With today’s world being so irrevocably visually driven, it comes as no surprise that digital signage has become one of the most prominent and powerful ways for businesses to engage with customers, drive their brand visibility and share any required information with the masses.
Of course, creating content that is impactful isn’t always as easy as putting a simple message on a screen. The success of effective digital signage content creation in the 21st century is all about taking a strategic approach to things like design, layout, readability and target demographic research.
The key to achieving this is ensuring that you don’t fall into some of the common mistake traps for content creation in this field. Keep reading for a complete guide on how to recreate the desired compelling content with digital software like Kitcast, avoiding the classic errors that can hamper impact.
Digital Signage Content Creation: Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Effective digital signage content needs to be free from silly mistakes. is understanding what the most common design mistakes are, and avoiding them in order to keep the impact of your chosen message. Let’s take a look at some of the core areas to watch out for.
Overloading a Screen with Information
Arguably the biggest mistake made in digital signage content creation is when a screen gets too packed with information. Any screen that is overloaded with images, videos and text becomes a struggle for viewers to ingest and comprehend.
- Prioritize Key Info
Identify your core message and focus on that with concise and impactful language that sticks to the point.
- Limit Text
Stick to short phrases and sentences. Bullet points can be your best friend for easy readability from a distance especially.
- Maintain a Visual Hierarchy
Arrange the content so that the most important information is the most prominent, with larger fonts and arresting, contrasting colors.
Ignoring Text Size and Readability
And expanding on that last point, another common mistake made is choosing and using text sizes and fonts that are simply too difficult for the masses to read. If your content is hard to digest, people will simply ignore it.
- Choose Legible Fonts
It might not completely achieve the ‘vibe’ you are seeking, but sticking to clean, legible, sans-serif fonts is the best way to avoid any comprehension issues.
- Appropriate Text Sizes
Your text should always be large enough to be able to read from a distance. Headlines need to be at least 30 point font, with the following body around 20 point.
- Consider Contrast
The visual flair of strong contrast is vital. Make sure you achieve a striking contrast between your text and your background to enhance readability.
Poor Color Choices
Color plays one of the most crucial roles in determining whether digital signage can draw attention or not. Avoid these particular color related mistakes if you want to convey the right mood and cement brand recall.
- Too Many Colors
Stay away from using too vast a color palette, as it can be visually overwhelming. Identify two to four colors that you want to associate your brand with, and then build the content around them.
- Lack of Contrast
It is really important for text and other important elements to contrast effectively with the background of the signage. Light text on a light background, for example, is not a sensible design choice.
- Disregarding Color Psychology
Don’t make the mistake of ignoring established color psychology. Certain colors are proven to evoke certain emotions, such as red for excitement, blue for trust etc. Make sure that your color choices are in keeping with the tone you are seeking to achieve.
Layout Mistakes in Digital Signage Content Creation
Layout is another factor that can make or break the effectiveness of digital signage content. Poorly organized Apple TV digital signage content can create discord for the viewer.
Neglecting Spacing and Alignment
- Consistent Alignment
All displays should have a professional look. This means text in alignment, images polished and in the right format and all other elements given attention to ensure a cohesive look. As a general rule, text aligned to the left is much more readable than text that is centered.
- Use Adequate Spacing
Don’t put text and images too close to the edges of a digital screen, or too close to each other. Negative space allows your chosen elements to ‘breathe’ and massively improves visual appeal and readability.
Overuse of Effects and Animation
- Maintain Subtelty
For animation, it is best to use simple transitions like slide ins or fade ins in order maintain a professional tone.
- Avoid Constant Motion
Any text that is continuously flashing or moving can be overwhelming and, frankly, annoying for viewers. Give them something that they are able to focus on.
- Prioritize Content
Choose to only animate elements that are going to actually enhance your message. Calls to action, for example, can be animated without necessarily overwhelming the rest of the content.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it is clear to see that digital signage content creation is something that requires a very careful, calculated balance of concise messaging, visual appeal and overall readability. If you can avoid the common mistakes highlighted above like confusing colors, under/oversized text, screen overcrowding and more, then there is no reason that your digital signage cannot garner the engagement that you need.
