Here at FASTSIGNS Manchester we’re always keen to stay at the forefront of the signage industry to supply our clients with the latest and most effective signage to promote their business.
Signage has come a long way since the days of hanging painted wooden boards over shopfronts to advertise a business. In today’s information-rich world, signs constantly compete for your customers’ attention, so knowing what’s new and eye-catching can be really crucial to giving you a competitive edge.
And we are here at FASTSIGNS Manchester to help you get your brand noticed. And not just noticed, but appreciated by an increasingly sophisticated customer base.
So what are the dominant trends in 2024 in the world of signage?
Here is our rundown of what you should be looking out for this year:
Digital signage:
2024 is set to see an explosion in digital signage as costs come down to within the reach of more businesses.
The beauty of digital signage is its adaptability, allowing dynamic displays to be updated quickly and cheaply in real time.
This isn’t only important for when you have new information to display but is great for when you want to tailor a message that will resonate with a specific group of customers.
Digital signage covers a whole range of options, from LED displays to touchscreen technologies that will really engage your customers.
Sustainability:
Producing eco-friendly signage is not just the responsible thing to do. It is also the commercially sensible thing to do.
Customers expect the signage sector to behave in environmentally responsible ways. Consumer trends show that younger people in particular are motivated by a brand’s ethical values and commitment to corporate responsibility.
Eco-friendly signage is one of the first and most powerful ways your business has of communicating your brand values to potential customers.
Be it using recycled or sustainable materials or opting for digital signage that can be updated with minimal wastage, sustainability considerations are here to stay.
Interactive signage:
Advances in technologies such as augmented reality (AR), AI and QR codes can really add value to your signage.
In 2024, companies are becoming more and more eager to take advantage of these new possibilities. For instance, creating an immersive experience for customers can build a powerful and memorable link with your brand experience. QR codes can seamlessly bridge the offline and digital shopping worlds for your customers.
The growing potential to provide a fun experience using video, animation or interactive content are also often especially important to educational and cultural institutions, such as schools and museums.
Personalisation:
There is nothing quite like making your customers feel special and personalised signage is a great way of achieving this!
Generic signage might seem like it’s for everyone but it may in fact exclude certain sections of your audience. Multi-lingual signage in areas where multiple languages are spoken in the community allows you to communicate your brand and services to all potential customers in a clear, welcoming and personalised way.
Everybody wants to feel valued and special. Signage that reaches out to your customers in ways that feel most familiar to them is a great way of doing this. If you’re trading in a location popular with tourists why not ensure that as many visitors as possible have a clear understanding of what you have to offer?
Minimalist design:
So if customers are looking for ethically driven, inclusive and engaging content, what are their expectations for how your signage actually looks? After all, there are few areas in which aesthetics play a more important role in the signage you choose.
In 2024, minimalism is back with a vengeance. Cool, sleek, modern and clean-looking signs are what people are responding to most. Think designs that make the maximum impact with the least clutter and fuss.
Minimalism allows you to convey your brand message with both the greatest clarity and the style your customers are likely to find most appealing.
Mobile integration:
Another way you can make your customers’ lives easier in 2024 is to make sure your signage integrates effectively with their mobile devices.
QR scanning is an excellent way to allow your customers to continue experiencing your brand through their mobile devices after they have moved away from your own physical location.
Wayfinding signage:
Another way you can provide your customers with much appreciated clarity and ease in an increasingly complex and overwhelming world is by commissioning effective wayfinding signage.
This is about more than just providing directions: it’s about offering a pleasant and manageable experience of an often complex world.
Be it assisting your customers to locate your building on a large industrial estate or navigate their way more efficiently around a shopping centre, great wayfinding signage is an excellent way of taking away some of the daily stress we all feel in 2024.
This is a great way to ensure your customers have a positive experience of your brand from the very start!
So what ties all of these trends together? There are a number of common factors:
Simplify your customers’ lives:
In an increasingly complex and information-rich world, offering your customers ease and simplicity is an excellent way to show you value their time and attention.
Make your signs simple to read, offer information clearly and help them move between different areas of their lives, such as digital and offline shopping, as smoothly as possible.
Match your values with theirs:
Consumers are becoming increasingly motivated by seeing their own values reflected in who they do business with.
Showing that your brand is environmentally aware, inclusive or just plain respectful towards your customers will be ever more important to your bottom line. Why not let your signage be one way of showing your customers you are people they want to support with their business!
Offer them an enhanced experienced:
As AI, AR, VR and other digital technologies continue to embed themselves in our daily lives, our expectations of what is possible are shifting.
Use these new technologies to provide your customers with novel experiences that excite them. Your signage is one of the best ways your business can open up memorable and impactful experiences for your customers that will get you noticed.