Once upon a time, a school only needed a single, static sign. After all, it seems like simpler times lent themselves to fewer newsworthy notes around campuses. In today's world, however, it's all about engagement and keeping the community apprised of all the awesome things academic institutions are up to. Digital signage is rapidly replacing old-school academic signs, as educational leaders look for ways to make their schools appear more modern and exciting.
As the 21st century has gotten well underway, schools all the way from pre-K to colleges and universities have begun to embrace the power of modern technology as it relates to mass messaging. Digital signs for schools haven't completely replaced traditional paper communications or email announcements, but they've become a pivotal point in school systems' overall communications platforms. Here's why:
1. Digital Signs Can't be Stuffed into a Backpack
If your kiddo's ever been guilty of stuffing important papers into the dark abyss of his backpack, you know how frustrating it can be to lack the knowledge you need. Digital signs help keep administrators, students, and parents on the same page.
2. Digital Signage is More Cost-Effective than Paper
Most schools are already operating on strict budgets. It's important to allocate enough money to pay staff; after that, you'll need textbooks, supplies, and enough capital to take care of necessary repairs and upgrades to the building as it ages.
When it comes to communication, wouldn't it make more sense to go paperless and avoid unnecessary expense? Schools can use their digital signs for any assortment of messaging, from major congratulations to announcements about important meetings and days off. Once it's up there in lights, all of your student body, staff, and parents will be able to see the important things you have to tell them, without spending extra cash on paper, printing, and postage.
3. Digital Signs for Schools Allow for Up-to-the-Minute Communication
When you're dealing with a student body, a lot of things can change from one moment to the next. Imagine how great it would be if all of those editors' notes and revised comments could be eliminated at the touch of a button! Traditional forms of communication leave a lot to be desired when circumstances change. Besides spending an incredible amount of time, energy, and effort correcting situations that change after you put out paper or email notifications, the timing difference can lead to a lot of unfortunate miscommunications.
There are a lot of positive things that deserve immediate attention, too. What if your school just won a state championship? Wouldn't it be grand if you could tout your pride the second the buzzer went off? With a digital school sign, you can quickly broadcast updates and edits, as needed.
4. Digital Signs Enable You to Schedule Messaging Ahead of Time
Communicating with an entire school community can be a daunting task. Your team has a lot of things it needs to tell people about, and each message may have a different audience. Do you want to remind parents about upcoming school closures? Are you ready to rally school spirit by telling the world about your amazing athletes and outstanding scholars? Is it time to show appreciation for the hard work of your tireless team of teachers?
Thanks to the power of technology and cloud-based sign software, you can set all your messages up at once, schedule them to be displayed on days and times that work best for the intended audience and relax. Gone are the days of trying to track down your already-exhausted staff to ensure you've captured everything your community needs to know. Since digital signs allow you make changes at a moment's notice, you can simply update your sign's message if you find something you've scheduled is no longer applicable or has become out of date.
5. Digital Signs Allow Schools' Content to Stay Fresh
Have you ever driven by a school and wondered why the sign out front is welcoming students back from summer break when New Year's is just around the corner?
Besides the fact that your staff may struggle to find space in their days to change your school's outdoor sign, non-digital signs require your people to trudge outside in all kinds of elements and inclement weather. Digital signs do double duty, enabling your team to get creative and showcase their talents while simultaneously avoiding the unpleasant tasks that exist with non-digital signs.
6. Digital Signs Support Teamwork
Outdoor signs are perfect for schools because they enable people to exercise a different part of their imaginations than they may tap into during their day-to-day responsibilities. You can easily add users to your SignCommand® account, making it easy to manage messaging and gather input and ideas from different perspectives. When great minds get together, you'll have ongoing content that speaks directly to your students and team. The more collaborative your signage efforts become, the more likely you are to publish content that's truly engaging.
7. Digital Signs Engage Today's Students
This is a pivotal point in schools' plans to increase engagement. Bear in mind that your students—whether they're preschoolers or post-graduates—are accustomed to technology unlike any generation before. They've grown up with constant access to information, computers at every turn, and interactivity in everything from advertisements to telephone calls.
This age of students doesn't speak the language of static signs; they respond to attention-grabbing displays that are centered around their specific needs and expectations. Digital signs do just that.
Learn More About Digital School Signs Today
Modernizing your school with digital signage can actually help you monetize on your messaging. This is the age of incredible technology, bright lights, and bold images. If you're not capitalizing on your signage real estate, you're losing out on tons of opportunities to engage with your community and raise funds for an academic institution.
Stewart Signs is America's number one school sign company. With over 50 years of experience under our belts—and clients in all 50 states—we're proud to say that our reputation often precedes us. If you're ready to learn how Stewart Signs' digital school signs can change the way the way your school announces information, contact us today for your free Quick Quote!
