In 2023, digital signage saw a major boost in all sectors. Looking forward to 2024, let’s delve into how the landscape has evolved and the trends that are shaping the digital signage scene. These advancements aren’t just limited to the panels themselves but also span their implementation and utilisation.
The Covid-19 lockdowns were a turning point in digital signage; they exposed consumers to a primarily digital experience. As a result, we’ve seen many businesses start incorporating digital signage into their visual merchandising and in-store strategies. Not only do consumers now expect a seamless transition between the online world and their offline experiences, but they go into a business’s physical location expecting a unique, branded experience.
We’re seeing more businesses utilising immersive experiences to draw customers into their physical locations. Augmented reality and virtual reality installations are becoming increasingly common, along with multi-sensory zones that completely immerse audiences. Digital signage is also seeing IoT integrations, with touch content, radar capabilities and sensors being discussed more often. We’re even hearing about screens triggered by proximity and eye movement tracking being developed.
With the increasing prevalence of digital signage, LCD panels are becoming as typical as a printed advert. Businesses are moving towards alternative displays, like LED walls, transparent OLEDs, E-paper displays, supersized digital signage displays and sustainable displays.
Alternative displays like transparent LEDs, LED walls and mega digital signage grab the audience’s attention and elicit a sense of wonder and curiosity. Their uniqueness drives impressions and engagement, making them the perfect way for businesses to stand out. A prime example of this effect on the industry is the ripples caused by the completion of The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Energy-efficient and sustainable displays are also in high demand as we move into 2024. E-paper displays are one of the most energy-efficient screens, so it’s no surprise that their prevalence is on the rise. With the first full-colour 32-inch display being released this year, they may even replace TV screens in digital signage soon.
The world is moving incredibly fast nowadays, and the newest releases and trends are replaced within weeks. Digital signage allows you to update the content in your locations quicker than print, but the days when updates take over a few minutes are over. Updating your content quickly isn’t just important to ensure your brand stays relevant to your audience, but it’s crucial in providing them with the most accurate information. Improve the customer experience and prevent customer discontent by providing them with the most accurate queue numbers, stock availabilities and wait times in real-time.
Content Management Platforms for digital signage are improving their systems to allow users to publish content instantly, with almost no disruptions to the active playing promotions on your screens. This opens up a wealth of in-store marketing opportunities.
In line with immediate updates, integrating social media feeds and real-time User-Generated Content (UGC) is likely to see growth in 2024. As influencer marketing grows and audiences become more blind to other adverts, social proof is becoming a driving force in customers' purchasing decisions. As a result, we expect social media walls to rise in popularity as businesses start emphasising UGC in their in-store strategies.
Customers' emphasis on a seamless and consistent digital and in-store experience means that businesses that successfully integrate their social media platforms with their digital signage would enjoy a reduced content creation load. Utilising similar assets across platforms provides audiences with the repetition required to drive purchasing decisions while maintaining a seamless experience across platforms.
Retail media has grown consistently over the past few years and has become almost a staple in e-commerce. As we move into 2024, brands will start looking to close the omnichannel gap between online and in-store experiences and communicate with shoppers at every stage of their journey.
It’s no secret that installing digital screens in physical locations can be a big investment. As a result, many businesses are now looking at turning their digital signage networks into Digital Out Of Home retail media networks. This turns an investment into an additional revenue stream while augmenting their business partnerships and customer relationships. The benefits of this are far-reaching, not only impacting the business itself but also allowing their partners to close their advertising attribution loops.
The digital signage landscape has rapidly evolved in 2023, paving the way for exciting developments in 2024. Embracing these changes will be crucial for businesses to stay competitive and meet evolving consumer expectations effectively.
Reach out to our digital signage experts to stay ahead of changes in the industry and get the most out of your digital signage network today.