At first look, digital signage might look pretty straightforward. But dig a bit deeper and you’ll find that there is so much more to it than a fun way to promote your business and products. There is a whole psychology behind how and why people buy, and digital signage is designed to help you play into this, inspiring customers to engage and purchase.
However, to make it work for your business, you need to understand what motivates people, what catches their attention, and how small details can make a big difference in how they interact with your displays.
What Makes People Notice Digital Signage?
There’s a reason bright screens, bold colours, and moving visuals catch our attention. It’s because they actually tap into the natural instincts we have to notice something new or different. It’s also why
digital signageis used so efficiently in busy environments like shops, cafés, or high streets.
Our ancestors were equipped with the natural instincts to catch movements and colour out of the corner of our eyes, helping protect us from danger or find food sources. We’ve retained that through thousands of years of evolution, and businesses can now use digital signage to catch that attention.
How Emotions Shape Decisions
It’s no secret that emotions drive buying decisions - and that businesses can capture these emotions through their digital signage and
digital menu boards to influence purchasing behaviour. Limited time offers, BOGO deals or short sale events are great examples of how customers are emotionally connected to what they are buying. Urgency or fear of missing out (FOMO) are very strong emotions, and therefore very strong motivators.
Whether it’s excitement, urgency or nostalgia, what your customers feel when they see your signage matters.
Why Consistency Builds Trust
As humans, we trust what we can recognise. That means your customers notice when your branding feels cohesive (or when it doesn’t) and will use this information when forming an opinion about your business. When your
store signage or
restaurant signage matches the rest of your marketing—from the colours to the language—it sends a message that your business is reliable and professional.
Personalisation Makes Signage More Effective
We may not always admit it, but we all like to feel special. Personalisation has become a hugely popular and successful advertising and marketing technique, particularly in ecommerce environments (personalised emails, offers and suggestions have become the norm). But businesses can use these same techniques on digital signage, too.
While you might not be able to tailor signage to individual customers, you can customise it to a group they identify with. Whether that’s through location, interests, age, or any other demographic! For example, discounts for students or acknowledgement of a local holiday can make customers feel seen and celebrated.
Using Social Proof to Encourage Action
People trust recommendations and popular trends, which is why social proof is so effective in signage. Highlighting a top seller, items that are trending or showing what others are enjoying can influence decisions. For people who are indecisive or risk-adverse, knowing that it has already been vetted and approved by others make it easier to move forward with a purchase.
Simplicity Speaks Volumes
The best signage is easy to read and gets the message across quickly. While we have evolved to pay attention to eye-catching movement or design, the sheer amount of visual stimulation modern day humans are exposed to has resulted in us giving each sign less attention. People won’t stand around deciphering a complicated sign, so keep your message short and impactful.
Turn Understanding Into Action
Creating effective signage isn’t about getting it perfect the first time. It’s an ongoing process of learning what works and making adjustments. If a particular display isn’t driving results, consider tweaking the message, visuals, or placement.
When you tap into consumer behaviour, your digital signage evolves into a conversation with your audience. By combining thoughtful design, smart placement, and a focus on how people think and feel, you can create signage that truly connects and delivers results.
Ready to put these principles to work? Mandoe’s tools make it easy to create displays that capture attention and drive sales.
Contact us today to learn how our digital solutions can help you create impactful, engaging campaigns.
