When considering digital signage solutions, it’s important to know your market. Your market will ultimately determine the way your screen layout is set up (i.e. multi zone or full screen). Will your customers be waiting a long while? Will they be in and out? Is there something you want them to take with them? All of these aspects factor into what might be the best fit for your industry.

Imagine that you have a large department store. Any busy department store is filled with all sorts of stimuli and possible distractions such as groups of people, employees, products, shelving, and overhead music. The human brain can only fully process one thing at one time so it’s likely that your digital signage screens won’t be receiving undivided attention. With that in mind, you’ll want to maximize use of the entire screen. If someone with an already divided attention sees a screen, with multiple assets, it’s likely to overwhelm them. It’s important you convey, plainly, the messages you want to get across. So considering the full screen layout, in this situation, completes the atmosphere.

On the flipside, consider the customer experience in any sort of waiting room environment. These viewers are sitting and waiting for longer periods of time. There is also, typically, a lot less going on in the way of hustle and bustle. In this climate, a multi zone layout is optimal. Different tidbits of information being provided in these multiple zones will give the customer something to keep them preoccupied while they’re waiting in your lobby. They can opt to read the news tickers, your custom messaging, local weather forecasts, and more. It also provides an opportunity to educate your customers about your industry. You can use the larger zone (through videos and animation etc) to impart knowledge about your brand, car care, or even their own health (depending on the specific industry). They can come away having learned something and it will make their experience more valuable to both you and the client.

– Submitted by Cammie Neely, Visual