It’s no secret that digital signage has become a staple for businesses all over the world, and that is not set to change in 2024. In order to adapt to businesses’ ever changing needs, digital signage technology has continuously evolved, especially when it comes to digital screens for patios and outdoor environments. While you may be hesitant to adopt patio digital signage for a number of reasons, like security or weather conditions for example, we can safely say there has been no better time to integrate this technology into your marketing efforts. In this article we will examine 6 ways to utilize digital signage for patios and outdoor environments, and ensure you get the most out of patio season 2024.
1. Outdoor Digital Menu Boards
Outdoor digital signage has experienced a boom lately thanks to new weatherproofing and security technologies, making permanent outdoor digital menu boards a real possibility. Instead of the traditional static displays people are used to, these screens will allow you to display your menus in a dynamic, visually appealing way. As patio season is all about the weather, these screens will also easily allow you to make changes on the fly. Is the weather extremely hot? Change your promotional images to highlight your new specialty iced cocktails. Have you run out of a specific item? Conveniently remove it from your menu on the fly, and re-add it back at a later date. Newly designed outdoor digital signage allows you to enjoy all the best features, while also being secure and weatherproof enough to feel comfortable installing in an outdoor environment.
2. Social Media Integration
Incorporate social media feeds into your digital signage to encourage your customers to share their experiences! This is an excellent way to gain social media interaction and create a fun atmosphere, especially during special events and on weekend bar nights. While this can be a live feed, you can also use this space to display positive reviews, your recent social media content, and other popular user-generated content. Be sure to create a unique hashtag for your 2024 patio season for people to use, and encourage them to include it in their posts for a chance to be featured.
3. Promotions and Specials
Highlight patio-specific specials or menu items on your digital screens, and give people a reason to look at your screens. Even if your menu is the same outside as it is inside, a slightly different design can greatly encourage your customers to take another look; it can also allow you to feature certain items more prominently on each menu board. Whether it’s happy hour discounts, seasonal specials and cocktails, or even appetizer deals, use bright and vibrant graphics to attract attention and match the vibe of your patio.
4. Poolside Digital Signage
While water and electronics are fundamentally incompatible, modern digital signage has created commercial grade screens for pools and seaside environments. This style of digital signage is exceptionally useful for seaside patios, pool bars, and even humid areas such as spas. Depending on your businesses’ specific needs, and your local environment, both fixed installations and portable digital signage screens are available. Keep your customers entertained at all times, and even play music directly from your digital signage screens to keep the patio vibe at an all time high. This style of screen is definitely more niche, but can be a great addition to any seaside or pool restaurant/bar.
5. Showcase Different Content at Different Times
Many patios convert from restaurants to bars at night, especially on the weekends. In order to ensure your investment doesn’t go to waste once the vibe changes, you can design two different sets of content for your digital signage. For example, while you may have a full menu during the day, you might choose to showcase a limited menu at night and focus more on interactive content like social media integration, promotions, or games. The ability to tailor your content and promotions specifically for your audience is an advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially for establishments that want to maximize their patio profit.
6. Don’t Wait Until Patio Season
While this one may be more general than our other ways listed above, it is perhaps the most important. Waiting until patio season starts to adopt digital patio signage is a surefire way to limit the potential impact and ROI of your screens. By starting the process in winter, before patio season, you gain the most important resource: time. Instead of rushing the installation and design process, take it slow and be sure to get it right. Not only will this allow you to account for any hiccups you may encounter, but it will also give you time to experiment with the digital signage itself. This extra time will allow you to train your staff, tweak your content, and run a test with your customer base in advance. While it is entirely possible to wait until patio season starts, we highly recommend planning ahead.
In Conclusion
Digital signage has definitely come a long way, and has rightfully earned its place as a staple on the patio’s of modern businesses. Thanks to technological advances in security features and weatherproofing, there is no better time for your business to adopt outdoor patio signage. Whether you are using your screens as digital menus, promotional purposes, or even as a marketing tool to attract more customers, the flexibility and potential they offer is completely unmatched.
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