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Digital signage content is most successful it if meets people's expectations. If it doesn't, it can lead to disappointment and create a negative image of your business.

So how do you determine what potential customers are expecting from your digital signage content? Put yourself in their place and consider the context in which they are viewing it.

Customers waiting in line at a bank are different from those rushing through the grocery store or those filling their tank with gas. Digital signs in each of these situations may serve a similar purpose ' providing information ' but they need to do it in a way that meets customer's expectations.

Customers who visit a bank branch usually plan on waiting at least a few minutes for service. They are not accustomed to walking right up to the counter and being served, so their frame of mind is different from someone who is hurriedly visiting the gas station on the way to work. When they encounter digital signs, bank customers are in the mood to be entertained with interesting lifestyle messages, news or weather. They expect to be given something interesting to read while they wait. Repeated short promotional messages are not in line with their expectations, and may not be as effective as longer form, entertaining messaging. In fact, repeated loops of direct advertising of bank products could be so out of line that they cause resentment and a negative customer experience.

Contrast bank customers to grocery store customers. They may enter the store with a list of items, but chances are pretty good they will buy additional items if persuaded to do so. Although they may be in a hurry, they will be open to short, informative messaging about new products. When they see digital signage, they expect a quick promo for a new product, but they also expect to be educated about how to prepare or serve the item. Digital signage content in this context needs to include useful information, like meal ideas or the health benefits of the food being promoted, in order to sway the customer. Otherwise, the customer will see the content as just another ad and quickly disregard it.

Now consider gas station customers. Often in a hurry, when these customers see digital signs on the gas pump, they do not expect long form advertising that requires them to wait for the complete message. Digital signage content in a pump-top display needs to address the immediate needs of the customer in as little time as possible. For that reason, day parting technology is particularly effective in this context, since it can adapt messages quickly to respond to those needs ' pushing wiper fluid with a storm on the way, or promoting a new brand of coffee during the morning rush hour.

Understanding what your customer needs from your digital signage content will help you creative effective messages that get read and responded to in a positive way.