How to Find Your Perfect Digital Signage Display

So many digital signage displays, so little time… Finding the right display screens for your business can feel like a real challenge. How are you supposed to choose from such an enormous selection?! How do you make heads or tails of all the jargon? In this quick-read guide, we make it easy. Read on for a run down of all the most important factors and features that you need to find the perfect displays for your business.

1. Define Your Purpose and Goals

Before you commit to any specific digital signage displays, ask yourself what exactly you want to achieve.

• What do you need the display for? Are you aiming to inform, advertise, entertain, or direct people?
• What type of content will you feature? Will it be static images, videos, or dynamic content that needs real-time updates?
• What action would you like viewers to take? Do you want them to make a purchase, sign up for an event, or simply inform them about something?

Clearly defining your objectives will help inform and narrow down your search.

2. Screen Size and Resolution

In digital signage, size matters! A display that’s too small may fail to engage viewers, while a display that’s too large might look oversized for the space. 

Think about:

• Screen Size: For small spaces, screens between 32-55 inches work well. For larger areas, like storefront windows, lobbies, or high-traffic zones, look out for 60-inch displays or larger.
• Resolution: The resolution will depend on how much detail you want to show on-screen. For most signage, 1080p (Full HD) resolution suffices. However, if you need crisp, ultra-clear visuals for close-up viewing, 4K resolution might work better, especially for larger screens or high-end retail environments.

3. Indoor and Outdoor Displays

Where you intend to locate your digital signage will affect the kind of displays you need. 

• Indoor Displays: Ideal for controlled environments, like offices, retail stores and corporate settings, indoor digital signage displays typically have lower brightness.
• Outdoor Displays: Built to withstand the rain, heat and cold, outdoor displays are built with higher brightness levels (around 2000-3000 cd/m²) to combat sunlight glare and often feature protective casings.

4. Brightness and Viewing Conditions

To ensure the on-screen visibility of your content in well-lit spaces, you may need digital displays with higher brightness levels.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Indoor: If your digital signage is in a brightly lit area (like a shopping mall or office), aim for a brightness of around 300-500 cd/m². 
• Outdoor: Outdoor signage should have much higher brightness, so that it remains visible in direct sunlight. Search for displays with brightness levels between 2000-3000 cd/m².

5. Orientation: Portrait vs. Landscape

Digital signage displays can be mounted in either portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) orientations to suit your content.

• Portrait Mode: Perfect for narrow spaces, digital menu boards, or signage in retail settings where long, vertical visuals are most effective.
• Landscape Mode: Better for wide spaces or larger content like advertisements, videos, and presentations.

For additional flexibility, some displays enable you to switch between orientations, so you can feature content in both portrait and landscape mode.

6. Connectivity and Compatibility

How will you connect your displays with your media players? Look for:

• Wi-Fi and Ethernet Connectivity: Wireless connections are easy and cost-effective to set up, and enable remote access. Ethernet, on the other hand, ensures a more stable, wired connection.
• USB or HDMI Ports: To ensure more options for content delivery, choose displays that support USB or HDMI input. 

Check that your choice of display is compatible with additional equipment, like media players and digital signage software, including content management systems (CMS). 

CMS solutions, such as Signagelive make it easy to:

• Remotely manage, schedule and deliver content to some or all your screens
• Select the end as well as start times of your campaigns, so they never over-run
• Edit live content

7. Built-in Media Players

Space-saving, all-in-one digital signage solutions, system-on-chip displays come with built-in media players, which enable them to store and play content. When connected to a digital signage software system, like Signagelive, they’re also able to schedule, manage and update content remotely.

8. Durability and Maintenance

If you want your displays to go the distance, they may require additional features to suit specific environments. 

• Vandal-proof or Robust Designs: If you’re installing your digital signage in a high-traffic or public area, consider a display with tamper-resistant features or a robust frame.
• Easy-to-Access Ports and Cooling: For ease of  maintenance, look out for displays with ports that are convenient to access. In especially hot or cold outdoor environments, you’ll also want your displays to come equipped with reliable cooling systems..

9. Interactive Features

Interactive displays can help you create more engaging experiences by enabling viewers to interact with the screen through touch or gesture control. Common use cases include:

• Kiosks: Where users can interact with menus, maps, or information guides.
• Wayfinding Systems: In malls, airports, or large buildings to guide visitors.
• Self-service Solutions: For things like ordering in restaurants or checking in at hotels.

Customised Digital Signage Displays

Deliver more unique and impactful viewer experiences by customising your digital signage displays, with the help of world-class manufacturers, such as Bluefin.

Consider:

Customising the shape of your screens: Built to run the length of shelves and showcase exhibits, ultrawide screens are ideal for retail, events, and exhibitions. Circular or square screens can also be designed to suit specific events and environments.

Space-saving designs: Look out for dual-sided displays that enable you to feature different content on each side of the screen. Countertops are even more space-efficient, requiring no digital signage stands.

Embed accessories into screen designs: Incorporate cameras, microphones and motion detectors into your screen designs. With these integrated accessories, your screens can automatically change the on-screen content to suit different viewers, and respond to touch, gesture and motion control. 

11. Cost and ROI

Finally, don’t forget to think about your budget.

• Initial Cost: Evaluate the upfront investment, including the hardware and software.
• Ongoing Costs: Consider how much budget you’ll need to cover on-going content creation, software subscriptions, and potential maintenance.
• ROI: Make the most of your digital signage investment.  Look for ways to use your signage to increase sales, improve customer engagement, or enhance brand awareness.

12. Support and Warranty

Only consider digital signage providers that can offer reliable customer support, warranties, and easy access to replacement parts or services. This will save you time and money in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right digital signage displays can feel daunting, but if you know what to look for, you can quickly narrow down your search. Ultimately, the kind of displays you need will come down to where you plan to install them, and what kind of content and viewing experience you intend to offer.  There’s essentially a screen type for every conceivable goal and location!

Ready to dive right in and turn your digital signage vision into a reality? Reach out to us to find out how our hardware partners and software can help you build your ideal digital signage solution.