Two kinds of indoor advertising
If you’ve looked at advertising inside restaurants, you’ve probably seen two options: a printed board of local business ads, like our Community Boards, and indoor digital screens, TVs on the wall that rotate through ads in a slideshow. Both put your business in front of people while they wait and eat. They work differently, though, and the differences matter for a small local business.
We don’t name or compare specific screen networks. This guide compares the two formats in general so you can decide what fits.
The core difference: always on vs rotating
A printed board shows every ad, all the time. If someone looks at the wall, your ad is there.
A digital screen usually rotates through many ads, each shown for a few seconds before the next one appears. Your ad is only on screen for part of the time. Someone who glances up might see your ad, or might see the one before or after it.
Side-by-side comparison
| Printed Community Board | Typical indoor digital screen | |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Always visible | Shown in rotation |
| Time to read | As long as someone looks | A few seconds per ad |
| Category exclusivity | One business per category on each board | Varies by provider |
| QR code | On every ad, always scannable | Possible, but only while your ad is on screen |
| Motion | None (calm, readable) | Moving content can catch the eye |
| Term | 12 months | Varies by provider |
| Price | $600/yr or $60/mo | Varies by provider |
| Upkeep | We print, install and maintain | Depends on the network |
Why “always visible” matters for QR codes
A QR code only works if someone has time to pull out their phone and scan it. On a printed board, your code is there for as long as they want. On a rotating screen, the code may disappear before they open the camera. If you want people to act right there in the restaurant, always-on print has a clear edge.
Where screens can make sense
Screens can show motion and video, which catches the eye, and some businesses like being able to change creative quickly. If your message depends on video, or you want to change your ad often, a screen network may suit you. Ask any provider how long your ad appears, how often it rotates and whether they limit competitors.
Why category exclusivity matters
On our boards there is only one business per category. A customer looking at the board sees one dentist, one roofer, one auto shop. That keeps your ad from being one of three similar offers on the same wall.
Ask any indoor advertising provider
How many seconds is my ad visible each hour? Will competitors be in the same rotation? Can customers scan my ad easily? Who maintains the display?
Which fits you?
Pick a printed board if you want constant visibility, a simple QR path to your offer, no competitor on the same board and no upkeep on your end.
Consider a screen if your ad really needs motion or video and you’re comfortable sharing airtime.
Questions to ask any indoor advertising provider
Before you buy space on any indoor display, printed or digital, ask:
- How long is my ad visible? All the time, or a few seconds per rotation?
- How many other ads share the display? And are any of them competitors?
- Where exactly is the display? Can people see it while waiting or seated?
- Can people act on my ad? Is there a QR code, and is it on screen long enough to scan?
- Who maintains it? What happens if the display breaks or gets damaged?
- How long is the term, and what’s included? Design, printing, installation, upkeep?
Design differences between print and screens
A printed ad needs to work as a still image that’s always there: clear name, one offer, strong contrast and a scannable code. A screen ad can use motion, but it has only a few seconds to get its point across before the next ad appears. For most local service businesses, a calm, always-visible ad with a simple offer is easier to get right.
Why upkeep matters
Indoor displays need care. Screens can go dark, lose power or show error messages. Printed boards can get bumped or need cleaning. On our boards, we print, install and maintain everything for the full term, so your ad stays looking right.
The bottom line
Both formats have a place. If your goal is steady, everyday visibility in the neighborhoods you serve, with no competitor next to you and an easy way for people to scan, a printed Community Board is built for exactly that, at $600 per year or $60 per month.
Next step
Our boards are $600 per year or $60 per month, with design, QR code, printing, installation and upkeep included. Contact us or call (385) 360-1966 to check if your category is open.
