How to install digital signs in a church
Classic Catholic Church in Lousianna
Churches are perfect environments for installing digital signage. Churches are vibrant communities often have many events and programs and have the challenge of communicating with a large number of people.
Digital signage can be an important asset in any church/congregational communication strategy.
Best Practice Tips for Planning Digital Sign Installations:
Determine your primary locations in your church facility. Churches often want to invest in large signs only in their large public rooms such as the vestibul, fellowship halls, or anywhere near the coffee! Secondary locations for smaller signs might include classrooms, hallways, or even bathrooms!
Evaluate your your church’s infrastructure. Does your church have wireless ethernet routers? Does your church have a nearby powersource for your signage installation? If not, you may need to rectify these problems by hiring an electrician or network technician.
Evaluate mounting devices for the flat-panel screens. We recommend VESA compatible mounting devices for the screens. Wikipedia has a reliable article on the topic here. Many digital sign providers will also have attached “player” devices while others offer integrated player/screen combos. For more on this topic, see our integrated vs. external hardware page.
Best Practice Tips for Content Development and Workflow:
The awesome thing about digital signage is that it can radically streamline and reduce the process of broadcasting announcements to your congregation. But, if you’re not careful, it can turn into a management nightmare!
Large Baptist Church
Determine who will manage sign content. This is obviously the most important first step. For software that only runs on a local network, the sign manager is often located in the church office. For signs that run on web-based software, the manager could be a congregant or other volunteer with a technical background.
Determine a process for submitting content. Some digital signage software (including one of our sponsors, RedPost) allows users to submit screens, posters, or videos for approval from the manager. With other software, you may need to create a process for emailing announcements and/or artwork to the sign manager. Once you’ve determined your process, don’t forget to communicate it! It’s always a great idea to include a poster on your digital sign rotation reminding people how they can submit their own events and announcements.
Learn about what makes a great poster. It’s not just a matter of pasting your church events into a template… it really is worth understanding the type of content that will attract eyeballs. See our digital sign content best practices for more info.
