When implementing digital signage, it makes sense to turn to China to see what businesses and organizations there have done. After all, China has one of the largest digital display markets in the world and is set to grow at an 8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next few years.
At Kinettix, we have a global network of experienced team members and clients who are ready to share their knowledge with you. Here’s our list of things U.S. businesses or organizations can learn from China about digital signage.
Top Digital Signage Trends in China
1. Explore Facial Recognition Technology
You probably already knew that facial recognition is a big asset to digital signage. It can help you learn more about the people in your building, drive traffic to a store or even help you tailor the messages shown on digital displays.
But there are more ways you can use facial recognition data. For example, businesses in China with this information are able to make immediate changes to improve the experience for people in their buildings. If there are primarily females shopping in a store, for example, your digital signage system may change the music to play songs that data suggests women enjoy more. Day by day, facial recognition and the impact it has on business owners continues to grow, making it a great time to embrace this technology.
2. Try Targeted Advertising
Building off of facial recognition technology, developers are also developing the software necessary to more accurately provide targeted advertising to the people in their stores and businesses—and businesses in China are taking note. While typically more than one person will be looking at a screen at a particular time, this technology will help determine the majority viewing demographic and serve advertisements that are relevant to them. In turn, these smart displays increase your signs’ efficiency by helping you communicate with the right consumers.
3. Stay GDPR Compliant
In recent years, China has introduced new cybersecurity laws that protect citizens’ personal data. These regulations are similar to GDPR compliance in the European Union in that consumers must be informed on what organizations are collecting, processing, and sharing.
Make sure you don’t collect any personal data or information about the people who view your signs. More specifically, you should only be looking at and reporting aggregate data. It can be easy to get swept up in the facial recognition features, but it’s crucial to protect consumers’ privacy, as well.
4. Consider the Sports Industry
Besides adopting new technologies for digital signage, China has been adopting and/or optimizing digital signage across a variety of industries. Specifically, the country has seen an increase in digital signage in the sports industry, where displays are often used at stadiums, arenas, and major events like the Olympics. This is certainly a growing trend that should be watched carefully, especially by digital signage manufacturers who are looking to break into new markets.
Retailers can learn a lot from this trend too. Whether your goal is to show ads, digital wayfinding, or a live stream of something exciting happening in another location, analyzing how other industries use digital signage can provide valuable insights for your deployment.
5. Think About Public Transportation
China also frequently uses digital signage in airports, subways, and other public transit hubs. With the unique technology developing around digital displays, you can begin to understand why people are paying attention to the advertisements on these smart screens. Additionally, the use of digital signage for public transportation shows the versatility of the hardware and demonstrates how high-traffic areas are ideal for displays.
China’s Digital Signage Growth
We mentioned earlier that digital signage in China is growing dramatically, but why? Consumer electronics continue to increase in demand. Likewise, internet usage has skyrocketed in the last 30 years, meaning people rely on digital screens in their daily lives. It makes sense that businesses and organizations want to provide digital displays, too. At the same time, a reduction in manufacturing costs and improvements in technology have made the screens more economical to produce and effective to install.
The Kinettix global dispatch team has experience managing digital signage deployments in markets across the world. We rely on the expertise of our international partners to implement your digital signage decisions, no matter where your business takes you. Whether you’re looking to learn from China’s experience or explore opportunities in a different region, we are here to support your organization’s IT service needs. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
