Text Legibility for Digital Signage: All You Need to Know

There’s a lot of consideration that needs to go into creating content for digital signage. After all, reading something that you hold in your hands is a very different experience from reading a sign dozens or even hundreds of feet away.

In this post, we’ll give you some text legibility pointers to keep in mind when crafting your own digital signage content.

Be Super Concise

Especially if the sign is intended to be viewed from great distances, it should deliver its core message in as few words as possible. There are, of course, many factors to consider when creating your sign, such as viewing distance, dwell time, and content goals. Plus, attention spans in the digital age have been shaped by quick bits of info that are well-packaged.

So a great rule of thumb for DOOH is the 3x5 rule. That’s three lines of text containing five words each. That way the content can be read and understood within a few seconds. Anything that requires longer than that runs the risk of being skipped over.

Not to mention the fact that many digital signs are placed in high-traffic areas where viewers might not be able to stop and read, and at the same time are being bombarded with distractions—plus other signage.

Needless to say, it takes a conscious effort to cut through the noise, and brevity is a must. So include a CTA (call to action) telling the viewer where to get more info elsewhere, such as your website, tuning into a channel or network, etc.

Follow ADA Requirements

There are, in fact, legal requirements for certain types of signage that you are obligated to adhere to. Make sure to be ADA compliant with your signage when necessary. You might even find some of the ADA guidelines useful for improving the legibility of your content.

Font Weight, Spacing, and Capitalization

Studies conducted by the US government found that thicker, wider fonts with more space between letters and words were easier to read from far away as opposed to thinner lettering with tighter spacing.

This improves legibility in outdoor conditions where there’s glaring sun, rain, snow, or fog to impede vision.

Contrary to popular belief, text written in all capital letters is actually more difficult to read. It is best to limit all-caps text to short headlines and single words.

Serif vs San-Serif

In general, san-serif fonts are easier to read from a distance. They provide a clearer outline to each letter. However, in conditions with good visibility, viewing distance, and resolution, serif fonts are usable!

Screen Size & Resolution

Screen size matters quite a bit when it comes to making your content more visible. Obviously, the bigger the screen, the more likely your content is to be seen. That’s why video walls have become such an effective way to advertise over the years. They’re virtually unmissable.

A higher resolution display can provide crisper edges on the lettering, making content with high pixel density more legible. However, resolution makes the most difference at shorter distances.

For screens hundreds of feet away, the content on it will likely need to be simple and broad anyway in order to be understood from long distances. But for content inside buildings for example, higher resolutions can offer a lot of clarity and detail.

Viewing Distance

At a viewing distance of 10 feet, the smallest legible print is 11.5mm, and at 20 feet, it’s 23mm. However, you should opt for a more comfortable font size based on where the majority of your viewers will be.

Colors & Contrast

Choose a color scheme that supports legibility (eg black lettering on a white background). This is a minimum requirement if you want people to be able to actually see what your content reads.