Digital Signage: Content Considerations

Users of the Digital Signage service should:

• Maintain HIPAA compliance (Do not publish PHI)
• Protect sensitive instutional data (Do not publish it)
• Avoid profanity or other offensive material
• Get appropriate permission/meet the licensing agreement before using copyrighted material

 

Signs can include faculty and staff names and locations; this information is considered public.

Keep it Simple

• Be concise
• Write in phrases rather than full sentences
• Use active voice and action verbs
• Use 3 or fewer content regions

Keep Your Content Fresh

• Maintain a large stock of imagery to swap in/out
• Alternate layouts
• Create multiple versions of the same message
• Vary the time that screens display
• Include animation/video

Call to Action

• Use strong verbs in a concise phrase
• Give the specifics needed to act (e.g., dates, places, phone numbers, a short URL or QR code)
• Highlight the call to action with a contrasting text color

Time Delay

If your sign presents a rotating series of screens, consider the environment when deciding the loop length:

• A medical office waiting room would probably warrant a longer time between screens, as patients have time to read and want to maintain a relaxed ambiance.
• A hallway where people busily rush by may call for a short delay, as a screen change may grab their attention. Yet the viewer must have time to read the message.