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The three most common digital signage failures are poor content, broken or damaged displays, and a sign in the wrong spot or badly installed. A bad sign tells passers-by the business doesn’t care, but all three problems are easy to avoid if you plan for them from the start.
Mistake 1: poor content
Content is the part people actually see, yet it often gets the least attention. The sign goes up, someone loads a few slides, and six months later it is still showing last season’s stock. Common problems include:
- messages too long to read in a few seconds
- too many flashing images, or slides that change too fast
- spelling mistakes and unclear wording
- information that is out of date
How to avoid it: give one person the job of looking after the sign, with time set aside each week or month to update it. That person needs a feel for writing and design, which is a marketing job more than an IT one. Keep each message to one idea, in large text with strong contrast, and schedule new content ahead so the sign never goes stale. For ideas, see 10 ways to use digital signage in your business.
Mistake 2: broken or damaged displays
A sign with dead patches, a cracked face or a blank screen makes a business look careless. It is frustrating for customers, and it suggests the business doesn’t look after the details.
How to avoid it: choose a sign built for where it will live. Outdoor signs have to handle sun, wind and rain. Our FA2 outdoor range is sealed to IP68 against dust and heavy rain and keeps running without air conditioning up to 55 degrees. Ask any supplier what warranty you get. Ours run from 1 to 5 years, depending on the product. And if a sign is damaged, have it fixed or switch it off until it is.
One of our customers, Jim McLarty, summed up what to aim for in a Google review: “6 years and still going strong! Rain hail and shine. Good product. Thanks”
Mistake 3: the wrong spot, or a poor install
The best sign in the world is wasted if nobody can see it. A screen in a shop window that gets full sun all afternoon, or an entry sign facing the morning sun, can wash out to almost nothing if it is not bright enough. Before a sign goes up, think about:
- its height, and how far away people will be
- where the sun will be at the busiest times of day
- what is nearby that could block it or crowd it
- how people move past it, on foot or by car
LED signs are bright enough to read in direct sun, which is why all of our outdoor signs are LED. A good installer will weigh up all of the above before fixing anything to a wall. Our guide to where to put a digital sign covers it in more detail.
What should you check before you buy?
- Who will look after the content, and how often?
- Is the sign built for the spot: sun, rain, wind and dust?
- Is it bright enough, and big enough for how far away people will be?
- What warranty comes with it?
- Does the site need council approval?
Get it right from the start
We design and build LED signs in Perth at our workshop in Welshpool, and we size every sign for its site. See our outdoor LED signs and full colour LED screens, or talk to us on 0416 053 335 or (08) 9335 7944.
