Want to drive more foot traffic AND online traffic at the same time?
For the majority of businesses, static signage and digital marketing exist in two different universes.
One lives on the streets. The other lives on screen in someone's pocket. But here's the thing…
The smartest brands are blending them together — and getting huge results from it.
Learn how analog signage methods like Neon, LED, and Printed Displays can amplify your digital marketing campaigns. Read On!
What's inside this playbook
Why Traditional Signage Still Matters
How Storefront LED Signage Fits Into Digital Marketing
5 Ways To Blend Signage With Your Online Campaigns
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Why traditional signage still matters
Think traditional signage is dead? Think again.
Customers continue to walk by physical stores. Customers continue to see brightly colored, attention-grabbing signage.
Customers continue to be influenced by the real world around them when they're making purchasing decisions.
Customer behavior studies prove this as well - around 58% of shoppers actively notice in-store displays and many go on to make purchase decisions based on what they see.
This is a huge revenue potential for any brick and mortar business. And they are all missing it.
Here's the best part: Online marketing works together with illuminated signs that pop.
Bright neon art or Storefront LED signs attract walk-by-traffic like magnets. Places like Voodoo Neon - outdoor signs specialize in creating that "look at me" kind of billboard.
It directs eyes away from the road and to your business – exactly what you want before your online marketing consumes them.
Foot traffic is wasted without a follow-up. That's where the digital side comes in.
How storefront LED signage fits into digital marketing
Here's something most business owners don't realise...
Your bricks and mortar branding and your online marketing should be communicating the same message.
When they aren't, customers are frustrated. When they are, you gain credibility. Storefront LED signage is the perfect bridge between the two.
It is:
- Bright enough to grab attention from a distance
- Customisable for promotions and campaigns
- Easy to update when your messaging changes
- Visible 24/7, even when the store is closed
Last point, HUGE. Just like you would optimize a Facebook ad, you can optimize your LED message to fit a particular online campaign you are running that week.
That means your offline and online channels work together — not against each other.
5 ways to blend signage with your online campaigns
Ok, time to get down to business... Here are 5 Easy Ways to Link Traditional Signage with Digital Marketing
Add QR codes to your signage
This is probably the easiest win you can grab.
Place a QR code on your storefront window cling, window decal, or LED screen. Someone scans it with their phone -> they see a special offer, video, or signup page.
About 40% of QR code scans across the globe today are associated with a marketing campaign. People are already familiar with scanning signs for more information.
QR codes allow you to turn any static sign into a website. Simple, yet awesome.
Match your signage to your social media campaigns
When you launch a new promotion online, update your signs to match.
When your Instagram ad promotes a 20% discount, your Storefront LED signage should be advertising the same promotion.
This is what cross-channel consistency looks like:
- Reinforces the message
- Builds brand trust
- Boosts overall campaign performance
It's a small change. The payoff is big.
Use signs to grow your email list
Your storefront is prime real estate for collecting emails.
Place a sign near the entrance offering your newsletter or loyalty program. Include a QR code linked to your signup form.
The numbers here are in your favor when it comes to retail data - retailers using digital signage saw an average sales increase of 32% in 2023, and email captured at the point of sale is some of the highest intent data you can get.
Pedestrians passing by = potential subscribers. There's a lead channel right outside your doorstep.
Promote your social handles on your signs
This one is dead simple. And so many businesses skip it completely.
Add your Instagram, TikTok or Facebook username directly to your signage. Even better, create a hashtag that links to an ongoing campaign.
Then, customers who take notice of your signage will continue to interact with your brand long after they leave your store.
Here's an analogy for you: Your sign makes the first impression. Your social media maintains it.
Run geo-targeted ads around your sign locations
This one is sneaky-smart.
Create location-targeted ads on Facebook and Google to reach customers near your store. Your sign has already caught their eye offline.
Online your geo-targeted ads complete the sale. Want to know the outcome?
- More brand recall
- Higher click-through rates
- A real-world to online funnel that actually works
Every business invests in advertising OR signage. Successful businesses invest in both – simultaneously, and aimed at the same audience. That's when the magic happens.
Common mistakes to avoid
Want to know where most businesses mess this up?
Watch out for these:
- Contradictory messages: Say you have a sign outside that tells one story, but your website communicates something different. You'll lose credibility immediately.
- Old signs: An old faded sign hurts your entire brand identity even if you have a super clean website.
- Without a call to action: A sign that doesn't tell the target what to do next (scan, visit, follow, etc.) is merely wallpaper.
- Not paying attention to analytics: See which signs and QR codes are generating foot traffic so you know what's working.
Avoiding these mistakes will put you ahead of the competition fast.
Bringing it all together
Traditional signage and digital marketing are not rivals.
They are collaborators. When done right, you get an end-to-end customer experience — one that captures interest outdoors and nurtures it digitally.
To summarize the important plays in a hurry:
- Use bold storefront signage to capture foot traffic
- Add QR codes to bridge offline and online
- Match your signs to your active digital campaigns
- Use signs to grow your email list and social following
- Run geo-targeted ads to amplify your sign locations
Begin with one small step. Select one of these tactics, implement it for 30 days and see what occurs.
The brands succeeding right now are employing both offline and online tactics together.
That's how you create a marketing machine that continues marketing even when your computer is turned off. It works 24/7.