Crafting Interactive Experiences Through Event Digital Signage

Washington, DC, recently hosted a large event with several guest speakers, food stations, and cultural displays from hundreds of participating nations along the National Mall. Unfortunately, there was very little communication about the event, and the volunteers were not told anything other than what was freely available on the event website.

This led to a great deal of confusion as to things like:

• Where certain food stations were set up
• Who was presenting on which day of the 3-day festival
• Whether buying a ticket online automatically got you into the seating area
• What type of wristband you need to view the stage versus watch from the screens

Participants were told that they needed to get specific wristbands from kiosks a half mile down the National Mall, but when they reached the other end, they were told something different.

What could have made this event more interactive and effective? Digital signage.

Digital signage formats

Digital signage comes in many formats, including:

• Video walls
• Kiosks
• Mobile integrated displays

In the example above, digital screens were used to broadcast the cultural events, but when an event was not taking place, they could have been used to provide directions, maps featuring the locations of different food stands, or instructions on wristbands. 

Event digital signage offers a tool to enhance attendee engagement and interaction. Interactive digital signage has the capability to transform attendee experiences, facilitate networking, and provide valuable information.

Key elements of effective event digital signage

But what are the best ways to effectively create digital signage for your next event?

Creating visually appealing and attention-grabbing content

It's important to create visually appealing content that can be seen from an appropriate distance and grabs the viewer's attention.

• At a large banquet, party, or wedding, kiosks and other digital signage can provide fun interactive elements like a mobile photo booth where guests can stand in front of the camera and take a picture of themselves at the party and have that picture sent to their personal email, collected as part of a photo album for the host, or shared on social media.
• Have a quick survey function where attendees at an event can leave feedback, provide a rating, or record a voice message for the host. 

Incorporating motion graphics, animations, and interactive elements

Motion graphics can be a fun way to grab the attention of people who are passing by a display. Animations can provide quickly absorbed information that isn't heavily reliant on text and is, therefore, more visually appealing.

Tangentially, interactive elements like voice commands or social media integration can encourage attendees to share photos or relevant information, use features like a check-in feature, and more easily find the information they need about an upcoming event.

Designing user-friendly interfaces

User-friendly interfaces with digital event signage are essential because they offer easy navigation and information access. Some of the easiest tips for this include the following:

1. Use high-contrast colors
2. Keep text large and easy to read
3. Keep messages short
4. Avoid too much clutter, graphics, or too many colors
5. Use white space
6. Organize information hierarchically to draw attention to what matters most

Remember, too, that what you display might hinge on whether you are creating interactive displays with touch, voice, or other inputs. Consider where the screens will be placed based on their purpose, too. 

• If you are planning an event, consider offering things like QR codes that link to pertinent company or personal information like websites and bios for speakers, presenters, or performers. This alleviates the need to try and fill a graphic or advertisement with too much information.

Integrating gamification elements to increase engagement and fun

With event digital signage, you can utilize elements of gamification to increase engagement. Gamification means you get people interested by having things like a set of rules, creating competition, or offering rewards so that it feels more like a game.

With your display, you can advertise the rules or instructions, offer things like leaderboards or graphics showcasing top performers, and provide marketing material or display messages recognizing winners.

For example:

• An orchestra could have a trivia contest where they play small snippets of 10 songs right before intermission. Audience members are given pieces of paper and pencils where they can write down their guesses and submit them during intermission for consideration. The display boards could be used to list the songs after the show for everyone to see, along with information on the winners.
• Prize drawings can be set up for events ahead of time for those people who buy their tickets online or on a social media page. Each person who buys a ticket online or interacts on social media could be entered into a raffle with different prizes given out over the course of several weeks leading up to the event. 
• Scavenger hunts could take place in real-time at different events. For this type of gamification, locations and clues would be displayed across the digital signage at your event, offering a great way for participants and attendees to get oriented with the layout of the event center and to see much more of what's being offered.

Conclusion

With the right digital event signage, you can promote upcoming events to increase attendance while also improving the interactive experience that attendees enjoy. With so many different benefits and elements to effective event digital signage, event organizers should embrace this tool for attendee engagement and event success.

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