7 Creative Uses of Outdoor Digital Signage Beyond Direct Advertising

This article will explore and highlight seven innovative and non-traditional uses of outdoor digital signage that extend beyond mere advertising, demonstrating its potential to engage, inform, and enrich public spaces and communities.

Introduction

Digital signage has evolved from stagnant displays on outdated television screens to modern options with digital signage outdoor screens that can handle exposure to the elements and offer much brighter, more visually appealing advertising.

Digital signage offers unique capabilities that make it versatile for various applications. These include opportunities to update outdoor digital signage information in real-time, display QR codes for easy access to additional information, and show social media streams and more. So, how can your business incorporate digital outdoor signage successfully?

Creative uses of outdoor digital signage

Most people think of outdoor digital signage displays as somewhat stagnant displays that list things like quick promotions or sales information, trying to bring customers into your business to make a sale. But there are so many more creative uses of outdoor digital signage.

Creative Use #1: Public Information and Alerts

The first is to use your digital outdoor signage as a way to provide public information and alerts.

1. If there are weather alerts for your area, you can upload extreme weather data with things like local weather maps so people know the direction in which the inclement storm is headed or how long they can expect high temperatures.
2. If there are safety alerts for your area like predicted power outages, alerts from local law enforcement, or similar safety information, such as product recalls, you can share that data through digital signage outdoor screens.

When customers see that your outdoor signage is not simply a method to advertise, they might be more likely to respond positively to the public information you offer, as well as the other creative uses that you employ.

Creative Use #2: Wayfinding and Navigation

The second is to use your outdoor digital signage as a wayfinding station or to provide navigation. While you can certainly combine all of these creative uses with advertisements here and there, your company can think beyond advertising when considering digital signage solutions and focus on enhancing the customer experience in other ways.

1. If you operate a business that's located in a downtown city region, you can include wayfinding and navigation that incorporates local maps and transit details so people can figure out how to use the metro or subway stop nearest to your business to get to other places.
2. Hotels and restaurants, for example, might offer wayfinding and navigation for nearby community events as a way to indirectly promote things.
3. Companies can consider investing in wayfinding and navigation that lets people more clearly find the business or service they need in a crowded mall. 

Creative Use #3: Art and Cultural Exhibits

The third is to incorporate art and cultural exhibits. If your business, for example, has a large lobby or an outdoor space by which people regularly pass on foot or bicycle, you can turn that area into a creative art and cultural exhibit.

Digital signage outdoor screens could display different types of artwork based on the event and provide information about historical elements. Videos can be offered that people can watch, along with QR codes they can scan on their phones to learn more information about other cultural events nearby.

In fact, this use of outdoor space can be subsequently promoted through local partnerships. You can incorporate temporary art and cultural exhibits that are a microcosm of a much larger community event and, in so doing, help encourage patrons to not only linger in your lobby or storefront but also consider attending.

Creative Use #4: Interactive Games and Entertainment

Interactive games and entertainment are a great way to use digital signage outdoor screens. This can be particularly effective for companies like retail centers.

1. A sporting goods store might be a fun place for a father and son to shop, but there might be other children who are not yet participating in school sports and are bored. You can help encourage customers to stay longer and take the time to purchase more by offering outdoor digital signage displays where other children can play interactive games.
2. A restaurant can even encourage patrons to stay by creating an outdoor area with digital displays that have entertainment, like kid-friendly videos where families can dine together, and parents get a small break while they enjoy their meal.

Creative Use #5: Environmental and Health Monitoring

Businesses can consider using outdoor digital signage displays in areas where workers might congregate in order to display things like training videos, environmental information, or safety procedures. This can not only enhance communication but make it easier for employees to stay up to date on necessary information.

Similarly, health monitoring services like preventative care measures, improved diet options, or health statistics that relate to a specific industry can be displayed in a medical center where patients normally park or wait for their appointments. 

Creative Use #6: Social Media and Community Engagement

Digital signage outdoor screens can be a great way to share social media information, such as real-time tweets about your company or brand engagement on Instagram. This helps encourage community engagement by letting people who pass by your outdoor venue learn more about your company, your values, and the types of shoppers who have developed loyalty to your brand.

Shoppers who are simply walking by an outdoor digital sign might notice the community engagement or the social media posts and realize that they are relevant to themselves. This could directly influence their decision to utilize your organization's services or purchase your company's goods.

Creative Use #7: Virtual Queues and Service Updates

Finally, outdoor digital signage displays can provide real-time information on service updates or virtual cues.

1. An auto repair company might have an outdoor seating area with benches and a display so that patrons can step outside while their vehicle is being worked on and take a phone call without disturbing the people inside. They can also keep an eye on how the service updates are going by looking at the outdoor display.
2. A shipping company that has a lot of patrons during specific windows during the day might worry about the fire safety regulations of having lines that go through the door, blocking the doorway, and out on the street. The same company could utilize a ticketing system for patrons who are in line and then offer outdoor digital signage displays so that they can wait outside while monitoring their place in line instead of crowding in the lobby or standing in the doorway. 

Conclusion

Innovations in display technology and content management are shaping the future of outdoor digital signage. There are several creative uses of outdoor digital signage, from virtual queues to entertainment to art displays. There is a lot of potential to transform public spaces and community interactions. Businesses and organizations should think beyond advertising when considering digital signage solutions.