Looking ahead at digital signage in 2020

3 min read

As technology gets better, so will the innovations in digital signage. There have already been several advancements over the course of 2019 that will only get better in the years to come. Artificial intelligence and facial recognition software are two pieces of technology sure to appear in the coming years.

Better hardware

As time progresses, the software that runs digital signage will get better and stronger. With more powerful software must also come better hardware. The digital signs of the future will be stronger and more secure than they are today. Because the trends are pointing towards interactivity, it’s important that the hardware help to secure sensitive information.

Stronger hardware will be able to support larger displays. Currently, outdoor displays are limited due to the need to be protected from the elements. New hardware will be stronger and better protected allowing for larger screen sizes even outside.

New mini and micro LED displays will offer a higher resolution screens for digital signage. The better the resolution, the more effective the sign will be at capturing your audience’s attention.

Lower cost

When new technology is released, the older technology becomes less expensive to produce. Today, many of the larger businesses can afford to implement fancy, high-cost interactive digital displays while the small businesses are left behind. As production costs drop, smaller businesses will be able to justify the expense of implementing digital signage causing it to spread throughout many industries.

More widespread usage

With the immense success over the past several years, more and more industries are starting to implement digital signage within their businesses.

In 2019 alone:

  • 54% of restaurants deployed or plan to expand their digital signage.
  • 40% of retailers planned to use digital signage in the future.
  • 63% of banks already use or plan to implement digital signage in the future.

As costs drop and innovations become more powerful, it’s expected that even more businesses across multiple industries will start to use digital signage for their in-house advertising needs.

Stronger analytics

The one downside of digital signage, or any form of physical advertising for that matter, is the lack of analytics to determine ROI. Even for digital signage now, it's near impossible to tell if people are looking at your displays. Some interactive digital signage can collect information based on usage, but it’s still limited for people who just look and don’t interact.

Some newer displays are already offering proximity sensors that can provide information about how many people pass by the display. By knowing how many people could potentially see a display, business owners can determine the most effective areas to place their digital signage.

Artificial intelligence, specifically regarding facial recognition software, is an exciting advancement for digital signage. Digital signs of the near future may be able to sense when someone is watching or even where exactly they’re looking to provide highly detailed analytics. Marketers can then use this information to craft displays that cater to their consumers’ exact wants.

Digital signage takeaways for 2020

Heading into the new decade, it's clear that digital signage isn't going anywhere. The industry is on the rise and new innovations and applications are being devised constantly. Interactive digital signage, such as touchscreens and interactive applications, will likely be leading the charge for its ability to increase customer engagement, offer stronger analytics and provide a better customer experience.

 

This article was written by Lillyan Wamaitha from Digital Signage Today. News Features and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

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Lillyan Wamaitha