If you’re like most travelers, you probably loathe viewing the standard content every airport broadcasts on their TV screens. It’s always the same wearisome news channels, and obnoxious safety announcements playing over and over again. Luckily for travelers, regional airports are beginning to see the benefits of a more personalized technology called digital signage, which can display traditional news feeds, but also provide a way to direct unique content to travelers at each checkpoint. Digital signage plays a huge role in the airport experience. Depending on the content, signage technology can influence and lighten the overall mood of an audience, as well as help inform, inspire and direct each individual throughout their journey. In this article, we’ll examine why regional airports are making the smart shift into digital signage and how the technology can be used to enhance the travel experience for passengers.
There are numerous ways digital signage can be easily adapted to any given purpose and updated on a moment’s notice. For example, important, current news items can be broadcasted on a continual basis while alternating with fixed content that rarely changes, such as highlighting areas of interest or educating passengers on maneuvering through security checkpoints.
The content is managed from a central point in the cloud and can easily be adapted to certain locations throughout one airport or multiple airports and even change depending on the time or day.
Travelers, who don’t know the area, are actively seeking information. Digital signage can assist by displaying the current trends of the location such as best restaurants, hotels, and sightseeing destinations. If a passenger experiences a layover then each screen can inform the person of key areas within the airport as well as provide in-depth information about each business within the facility: specific menu items at a restaurant, the current best selling book in Barnes and Noble, etc. Digital signage is also a great way to make visitors feel welcome by sharing the current weather forecast, and engage with younger viewers by sharing the airport’s live social media feeds. It’s even possible to incorporate details of arrivals and departures through third party services such as Screenfeed, which also offers other engaging content “feeds” such as interactive games, trivia, sports information and so much more.
Pangborn Memorial Airport took the initiative to modernize their facility, by creating their own personalized TV station with information about the inner workings of the airport and the local community, including sponsored ads from local businesses. Their decision to adopt the technology came after experiencing repeated frustrations from both staff and travelers due to the “vibe” of Fox News that had been on the screens 24/7. They recognized that the content was oftentimes stress-inducing and wasn’t in the best interest of the airport nor its customers. With three screens operating in the facility: entrance, baggage claim, and sterile area, the signage connects with travelers at every pinnacle checkpoint.
Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport is another airport that discovered the benefits of digital signage. Operating in South Carolina, they also utilize a three-screen approach, in their groundside lobby, airside lobby, and baggage claim. Spartanburg, like Pangborn, also found that news platforms like FOX and CNN on a constant loop became monotonous and fatiguing for their travelers. By canceling cable and adopting digital signage, they were able to improve the ambiance and present more relevant information, including the option for traditional news feeds within the signage.
Not only did the switch to digital signage positively influence the mood of each visitor (and staff member), but these airports also found that they could profit on this technology by partnering with local businesses and gaining ad revenue from content that is relevant to their passengers. This coupled with important, internal news that each airport may wish to highlight, makes digital signage an incredibly valuable tool. For example, airport projects, such as runway expansions, new flights, new (and current) amenities, and any upcoming policy or regulation changes and changes to travel requirements, are all things that can be easily published on screen.
An airport can be an overwhelming place, but with digital signage travelers can know where to look to find crucial information about the airport and their destinations. No matter the time of day, every passenger can make well informed decisions because the regional airport utilized the right technology in numerous, unique ways that provide answers for every visitor. Airports are a vital part of the travel industry, and with the help of digital signage they can welcome visitors in style. By using regular TVs or commercial displays along with SmartSign2go’s preconfigured Chrome player hardware and simple cloud-based software, an airport can roll-out impressive signage with minimal overhead in budget and personnel. To learn more, schedule a personalized demo.
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