Is The Future of Digital Signage Linked to VR Technology?
The evolution of digital signage technology has rapidly progressed in the past decade. From its origins as an interactive advertising medium to the recent advancements in mobile application development, digital signage continues to evolve in captivating ways intended to enhance user experience.
Another automated resource that’s experienced a similar swift technological progression is Virtual Reality (VR) technology. While most people tend to correlate VR technology with more entertainment-based services, its rising popularity with consumers has forced industries to look into investing in incorporating VR mediums into how they curate the customer experience for their respective clientele. In fact, researchers estimate that over 17 percent of Americans will actively utilize VR technologies in 2021, with the VR market expected to significantly increase throughout the rest of the decade.
As both digital signage and VR technology become more implemented into commercial marketing strategies, it’s fair to ask whether both of these forms of automation can or will ever coexist, in regards to maximizing advertising and customer experience potential. Let’s take a further look into how VR technology is starting to influence the future of digital signage design and strategies.
How VR & Digital Signage Correlate
Digital signage and VR technology are capable of working together through Bluetooth or smartphone synchronization. This means that a customer that connects to the Bluetooth signal or scans a QR code of a digital signage display can unlock accompanying content through their VR headset, goggles, or other medium. McDonald’s provides pristine examples of successful VR and digital signage correlation, with everything from deploying virtual reality kiosk stations that showcase exotic McDonald’s locations around the world, to allowing customers to access exclusive coupons or discounts via VR goggles.
It’s also important to think about VR and digital signage working together in terms of a mutual or group experience, rather than personal usage. Museums can utilize the two technologies to provide intimate group tours of exotic exhibits, or retail stores can incorporate VR and digital signage to demo various products or services for potential clients. These digital resources also come in handy for off-site branding or promotional opportunities, which have become especially essential throughout the pandemic, as customer access to businesses has been drastically reduced. When VR and digital signage are implemented for instant, easy consumer access, the branding potential between these two mediums is practically limitless.
Digital Wayfinding Solutions
Perhaps the most exciting component of how VR can enhance the customer experience is through the possibilities for completely immersive VR-based mobile app wayfinding technology. While smartphone integration has vastly improved the accessibility and user-friendliness of indoor mapping systems, VR technology can take digital wayfinding a step further through a variety of interactive advantages, such as:
● Three-dimensional, first person mapping perspective
● Real-time positioning and mapping updates or notifications
● Touch-oriented navigation options
● Built-in tracking and data analytics
Incorporating VR technology into digital wayfinding softwares can also prove to be extremely beneficial for disabled users, providing optimal accessibility and custom mapping features.
Immersive Branding
The one advantage that VR technology has over digital signage itself is providing users with a completely immersive, sensory experience. When combined, however, digital signage displays that utilize VR capabilities are able to connect companies with their customers in a more vivid and emotional way than ever imagined.
When advertising becomes an immersive experience, where consumers are able to access branded content in a more intimate and stimulating setting, a more evocative relationship is established between a brand and its customer. The up-close encounter of being delivered consumable and engaging content, such as touch or voice-activated assistance, animated product demonstrations, or immediate social media participation, creates a much more personalized connection between the user and the brand.
The Future of Digital Signage From Oppna Digital
Depending on how your business wants to better connect with customers, digital signage systems offer companies a direct channel to provide users with engaging, informative, and influential content that’s relevant to your brand. At Oppna Digital, our goal is to offer our clients with the custom digital signage solutions they need to fulfill their marketing needs. Contact us today to request a demo of our services, or give us a call at 651.237.5677 to learn more about our digital signage design strategies.