The next time that you're in a grocery store, waiting room, or any venue that has a digital signage network, take the time to study the content. While you're doing that, look at the people walking - or sitting - nearby. Are they paying attention to the screens? Do they have the look of somebody who is interested enough to respond? Chances are, the answer is no. And if the marketing collateral that is being displayed doesn't get a person's attention, it is not doing its job.

In most of the signage content I've observed, the sales message is completely buried. This is true whether it's a 3-minute segment at my local grocery store or a 20-minute segment at my dentist's office. The problem is the level of complexity within the message. In today's article, I'm going to make the case for simplicity in your signage content. The factors that influence your viewers - for example, color and motion - should be consistent with a simple message.

Less Is More

Here's what we know about most people who view a sales messages: they're impatient, often lack focus, and don't like to think about what they're watching. That might sound harsh, but understanding your viewers' perspective will help you craft content for your signage network that compels action. The segments that you - or your creative agency - design must not overwhelm people with too much information. While they're watching, they're not thinking. Providing too much information makes them less willing to continue watching.

Throughout any segment, there's also an ever-present possibility that your viewer won't understand what he or she is watching. If the marketing collateral that you're displaying is not completely intuitive, it will raise a question mark in their mind. Each question mark represents a moment of disconnect. If your viewer disconnects too many times, you will lose their attention.

This is the reason why your signage collateral must deliver its message in a tight package. Less is more. That doesn't mean that every piece that you create for your network should be short. Rather, it means that every piece should be designed to cater to an impatient, unfocused, and unthinking viewership.

Getting Attention Quickly... And Keeping It

The best way to capture the attention of passersby is to begin each of your signage segments with a fast jolt of intriguing content. By "intriguing," I'm not necessarily referring to full-motion video or other eye-catching collateral. It could be as simple as displaying the three most powerful benefits of a product in an easy-to-read font. The reason for the initial jolt is because those first few seconds are when a person is deciding whether to continue watching or to keep walking.

Once you have their attention, your segment must continue to hold it. This is a fine line. As I noted above, less is more. However, if you don't continue to tantalize your viewers throughout the segment, you'll lose their interest. On the other hand, if you give them to much, too soon, you'll confuse them. And once they're confused (even slightly), their ability to comprehend what they're seeing begins to decline. That's why you need to walk a fine line between providing too little and too much information throughout an entire segment.

Creating Simple Content

Think of each screen within your signage network as a billboard. And think of every piece of digital signage content as a request for your viewer's attention. As they're speeding by, you have mere seconds with which to capture them. If your content does its job, they'll not only notice it, but they'll pull over to the side of the road and continue consuming it. And while they do, you'll be communicating the benefits of your product in a way that compels them to take action.