Using images on the Intranet - is it important?

A recent poster on the IoIC (institute of Internal Communication) LinkedIn group asked "Have you a view on how much emphasis an organisation's intranet should place on pictures and images?"

As the old cliché says "a picture is worth a thousand words". So how much should you put up on your Intranet? 

Quite a few people weighed in with comments including:

"...images are really important, we've started using slightly abstract images along with a vague/catchy headline..."

"...Pictures work harder and quicker than words. They always have. They always will."

"As a former journalist, I think that some people in internal comms don't really 'get' the importance of photos. In an ideal world, every IC department would have its own photography budget - and encourage its people to submit their own photos as well."

The bottom line is that people love to see images, video and artwork, it makes content more engaging. Another good way to pull people to the intranet is to use large LCD, plasma or TV screens to display attention grabbing video or imagery. 

Some of our clients even pull content form the Intranet to large screens. The thing is most companies have a network of screens dotted around their buildings - why not make better use of them?

If you'd like to know more about communicating across large screens (and even desktop screensavers), head over to the Sabercom website. 

My cousin asked what our company does and I said...

A family member asks what you do for a living and there's an awkward silence as your mind races to find the right words to describe your job and get the message across. I think we've all been there.

I used to work for Porsche in Toronto and when someone asked what I did it was easy to answer - I sell cars (dramatic pause) Porsches. You can imagine how the conversation went from there, did they give you one? Did you get to take them home? It's always stimulated conversation and could be explained in 3 words (or less).

Now, I work in communications, well internal communications...well digital signage, no wait - it's large screen communications...

Here's part of the gmail chat with my sixth form cousin who asked what it is we do (complete with typos!):

Cousin: where are you working?

 me:  www.sabercom.co.uk

 Cousin:  what's digital signage?

 me:  displaying messaging on LCD/plasma/TV screens e.g. like in waiting areas

 Cousin:  oh okay

like adverts?

 me:  But we mostly sell to companies who use them to communicate to employees

 Cousin:  or like train times?

 me:  Kind of, but we don't sell for that application (the software would work for that though)

You know when you go to a company and they have a screen in reception?

 Cousin:  like a cinema?

or a uni open day

playing a video?

 me:  We sell the software so they can put messaging around TV e.g. reception screen would have messaging for visitors and maybe BBC news playing

And in an employee cafe it might have the menu

 Cousin:  ok

 me:  Depends where the screen is and who the audience is

 me:  It works as a screensaver too

 Cousin:  ok

so... what is it that one can't do without you?

couldn't one just set up an old laptop to display whatever ?

 me: 

Sure they could - some use PowerPoint

But ours can schedule, show video with other mixed media

Plus you can update it easily and over the internet

Also, you can control multiple screens so they each show different info

We also use it in colleges to inform students of certain things

 Cousin:  we have one1

 me:  E.g. during registration there will be appropriate info on the screens

 Cousin:  !

at our sixthform

it sounds good you explain it better than the website

____________________________________________

That last line hit home, "you explain it better than the website". Not only is it hard to explain what internal communications is to the uninitiated, imagine working as a niche supplier to the industry. You really have to focus on your "elevator pitch". Communicating clearly and transferring knowledge and understanding is a very special skill.

You really need to consider the audience so carefully, it's so easy to overestimate what people know and how they interpret the information you present. Communicating well can't be rushed so make sure you stop before hitting send, publish, share and think about things from the potential recipient's point of view. 

Now, about that website... 

So, if internal comms hasn't heard of digital signage...

...what's it called then? Here are a few terms people are using:

1. Electronic notices
2. The company name followed by .TV
3. Office plasma screens
4. Employee TV
5. Internal TV channels
6. Interactive screens
7. Electronic signs

Do you have any terms of your own? Send them over, we're compiling a list!

What the heck is digital signage anyway?

I've recently joined Sabercom, a UK company who have a fresh take on how to deliver communications across the various screens you can usually find in any organisation.

I wanted to find out more about how companies use various screens to deliver key messaging to employees, students and other "mobile populations" in multi-site and campus type locations.

So what is digital signage? It's very much an industry term so most of our customers don't know what digital signage is. Screens are everywhere these days in airports, train/bus stations, shopping centres and even the local corner shop at the cash register.

Traditionally, displays have been used in retail or customer facing applications. However, look more closely and you'll see displays spotted around most companies. Screens are placed at reception, in waiting rooms, employee rest areas, cafeterias and many others places.

So how do most companies use these screens to communicate to employees?

We did a casual poll and found most have screens in rest areas (including canteens and restaurants), places where staff don't have access to email, manufacturing facilities and contact centres among others.

Responses: 
"...we do use large screens to help our comms effort (eg. in Head office we have screens in reception, coffee bar and restaurant)..."

"...we use TVs for internal communications in a number of countries.We have a script which is for region-wide messages and then locally owners can add a local script for information specific to that country..."  

"...we use electronic notices in our lifts – they work well as they catch people when they’re not doing much else!"

Over the coming weeks Sabercom is going to delve into how and why companies use screens to communicate internally.

Do you have a story you'd like to share about the role of large screen communication in your business? Please get in touch: ray.edun@sabercom.co.uk.