The pandemic has changed the world in which we live. It has changed the way we think, the things we appreciate, how we act, and, most critically, views and actions regarding hygiene.
In the post-pandemic world, we will inevitably see new digital signage trends in light of our experiences.
In this blog, we explore not just digital signage trends for the future, but digital signage trends for a society emerging from coronavirus fears and restrictions.
Self-Service Digital Kiosks
Businesses have been hit in many ways by the pandemic, from increasing contactless purchases and check-ins to notable financial downturns. In turn, many companies have experienced staffing cuts. As a result, a prime post-pandemic trend will be the increase in self-service systems. These digital kiosks will aid businesses in their adaption to less available staff and the need for faster service to satisfy customers and increase sales.
According to Statista, in 2020, over two billion people purchased goods or services online, and e-retail sales surpassed 4.2 trillion US dollars. With consumers getting accustomed to online shopping, businesses need to do all they can to bring people back in.
As well as replacing missing staff, self-service digital kiosks provide consumers with an experience that puts them in control with reduced human interaction. This experience will encourage people to get out and make purchases. As a result, self-service digital kiosks will likely see an increase in popularity as we come out of the pandemic.
Touchless Screens
Touchscreen digital signage has soared in popularity over the past decade. Despite this, technology is constantly advancing, and developers are always looking for new and innovative ways to top the last enhancement. Significantly, however, surveys have found that responses to COVID-19 have speeded the adoption of digital technologies by several years.
In a quest to combat human contact, touchless signage has rapidly advanced and will surely be a post-pandemic trend in digital signage. Unlike a traditional digital screen, gestures, smoke sensors, proximity sensors, voice recognition, infrared touchless LED buttons, or even facial recognition can activate touchless signage. The possibilities for contactless triggers continue to grow.
Additionally, evidence suggests that switching from static posters to interactive solutions can increase ad sales by almost 1,200%, making touchless screens a valuable solution to increasing sales post-pandemic in a society looking for contactless experiences.
Following the pandemic, a prolonging hesitance by the public to touch public devices, combined with society’s innate desire for innovation and advancement, will see the rise of touchless signage.
Digital Hand Sanitisers Persisting As A Post-Pandemic Trend
Digital hand-sanitisers quickly became the must-have digital signage product of 2020. With a new focus on cleanliness and a need for businesses to exhibit their focus on hygiene, these stations provided a necessary means of meeting hygiene desires while delivering messages or advertising.
Though people may question their necessity after the pandemic, digital hand sanitisers are not going anywhere. After months of frequently washing hands and applying hand sanitiser, good hygiene practice has become routine. As a result, even when the coronavirus threat has faded, a focus on cleanliness will remain.
Digital hand sanitisers connect an electronic screen to a hand sanitiser dispenser, delivering targeted messaging when the dispenser is triggered. In turn, encouraging cleanliness is not the only benefit; the screen provides a valuable space to optimise sales with direct advertising.
The benefits are particularly valuable to the retail sector that was hit hard by the pandemic and necessitates new ways to get people back in store. Digital hand sanitisers can help people with germ apprehensions post-pandemic to feel more comfortable entering retail spaces while simultaneously encouraging people to spend more with targeted advertising. This example is one reason why we can predict a long-term post-pandemic trend in digital hand sanitisers.
QR Codes As A Post-Pandemic Trend
While QR codes revolutionised contactless communication long before the pandemic, they will revive as a digital signage trend in the post-pandemic world. With people wanting access to information fast and contactless, high-definition scannable QR codes provide the necessary solution.
Moreover, by presenting a QR code in a shop or business window, people who are still apprehensive of public indoor areas or human interaction can get the required information. This feature ensures that these customers are not lost.
Significantly, due to the financial implications of the pandemic, businesses need new ways to increase conversion rates. QR codes on-screen can be updated immediately through digital signage software and are not impacted by human or weather conditions, improving their potential to boost sales. With QR codes promptly delivering information to consumer mobile devices, brand recall and brand awareness will also improve. These multiple benefits demonstrate why QR codes will be a post-pandemic trend in digital signage.
Revamped Employee Communication
Social distancing and mask-wearing have compromised workplace communication, not to mention remote working. Offices and workplaces have had to adapt, and digital signage has provided a solution. Using cloud-based software, electronic screens around a workplace can display content from one centralised location. This capability minimises the need for colleagues to gather in one place.
When businesses begin to reopen, while a need for social distancing will decline, there will be a continued need for digital signage screens around the workplace. These displays will remind employees efficiently on new processes, new goals, and how to stay safe, amongst other messages.
Moreover, reports have found that highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability. Workplaces should, therefore, use a digital dashboard widget, displaying KPIs and statistics to various departments, to help employees stay engaged and meet performance objectives.
Workplace digital signage will be a popular post-pandemic trend to revamp employee communications and ensure everyone is working towards company goals. For businesses that have suffered financially during the pandemic, this is critical for getting the ball rolling and improving performance.
