However, in recent years that distinction has become less clear. For one, most signs have begun incorporating interactive digital signage elements such as touch screens, gesture control, and QR codes, gradually developing to be more advanced and similar to kiosks. Similarly, kiosks now have larger screens and are starting to look more like other digital signage. 

Given the blurred lines between these two pieces of technology, companies may have difficulty deciding which one to deploy. This post will walk you through the differences between digital signage kiosks and touchscreen signage and how to determine which is best for your business. 

What Is a Digital Signage Kiosk 

A digital signage kiosk is a technology for displaying essential and timely information to engage customers. This technology allows businesses to engage with customers at a deeper level using personalized messaging. Digital signage kiosks are ideal for high-traffic areas such as lobbies, retail stores, fast-food restaurants, and transportation hubs. 

Digital Signage Kiosk Key Features 

Here’s a look at the key features of digital signage kiosks: 

• Specifically for Making Purchases/Orders: Interactive digital signage kiosks are, in essence, a form of self-service that not only delivers relevant, easy-to-access information but also allows customers to make checkout—they provide customers with essential information about the products offered and collect their orders.
• Include a Way to Make Payment: Interactive kiosks are an indispensable tool in this modern age where customers prefer making payments digitally. Upon making an order/purchase, customers can use this technology to make secure payments. 
• They can still include promotional material like digital signage: Digital signage can be used to improve customer loyalty with targeted ads. This technology engages customers personally by offering customer rewards such as coupons, creating brand loyalty, and improving revenue generation. 

Advantages of Digital Signage Kiosks 

Digital signage kiosks present a wealth of possibilities. Whether you’re looking to include information, targeted advertising, or direct sales, this solution offers many benefits. Here’s a closer look at some of them: 

• Better Customer Experience: A touch screen kiosk can offer high-quality experiences to customers. For starters, customers can conveniently browse it without feeling pressure from the cashier. Additionally, a digital signage kiosk’s sleek and modern design can be more appealing than being attended to by a stranger. 
• Lowers Labor Cost: Digital signage kiosks can take over tasks that would have previously needed many employees to complete, including answering basic customer questions, helping customers locate products, and handling payment processing. This is a great advantage for businesses as it can help cut back their labor costs.
• Increase Customer Spend: According to research conducted by Harvard Business Review, customers tend to spend more when using self-serving kiosks than when conducting physical transactions. This is probably because these machines offer a more personalized shopping experience. 
• Increased Efficiency: A digital signage kiosk ensures accuracy in vital processes such as ordering and payment processing. As such, you’ll get fewer customer complaints about incorrect orders or payments not reflecting. This technology also reduces your employee’s workload, meaning they can focus on their primary tasks. 
• Requires Low Maintenance: Content management is made easy with most kiosk software. Once you have created content, you can leave it to run throughout your preferred duration, be it a day or a week. In addition, cloud-based content management systems allow you to edit content remotely, as long as you have Wi-fi (a digital signage software feature that can be applied to both kiosks and other signage).

Touch Digital Screen Signage 

Touch screen signage is tailored to captivate your audience by acting as an interactive billboard. It offers you all the capabilities of digital signage but with an additional layer of engagement. Touch screen signage allows you to present lots of relevant information to customers in a fun way to improve their engagement. 

Touch Digital Signage Key Features 

Here’s a look at the key features of touch screen digital signage: 

• Main function is advertising/messaging: The primary function of touch screen digital signage is to advertise products/services or communicate information about them such that they can be seen and accessed easily by the end users. Touch screen signage adds a stimulating and dynamic element to advertising/messaging by using on-premise hardware to display directions, menus, videos, webpages, and other useful information. 
• Can still be interactive but typically not for making purchases: Touch screen digital displays offer customers a personalized experience by allowing them to control what they see on the screens the way they see it. However, this technology can’t be used to make purchases, 
• Entertainment like videos, graphics, live TV, social media, etc.: Touch screen digital signage can better engage customers using these interactive channels. 

While kiosks are pretty standardized, there are many types of digital signage. These include outdoor signage, video walls, readerboards, menu boards, etc. 

Advantages of Touch Screen Digital Signage 

• Better customer engagement: Touch screen digital signage encourages browsers to become active participants, making them more likely to become customers. 
• Improved Accessibility: Incorporating touch screen digital signage into your business can reduce the barriers people face when interacting with you. This can broaden your customer and employee base. 
• Improve Customer Experience: Touch screen digital signage can help you create better experiences for your customers. For starters, this technology is user-friendly even if someone has a physical disability—an arthritic person can still easily locate a store by simply tapping the screen while using the wayfinding directory. 
• Intuitive User Interface: With this technology, once you engage customers, they’ll stay engaged until they get what they want from the interaction. This means it can increase your chances of converting potential customers into buying customers. 

Which One Should You Choose for Your Business 

The technology you choose will depend on several factors, such as what your business is and the purpose you want the technology to serve. 

Scenarios Where Digital Signage Kiosks may be Ideal for Your Business 

Digital signage kiosks can be ideal: 

• If your premise has an area where people will be standing or sitting, such as waiting areas, lobbies, receptions, or restaurants –essentially an area where people can conveniently consume the information you are displaying. 
• If you are looking to highlight promotions or special events: Digital signage kiosks can effectively highlight a promotion or special event. As customers use the kiosk, displaying a promotional message is a non-abrasive way to get people interested.

• If you are looking to display additional information about wayfinding within a building, people look to kiosk solutions for this type of assistance.
• If you’re looking for a technology that not only provides customers with relevant information but also allows them to order/purchase and make payments. 

Scenarios Where a Touch screen Digital Signage May be Ideal for Your Business 

Touchscreen digital signs can be ideal: 

• If you’re looking for something more interactive: Touch screen digital signage is designed to be more interactive. With this technology, your customers and clients can control what they see. Touchscreen digital signage displays provide a great experience and encourage customers to engage with your brand. 
• If you’re looking to provide customers with as much information as possible in an interactive way: This technology will allow you to provide helpful information to your customers, including maps, details about your business, special offers, and more. 
• If you have limited space and want to make the most of it: Touch screen monitors can be a space-saving solution in a business or work environment. 
• Displaying imagery: If your business is looking to display imagery –for instance, your restaurant is looking to showcase a new meal it is adding to its menu—this technology can be ideal. 

Get Started with Keyser Digital Solutions

Keyser is an industry-leading digital signage company with years of experience delivering digital signage solutions, installation, and maintenance. When you engage us, we will help you choose the right digital solution for your business from our vast portfolio. Contact Keyser today to get started.