Electronic Digital Signage (EDS) that is geared for outdoor viewing needs to be tailored for a moving target audience. Passersby exposed to outdoor signage may be walking briskly or traveling in a fast-moving vehicle. Outdoor EDS must therefore contain content that is powerful enough to catch their attention and send information or a message in just a split second. Here are a few tips to promote more effective content:

• Ensure that the advertisement is not crowded with a lot of information. It is a good idea to design powerful key elements. With just a brief glance, viewers must be able to receive the message you are promoting.
   
• Another factor that governs the effectiveness of outdoor digital signage is the ambient lighting. To ensure that the content can be viewed with clarity under any lighting condition during the day or night, the lighting and angle of the screen must be worked on precisely.
   
• Use graphics and moving images as sparingly as possible. Digital signage is not TV, and most people do not have the time to stand around looking at it. If you do have transitions and moving images, make sure there is a focal point where you can draw the attention of viewers. This stationary key point should be the main message you are promoting.
   
• Do not draw attention away from the main message with complicated fonts. Use fonts sparingly, and do not use more than a couple of them. Try not to mix fonts, as uniformity is important to capture attention.
   
• Do not display the content in all caps. The shapes of the words must be clearly legible to people to ensure that they are able to read them well at a glance. It is a good idea therefore to use both upper and lower case lettering.
   
• Use colors sparingly, too. Choose colors that complement each other well.
   
• Test the content before you display it. Ask for people’s opinions and fine-tune the content for maximum effect.

Editor's note: The original version of this tip was provided by Tim Warrington, Resus Digital Signage, UK.