About Illuminated Signs
Illuminated signs work 24/7 to promote your business. In busy urban landscapes, they offer an effective way to cut through visual noise and get eyes on your brand. Ultimately, illuminated signs are powerful marketing tools that can drive foot traffic, boost brand recognition, and contribute to your business’s bottom line.
This post explores the 5 best types of illuminated signs for businesses, covering categories from monument to channel letter signs and more. We also look at some of the best LED signs for business advertising. Keep reading for an overview of illuminated signs.
What Are Illuminated Signs?
Illuminated signs are visual displays that use various lighting technologies to advertise. They can be lit internally or externally and come in various forms.
Internally illuminated signs use light sources like LED modules, fluorescent lamps, or neon tubes that are built into the sign itself. Meanwhile, externally illuminated signs are lit by spotlights or other external lighting.
Illuminated signs can be tailored to different specifications to align with your business needs.
Illuminated Signs vs Lighted Signs: What’s The Difference?
Terms like “illuminated signs,” “lighted signs,” and even “neon signs” are sometimes used interchangeably among customers and sign manufacturers. However, these terms have differences in meaning.
In this guide, we include different categories of illuminated signs, so it helps to understand the terminology and distinctions between them.
Illuminated Signs: This broad category encompasses any sign that emits light, either internally or through external sources. These versatile displays can be single or double-sided, and they excel in providing 24/7 visibility. These signs comprise a wide range of applications and styles to suit diverse business needs.
Lighted Signs: While this term can apply to any illuminated sign, it’s increasingly associated with LED technology. LED-powered signs have gained popularity due to their energy efficiency, lifespan, durability, and impressive color options.
Neon Signs: These signs use neon-filled glass tubes that are synonymous with urban and retro aesthetics. While neon signs require more careful handling and specialized maintenance due to their glass construction, many businesses choose them for their unique visuals and ambiance.
Each of these categories of signs has its own unique characteristics and benefits. For the best results, we recommend working with a professional signage provider like Elite Displays to find the perfect solution to your needs.
5 Best Types of Illuminated Signs
1. Lightbox Signs
Lightbox signs consist of an enclosed box with LED or fluorescent lights that illuminate the sign’s face from within. This creates a bright, clear display that’s visible 24/7. Lightbox signs are versatile and effective and popular in retail stores and shopping malls.
2. Channel Letter Signs
Channel letter signs are three-dimensional letters mounted directly onto building facades. They come in two main varieties: front-lit and backlit (also known as halo-lit) channel letters.
Front-Lit
Front-lit channel letters are illuminated from the front, creating a bold and highly visible display that’s especially effective in low-light conditions. This type of sign is a popular choice for businesses that operate in busy environments.
Backlit
Backlit channel letters create a halo effect by illuminating the space behind the letters. This design offers an arguably more sophisticated appearance, making it a favorite among upscale businesses and professional services.
Both types of channel letter signs provide excellent visibility and can be customized to match a business’s brand, as well as complement a building’s architecture.
3. Lighted Pylon Signs
Lighted pylon signs are tall, freestanding structures supported by one or more poles. These prominent displays are commonly found along highways and at large shopping centers. Lighted pylon signs may use an internal lightbox to ensure high visibility from a distance.
Their height and brightness make them particularly effective for businesses aiming to attract customers from afar or businesses that operate in high-traffic areas.
4. Monument Signs
Monument signs are ground-level, freestanding structures that are typically installed at the entrances of business parks, shopping centers, or campuses. These signs can be illuminated either internally or externally.
Monument signs have low-profile designs intended to complement surrounding landscapes and architecture. These signs are particularly useful for businesses in shared locations or complexes, as they can display multiple tenant names. Monument signs are also quite good at providing information to pedestrians.
5. Neon Signs
Neon signs have been popular for decades thanks to their distinctive, retro aesthetic. These signs use glass tubes filled with neon and produce a vibrant glow when electrified. Their unique visual appeal makes them perfect for bars, diners, entertainment venues, and businesses aiming to create a vintage atmosphere.
LED Neon Signs
In recent years, LED technology has been used to create “neon-like” signs that mimic the classic look of traditional neon. These LED alternatives offer the same eye-catching glow while providing improved energy efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness.
Best Types of LED Signs
Today, LED-based illuminated signs are the go-to choice for many businesses. Let’s take a look at the best types of illuminated LED signs.
LED Channel Letters
LED channel letters are custom-made dimensional letters with internal LED lighting, perfect for creating a classic, professional look for storefronts. These three-dimensional letters or shapes can be crafted in various fonts, sizes, and colors to match a company’s branding.
Common Applications
LED channel letters are commonly used for business name and logo signage, storefront branding, and even indoor corporate branding. Their energy-efficient internal LED lighting ensures long-lasting performance with minimal maintenance, making them a cost-effective choice.
Versatility
LED channel letters can be front-lit, where the face of the letter is illuminated, or halo-lit, where light shines from behind the letters. Some designs even combine methods for a striking effect. This flexibility allows businesses to experiment with signage solutions that meet their needs.
LED Lightbox Signs
LED lightbox signs are enclosed boxes with LED lighting and translucent front panels, providing a classic illuminated sign option with a modern twist. These signs offer smooth, even illumination across the sign face, creating a clean look that’s perfect for a wide range of applications.
The slim profile of LED lightbox signs makes them suitable for both indoor and outdoor use in various settings. Moreover, their customizable graphics and messaging offer flexibility to businesses.
Common Applications
Retail stores often use LED lightbox signs for storefront signage. They’re also excellent for wayfinding and directional signs in various settings, from shopping malls to corporate offices.
LED Blade Signs
LED blade signs are distinct displays that extend perpendicularly from building facades or poles. Their unique positioning allows them to be visible from multiple angles.
Common Applications
Typically slim and elongated, these signs can range from small storefront indicators to large, eye-catching displays for shopping centers or entertainment venues. Their perpendicular orientation to foot and vehicle traffic makes them effective in busy urban environments.
LED Monument Signs
LED monument signs are architectural signs that are, as the name suggests, lit by LED lights. These durable signs are excellent for outdoor use.
LED monument signs can be customized to match surrounding architecture. This allows businesses to maintain their property’s overall aesthetic. Some designs also incorporate changeable message areas for temporary information and updates.
Common Applications
LED monument signs are particularly common in business parks, campuses, and commercial properties. Their permanency often makes them an excellent investment for businesses.
Why LED Lighted Signage Is Popular for Businesses
LED lighted signs offer several compelling benefits:
- Energy Efficiency: LED lights use less power than traditional illuminated signs.
- Longevity: LED signs usually last 50,000 to 100,000 hours, reducing replacement needs.
- Brightness: LED signs remain visible in various lightings due to their brightness.
- Versatility: LED signs offer various colors and dynamic content options.
- Low Maintenance: High-quality LED signs require comparatively minimal upkeep.
- Weather Resistant: High-quality outdoor LED signs are durable.
- Customization: LED signs allow for unique, brand-aligned designs.
- Dimmable: LED brightness can be adjusted for different conditions.
Find Illuminated Signs with Elite Displays
Illuminated signs offer a range of possibilities for businesses. However, outdoor LED displays from Elite Displays are an excellent solution for those seeking state-of-the-art visibility. Elite Displays offers outdoor signage customized to your specifications.
Curious about how advanced LED signage can support your business? Explore our lighting and display products to start answering your questions.
You can also contact Elite Displays to speak with our team.
Elite Displays leads in LED technology, offering tailored illuminated signage solutions for diverse business needs. Our expert team provides innovative LED displays for indoor and outdoor applications.
