Here is the scenario: You have successfully created your AdSemble account and found a few venues you would like to place an advertisement in for your business.

Now it’s time to create your ad.

Ok, that shouldn’t be too hard-I mean if you or someone on your team is going to make a flash based ad, it probably isn’t too different from making something for the web, right?

Sorry, Wrong.

Digital signage ads are quite different from their internet variety counterparts.  For starters, most people stare directly in front of their computer screen, meaning text can be small and still legible and the ad effective.  When building an ad for a digital signage screen, one must remember that BIGGER is BETTER-especially when it comes to text and Extra especially when it comes to the call to action.

Try this: Build your ad and then stand 50 or so feet away - Can you still make out the images and read the text on the screen?  If not, you are still in Internet ad building mode and need to re-think your design.

Internet ads can also run text and images to the very edges of the canvas space with little or no bleed.  Not true (or rather not a good idea) for your digital signage ads.  We have discovered that even if a DOOH network is reporting a specific screen size, such as 1024 x 768 or 16:9 ratio, those clients who designed their ads to leave a minimum 1″ border of space around all sides to ensure nothing of importance was cut off (such as specific URL or 1-800 number), had more success than those who did not.

Have any suggestions of your own as to what makes for a good digital signage ad?

-Matthew Olivieri

Over the weekend, I had a chance to grab some coffee at one of my favorite local cafes.  It is one of those vintage looking places reminiscent of any given account of small town Americana.  Ironically, despite the old stained hardwood floors and brick walls, this “Mom & Pop” decided to install a new 15″ digital signage screen directly over the cash register where all customers pay for their coffee.

I have no qualms over the placement of the screen or its size relative to the surrounding fixtures.  In fact, from all the way in the back corner of the cafe, one can still clearly see the content playing on the screen.

It is the content itself which was frustrating.  The operator of this screen elected to play back-to-back-to-back realtor ads in between other community announcements and misc. content.  Why did this bother me?  Because I watched several people waiting in line to pay for their coffee take note of the screen initially only to be turned off (and look away) upon seeing the repetitive real estate ads.

As an emerging industry, we need to continue to preach content/play list best practices, so screen operators can learn how to present a compelling array of news, images and information.  This is critical as the final decision as to what appears on the screen(s) will lie in the hands of the screen operator (in conjunction with any contractual agreements made with the owner of the location(s) where the screens are installed in, of course).

An obvious “quick fix” here would be to at least space out the realtor ads so they don’t play back-to-back. Deeper still, I would recommend this screen operator include more up-to-date content be integrated, such as “The current weather conditions in the 5 closest cities are X (possibly 3 day forecast)”  or “Baseball scores from last night.”

Give me, as someone waiting in line to pay for my coffee, a reason to stay fixated on the screen (maybe even get upset when I have to stop watching because it’s my turn to pay? )

What ideas do you have for play list orders and content best practices?

-Matthew Olivieri

Are you ready for the busiest online shopping day?  This year, Cyber Monday takes place on Dec. 1st and a great way to efficiently and effectively drive traffic to your website is with the help of a highly targeted digital signage ad that highlights a specific product you are trying to sell on your E-commerce site.

Whether that be the latest and greatest tech toy or the trendiest new line of clothing, you can launch a unique digital signage ad for just the holiday season, that will catch the eyes of shoppers and let them know they have an online option when they discover everything in the brick and mortar environment has been picked over.

Here are some tips for your holiday digital signage ad:

-Use bright, warm festive colors for your ad’s background , such as green and red.  Also images of wrapped presents, snow flakes and the like are great for reinforcement.

-Be up front about delivery dates and let customers know ordering deadlines for gifts to make it in time for the holidays; nothing is more stressful than not knowing if a gift will make it to its final destination on time.

-If you have a holiday special that differentiates you from the competition, be sure to promote it in your ad.

Of course the holiday shopping season will continue past just Cyber Monday, but we hope these tips get you off and running to a great start.

-Matthew Olivieri