Guidelines For Digital Signage

Aspect Ratios

Digital TV screens are always created in the same aspect ratio. For a horizontal screen this is 16:9 ratio and for a portrait screen it is 9:16 ratio.

This means that any design created should be a 16:9 or 9:16 aspect ratio.

Digital Signage Display Resolution

All TV screens have a ‘display resolution’, this refers to how many pixels are shown on the screen, the more pixels there are the better the picture will be.

1280 x 720 pixels is called standard HD
1920 x 1080 pixels is called full HD
3840 x 2160 pixels is called 4K or Ultra HD

This is useful when designing your digital signage content to ensure it will look it’s best.

Content Layouts

We have plenty of fantastic layouts you can use for your digital signage that will balance the composition of the display, or we will help to create a custom one that suits your needs.

Please remember to create new content using the relevant pixel sizes so that you get a true idea of how good it will look on the screen, this is particularly relevant when it comes to text.

Because your content will be shown on a TV screen please leave some space around the edge of your design, this will prevent the edges of your content getting cut-off.

Use Clear Fonts

Remember that your digital signage screen will probably be viewed from a short distance away so make sure the font is large enough to be read from this distance.

Use Sans-Serif typefaces which are the easiest to read, Arial, Helvetica or Verdana are all good choices.

Choose Colours that Contrast

Use colours that contrast, for example, light text on dark backgrounds and dark text on light backgrounds, this is important in digital signage design when the viewer is a distance from the screen.

TV Audio

Whereas adding a video or live TV can be good it is worth considering the screen location as nearby workers could be easily distracted by the audio, alternatively if using a video consider creating one where audio is not required and the images tell the story or get the message across.

Create Zones

Creating your digital signage screen using zones is a great way to maximise the space on the screen and show multiple pieces of content at one time. We have some great templates that are proven and tested to create a fantastic looking screen that will keep the viewer engaged.

Auto Updating Content

In order to keep people coming back to your screens then consider the many types of content that will be updated every day without any input from you, these include RSS feeds and weather, to enhance these we have created our own On This Day database, Facts and Q & A’s, great content that updates daily and will keep viewer coming back regularly.

Screen Dwell Time

Part of the digital signage design comes down to knowing what content to show and when, as a guide you can use the times below for how long your content will show for:

Short-term viewers, 30 seconds, this is ideal for shoppers and passers-by.

Mid-term viewers, 40 seconds to 2 minutes, this is ideal for reception areas, fast food outlets or coffee shops.

Long-term viewers, over 3 minutes, this is ideal for waiting areas or restaurants.

We hope this has given you an insight for creating and managing your digital signage but remember we are always here to help you get the most from your screens.