Digital signage is a modern tool which can greatly help a community also in traditional realms.
It’s often used for profit, but in churches, synagogues or mosques, the main goal is to connect with the community and share information. Digital signage can help raise funds, reduce costs, organize events and make the communication between the establishment and the community easier and faster. So without further ado here are 7 biggest reasons to get digital signage in your establishment.
1. Digital signage is useful for all faiths
Mosques, churches, temples and synagogues all benefit from digital signage. The utilization may be slightly different, but each house of worship can find a great use for it.
Digital signage is a great investment, though it can be a budget leap, especially for an establishment which is non-profit. Fundraisers or sponsorships are definitely a good idea if it’s not affordable straight away.
This is concerning the hardware. Software is really the least of your worries and doesn’t usually force a budget to bend greatly. Let’s examine some more specific uses and you can decide if it classifies as a beneficial investment for your establishment.
2. An updated announcement board
Churches adopt digital signage, amongst other advances of technology, because it serves as a more efficient and simpler way to communicate to the audience. This starts with a beneficial and practical announcement board.
Digital signage can help educate new visitors about the vision and mission of the establishment. It can also keep them informed on current events more easily by being the place for announcements updates displaying:
- General announcements
- Service times
- Important events
- Volunteer opportunities
- Special offers or sales
Digital signage in the church setting has become a more popular choice lately. LED displays have a limited amount of features so it’s no wonder they’re being upgraded.
The benefits are clear, digital signage can provide a more modern, appealing and practical application and sharing of information. There are quite a few uses digital signage has in general, but there are several that apply specifically to a house of worship. Digital signage can be set up in:
- Lobbies
- Worship areas
- Meeting spaces
- Lounges
- Office locations
- Retail establishments
- Classrooms
3. The key benefits of digital signage
Digital signage uses its power in a church in the same way it does at a mall or a store. The difference is that instead of giving the viewer information about a product, it’s giving them information about their community.
Here are some key ways on how to engage your audience and increase the efficiency of your digital signage and help them find information they are looking for:
- Valuable and up to date content
- Simple communication
- Motion
- Interactivity
Important and up to date content is the main difference between digital and handwritten content. Digital can be very easily updated to contain current and most important information needed at the moment of display.
Schedules, announcements or hymn lyrics demand more work than a casual sign and that’s where software comes in to shorten that time.
Simple communication is also a very important factor!
Here’s a good comparison: The Bible has a higher reputation than any digital signage.
Why am I telling you this?
Because unlike the Bible, people won’t read endless blocks of text from a digital screen, no matter what is displayed on it. Unless it’s the Bible maybe.
The point is to keep it simple!
People only glance at digital signs before moving on, and that’s why we always design them to get the point across in less than a few seconds. Keep it simple means displaying only vital data needed at the moment. Not complying to this is one of the biggest mistakes of digital signage content.
Motion! Look, there’s a reason why thieves stop moving when they hear there’s someone in the house. Motion attracts attention! A lot of attention can be drawn to a sign if it’s animated with text, images or video.
Interactivity! Usually applies to the user being able to physically interact with the digital signage in front of them. This is beneficial in stores where a customer can dig through various products on a screen, but it can also be beneficial to a religious establishment in many ways.
Interactivity can also mean a call to action which tells the viewer how to get involved, for example to like something on Facebook.
A call to action in digital signage is basically a digital sign telling someone what to do. The benefit? They do it! In a religious establishment it may direct the viewer how to help the community or do something that is highly recommended.
4. Practical uses for digital signage in houses of worship
Spreading information and engaging the audience remains the main purpose, let’s discuss some practical uses that can push the audience to go the extra mile and provide additional information.
Elevating the worship experience is certainly a reason to go the extra mile. Saving time and money is certainly a strong reason to go for digital signage, but the relationship with the community can also be improved.
Helping opportunities are often looked for and people may want to partake in something although they aren’t even aware they exist. It’s important to inform where and what kind of help is needed to encourage volunteers to step up.
You may have a hundred volunteers on your hands without instructions however they’re not going to be of much help,
General news and weather are always a good type of information to share with any audience.
Wayfinding and maps are often used for larger establishments. They can also be beneficial if a religious establishment needs it. You can help newcomers reach their destination more easily and prevent the bride from wandering into a tomb.
Worship songs and lyrics are becoming a common thing to display in religious establishments as more and more of them are moving away from hymnals.
Personalize messages for visitors, display information about leaders, promote fundraisers, display charities the establishment is involved in or communicate with hearing-impaired members.
5. Outdoor digital signage
A subject worth mentioning religious establishments are concerned, as many still have hand-made outdoor signs.
Outdoor digital signage, despite being grasped by both hands by larger companies, cities and stores that use it to attract attention, is definitely a tool a church can use.
Perhaps not a billboard the size of your auditorium, a modest screen can still be useful.
Display your digital signage to anyone who passes by your church, mosque or synagogue 24/7. The most common outdoor signs for houses of worship were ordinary hand-made signs which were changed manually, one letter at a time.
Take your signs further!
LED signs are quite a common substitute for the old hand-made signage. Digital signage is even better as it allows you to share information more easily with anyone who passes by.
When creating outdoor digital signage it’s important to take weather into account and either get displays that are waterproof and specific for the purpose, or protect the screens by placing them in a sheltered location.
The advantage of outdoor digital signs of any kind is clear when compared to traditional signs.
Easier updates, less hassle and above all you can display more than one or two sentences at a time. Hardware providers offer theft protection for digital signage. Outdoor digital signage involves rigid enclosures that lock up your signage to provide protection.
6. Raising funds!
Interactivity is only one of many advantages which can benefit the religious establishment in question. Granted, information is the most valuable good one can provide, but at times churches, mosques and synagogues need funds to reach their goals.
Digital signage is definitely a tool for a modern church. Capital campaigns, mission trips or general funds can all be acquired more easily.
Many establishments want to attract younger congregants and there is no better way than having special events and trips, all of which can easily be organized and managed using digital signage.
7. Reducing costs!
Can digital signage save money if it’s such an expensive investment?
Here’s another spoiler for you: yes it can! I’ll explain more below, but also take a minute to check out this infographic which compares costs of handwriting vs digital signage.
Digital signage reduces paper waste! Save money and save the trees!
On a serious note, the advanced person is the informed person, and the same applies to any structure, building, store, supermarket or a church. The higher the quality of information, the more that establishment will be valued and appreciated.
Inaccurate and old information is useless!
No more stapled pieces of paper on a giant bulletin board, containing information you can only hope to be up to date when you read it!
Digital signage is the most flexible canvas in the world because it allows for shifting of information without any additional cost. That’s the greatest and most important feature which sets it apart from casual signage, and definitely a good reason to consider it.
Software for digital signage enables the information to be changed according to schedule and reduces the need for any staff members to do it manually, climbing on a ladder to change one note at a time.
General announcements regarding deadlines, requests, volunteer opportunities, meetings and events are also easily managed and shared.
Digital signage can also be used outdoors and replace signs which are usually updated weekly or even monthly and certainly offers a more effective way to reach out to the community.
Images by paul bica, Eric E Castro and Jeffrey Beall
