There are many important fundamentals when embarking on an outdoor digital signage campaign: protecting the screen from the weather, coming up with relevant content and selecting the appropriate hardware. Before any of this, however, one important factor has to be ascertained before anything else can commence – the location.
Outdoor digital signage is becoming an increasingly common form of digital advertising. The reason so many advertisers are getting involved with outdoor screens is because the audience levels that will view an outdoor campaign will be larger than any indoor signage displays – if the screen is located in the right place, that is.
The first step in judging a location is to measure the footfall – the number of people that pass the location, whether that be on foot or as passengers in vehicles or buses.
Some of the best outdoor advertising locations enable both pedestrians and commuters passing by on roads the opportunity to view the display but there is more to visibility than just where the screen is.
The height the display is situated can make all the difference too. In the early days, many digital displays were hung from ceilings and roofs as a way of saving space but this often had the effect of being unnoticeable – with passersby walking under the display without even noticing it.
The angle, height and position of the screen can be just as important as where the screen is placed.
Eye-level is the optimum position for an outdoor digital display but while freestanding and floor standing kiosks are more noticeable, they are not always practical to install as they take up valuable floor-space.
If the screen is placed too high, it is important to assess where the audience will be coming from when they approach the display and then tailor the screen so it angles towards their eyes this will ensure the screen is more likely to be read.
Another consideration with the location of an outdoor screen is the sun. While direct sunlight and sun-glare can be countered by utilising high brightness screens, transflective technology and anti-glare glass, often it can be simpler and easier to site the display in a location where it is angled away from the sun’s path.
