Various aspects go into creating engaging digital signage content that sets your business apart, and typography ranks among the top.
Digital signage typography is all about ensuring you use visible fonts that evoke emotions that will trigger consumers to make a purchase.
But how do you achieve that? This article focuses on typography, why it matters, and tips to ensure you pick the ideal fonts for your digital signage.
Let’s delve into the specifics.
Why Does Digital Typography Matter?
The purpose of digital signage advertising is to ensure your target audience reads the information provided.
Otherwise, what would be the point of investing in digital signage if it doesn’t facilitate consumer outreach?
The signage font you choose is integral to the success of your marketing campaigns, as the wrong pick can easily send out undesired impressions.
An appealing font not only boosts text readability but also draws in the consumer. This maximizes dwell time—where your audiences take time reading through the signage,—promoting message retention.
Digital Signage Font
Digital signage design does not have a one-size-fits-all option, and the one you go for makes a huge difference. However, it all comes down to your target audience; what piques their interest.
Here are a few typography best practices that will ensure you get it right the first time.
Font Types
The internet offers an endless list of fonts you can use on your digital signage display, but they are mainly classified into these four typefaces.
Here are some of the best font types to choose from:-
– Serif Fonts
Serif fonts adorn each letter with decorative strokes that evoke an old-timey feeling.
They are authoritative and, thanks to their high readability, are primarily used to create a professional feel.
Some of the popular serif fonts include Courier New and Times New Roman.
– Sans Serif Fonts
The sans serif font typeface is more like the Serif font but without decorative strokes.
Many brands are inclined toward this typeface because of its legibility and ability to stand out.
Its simplicity also makes it ideal for people with reading disabilities.
Some of the well-known sans serif typefaces include Helvetica, Futura, Calibri, and Arial.
– Script Fonts
This is any fancy font that imitates cursed handwriting, which many people find attractive.
They are elegant and often used to send out invitations. Allura, Alex Brush, and Kaushan Script are some of the widely used.
If you want to add flair to your digital display signage campaigns, script fonts are an excellent option.
– Display Fonts
These are large fonts designed to be used as headline text and not for the body.
They are one of the most popular typefaces in various digital signage solutions, as they allow people to have a longer attention span.
Besides, they embody multiple styles to offer infinite choices.
Pro Tip: Whichever digital signage font you choose, make sure it is legible and your target audience can easily access the information from a distance. Browse online to see more fonts.
Font Size
Optimizing the font size is vital as it determines how easily people can read your display. There is a general guideline as to the appropriate size in regards to the viewing distance.
For instance, if your consumer is 25 feet away from the screen, the proper font size will be 66pt.
The table below features some common recommendations.
| Distance from the screen (in ft) | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 50 | 75 |
| Recommended font size (pt) | 20 | 34 | 50 | 66 | 100 | 133 | 200 |
However, the font would be ideal if you use the proper signage size. If, for example, your audience is 10 feet away, do not use signage that is under 43”.
Pro tip: Take advantage of different font sizes to emphasize critical points but be careful not to overwhelm the reader.
Font Colour
As a rule of thumb, use red, yellow, and blue as your main colors, with purple, green, and orange as secondary colors.
Also, veer off saturated colors to avoid overwhelming your audience.
Instead, take advantage of different color tones to create a vibrant and appealing advert.
Pro Tip: One of the most popular digital signage trends that ensures a balanced and visually appealing advert is the 60:30:10 rule. Here, the primary, secondary, and accent colors take up 60%, 30%, and 10% of the digital signage design, respectively.
Font Spacing and Alignment
Using the ideal spacing in your interactive digital signage is imperative as overcrowding of texts and images affects the consumer experience.
Inconsistent spacing causes your audience to experience difficulties focusing on key information or even grasping what you intend to communicate.
Ensuring all texts are aligned creates well-balanced signage that allows your audience to connect all the elements.
Luckily, you can leverage the benefits of a content management system from digital signage software Malaysia to help you design signage that boasts texts with proper font spacing and alignment.
Pro Tip: Typefaces have varying line spacing so you might need to try a few to see which is best suited for your campaign.
Font Styling
Normal fonts are the most common as they are very legible and distinguishable at a glance.
Bolding is often used to create emphasis and capture attention, while italics are also used to draw the audience’s attention but can be hard to read.
In some instances, brands will use shadowing and underlining. Unless you plan to use these sparingly, do not use them.
Pro Tip: Avoid using various font styles on one design. Apart from the normal font style, you can pick one other style for emphasis and use it scarcely – preferably on one word.
Other Considerations
Other typography considerations that should remain top of mind when creating your digital signage content include:
1. Content Hierarchy
You need to establish a content hierarchy by using fonts of different sizes.
The large fonts can be used to highlight crucial information while smaller fonts are used for unimportant texts, especially vital when designing digital signage real-time content.
2. Negative Space
This is the space left in design that does not contain images, texts, or visual presentations.
Top designers will make optimal use of negative space to command attention. It also avoids a cluttered design and allows your audiences to focus on key elements.
Simply put, the space prevents an information overload that might deter consumers from capturing essential information.
3. Image Placement
Text overlays do not work like magic. To ensure your images and texts ‘marry,’ you must consider some things.
For starters, you need to use the right-sized fonts and ensure the background isn’t busy. You need to make sure the text aligns with the image. It should follow the image’s shape.
Otherwise, you will not be able to relay information as desired.
4. Viewing Purpose
The typography to use also depends on your smart city digital signage placement. For purchasing customers, for example, those waiting in line at supermarkets or banks, you can use display information with more text.
However, shorter messages containing three lines or less are appropriate if they are transiting. The font should also be large.
Additionally, the multi-touch signage can include more lines of text if you are advertising to waiting customers.
5. Interactivity
Text placement can hinder or facilitate the interactivity of your digital signage Malaysia product.
For instance, if you are using interactive kiosks, the height of your texts needs to be within reach, unlike standee displays.
Final Word
Typography is a critical part of your digital signage design. Be sure to experiment with numerous fonts, playing around with their sizes while keeping in mind the above best practices.
Go the extra mile and use digital signage software for a more straightforward design process.
We hope these critical tips helped you out! Contact Rev Interactive, your most trusted digital signage provider for an expert opinion!
