recycled in the market as organizations embrace the use of environmentally friendly solutions.
Conclusion
This paper aims to show that the development of the digital signage market is not random, but rather is an outcome of general shifts in technology, consumers and businesses. It turned from an electronic poster to a highly developed tool that communicates with customers, creates individual impressions, and generates beneficial information. As the industry advances further, digital signage will still be a strong weapon for the businesses that target the effective message delivery to their audience. That is why the future of digital signage is even more exciting – new technologies and applications are actively exploring new possibilities.
