Signage has come a long way since the days of traditional hand-painted advertisements. Digital signage is in the now, and companies worldwide are leveraging this unique marketing channel to boost their marketing strategy and deliver positive outcomes.
In the last two years, digital transformation efforts had taken a quantum leap at both the organisational and industry levels. In fact, a McKinsey report indicated that the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the digitisation of customer interactions in Asia-Pacific by 4 years.
As many businesses start to imagine a new digital world in the decade ahead, there is an urgent need to rethink customer experiences and the new roles that digital signage will play in enriching engagements, streamlining operations and increasing sales.
Growth of Digital Signage Market in Asia-Pacific
According to Market Watch, the Asia-Pacific digital signage market is expected to be the world’s fastest-growing regional market and register growth of 7.92% annually with a total addressable market cap of $45.3 billion over 2020-2026, brought about by increasing adoption of digital signage products in commercial verticals, rapid digitisation in emerging countries, proliferation of smart cities, and progressive technological advancements.
Increased application of video walls and digital billboards for brand marketing in developing nations such as India, Singapore and developed countries such as China and Japan will fuel steady growth of the digital signage industry.
Digital signage has played a key role in influencing purchase decisions, and today, private companies and government institutions are relying heavily on digital signage solutions to better engage and communicate with their targeted audiences.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the top digital signage trends that are likely to take centre stage in 2022.
Cloud-based Digital Signage
Cloud-based digital signage, also known as digital signage software-as-a-service (SaaS), is positioned to be a popular choice for businesses as it offers a flexible and cost-effective solution to drive powerful digital marketing, without the hassle of managing a content network and expensive overheads.
Cloud-based Digital Signage
Digital signage SaaS ensures that small- to medium-sized businesses are not left out of the loop when it comes to reaping the benefits of digital signage. With digital signage SaaS, the plan can be scaled to any business size, meaning that smaller companies only need to pay for a few licences.
Cloud-based digital signage solutions are accessible via the internet. The content exists on a cloud server which enables the uploading and editing of content anytime, anywhere.
Digital Signage Managed Services
In addition to digital signage SaaS, digital signage managed services offer additional support by supplying the full suite of content management services (content creation, management and scheduling), as well as network monitoring and remote management. This hassle-free approach ensures optimum uptime and enables business owners to focus on their core business.
Trigger-based Personalised Content
Consumers today are increasingly looking for a personalised experience; businesses and retailers are upping their game by providing customised content according to audience personas. A recent innovation in digital signage is data-triggered content, where the on-screen information changes based on conditional logic set up alongside data feeds.
For instance, in a retail store, trigger-based personalised content can be displayed on an in-store screen for the approaching shopper to see. This screen display can further be made interactive, allowing the shopper to view different colours and sizes of his/her favourite apparel in real time by simply tapping the screen.
Social Media Walls
Research shows that 73% of shoppers say user-generated content (UGC) increases their purchasing confidence, while 63% of shoppers believe UGC creates a more authentic shopping experience.
Social Media Walls
The impact and influence of social media cannot be underestimated. To connect with modern consumers, especially millennials and Gen-Z, retailers are capitalising on social media walls to create a modern and engaging in-store experience. A versatile social media wall allows the display of positive reviews and aggregation of content from specific hashtags, profiles and pages.
Live Streaming
Live videos have taken the world by storm. According to a survey by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, 47% of live streaming video viewers worldwide are streaming more live video compared with a year ago. The live streaming industry is booming in China, hitting 425 million users in 2018. That year, brands spent more than $90 billion on video content and this number is expected to rise to more than $100 billion by 2023.
Brands can better engage with customers by live streaming videos of fashion shows or the latest product launches on in-store digital screens. Similarly, mega LED screens at university campuses can screen live sporting events to enable more students to participate in the event.
Integration of QR Codes in Digital Signage
QR codes offer touchless solutions that are critical to keep everyone safe as the world continues to battle the spread of COVID-19. By eliminating the need to physically engage with touch-interactive digital signage, QR codes provide added convenience and safety by enabling consumers to browse or interact with content by simply scanning a code using their mobile phones.
QR Codes in Digital Signage
Digital signage and QR codes are an obvious marriage. Several examples of how these two technologies work together to successfully convey messages while decreasing the need for users to touch public surfaces are:
Access restaurant menus: Customers can simply scan a QR code and receive the restaurant’s menu on their mobile device, without the need for an internet connection or app.
Navigate wayfinding: Allow visitors at the amusement park to access the wayfinding map by scanning a QR code, instead of clustering around the large physical maps.
Contactless payment at clinics: Doctor’s and dentist’s offices can give each patient a QR code to scan that takes them to a billing page, enabling them to pay their bill without needing to stand in line in a crowded waiting room.
Elpro Technologies Leads the Way in Digital Signage
Digital signage solutions bring new life to any commercial environment and offer endless possibilities with interactive technology, virtual reality and predictive analytics.
