Wayfinding: Helping visitors navigate with effective directional signage

Almost all businesses require directional signage to provide a convenient and enjoyable experience for visitors. Not only do these signs make it easier for people to get around, they’re also a marketing opportunity if the signs are designed with your company’s colours and fonts. 

When you’re sketching out a new public green space, overseeing a town centre spruce-up, or even just tweaking a university campus, proper wayfinding signs are absolutely key for making folk feel sure-footed and in the know within shared areas. It’s not just about pointing people from A to B, mind you – good directional signs also boosts accessibility, keeps things safer, and reinforces your brand’s look.

What is directional signage?

Direction signage is designed to help people find their way around a place. From shopping malls and museums to public parks, hospitals, and corporate buildings, almost all businesses and settings require this kind of signage. This type of signage provides visitors with useful information to establish where they are and assists them in navigating to where they want to be.

Some of the key purposes of directional signs include:

• Guiding visitors from point A to B with minimal confusion
• Indicating key locations like entrances, exits, facilities, or attractions
• Enhancing accessibility and safety (e.g., fire exits, health and safety signs)
• Reinforcing brand identity through design, colour, and typography
• Improving overall visitor experience, which can lead to increased satisfaction and return visits

Ideally, directional and wayfinding signs need to be both aesthetically pleasing and practical. Your signage should fit in with your branding and the setting while also providing clear and easy-to-read information. 

Directional signs don’t only tell you where to walk, they also help relay crucial information, for instance, discounts or sales, fire exit signs, or health and safety signage. As a result, they are an important tool for improving the experience of your visitors, employees, and clients, which could result in better business operations and returning customers.

What is the purpose of directional signage?

Directional signs help people get where they need to be. They guide them to their destination one step at a time. When people find themselves in new and unfamiliar surroundings, wayfinding signage is essential. To decide how to navigate, the first two things people look for are:

1. Information such as the setting, where they are in relation to it, and where their destination is, is usually in the form of maps or floor plans.
2. Signage to help direct them to their destination, for example: fingerpost signs, directional signposts, and other wayfinding signage. 

If your visitors don’t find either of these, or if your signage is not placed in convenient locations for ease of access, they will become frustrated, and this doesn’t bode well for your business. To provide a positive experience for customers, you should make it simple for them to navigate to where they want to be. This is especially important in large spaces like national parks or nature reserves.

Benefits of directional signs

Directional signage: it’s not just about pointing folks in the right direction. It genuinely shapes how people feel and get around a place. Get the wayfinding signage regulations right, and it means smooth sailing for visitors, boosts their confidence, and leaves them with a good feeling about the space or the brand.

Improving the user experience

Clear signage cuts down on hesitation, helping folks feel more comfortable in unfamiliar places. Be it a university campus, a park, a transport interchange, or a shop, well-placed signs make getting around quicker and less stressful.

Avoiding confusion in public spaces

Large or complicated areas – think nature reserves, town centres, or hospitals – can easily overwhelm visitors. Directional signs provide a structured way to move through these spaces, helping people find their way with ease. It needs to be visible, strategically located, and easy to follow.

Encouraging return visits

When people can navigate your space with confidence, they are more likely to come back and tell others about it. Good signage shows professionalism, care for the visitor’s experience, and attention to detail – all of which build trust and loyalty.

Supporting inclusivity and accessibility

Inclusive wayfinding works for everyone, no matter their abilities. Accessible signage might include:

• Braille and tactile bits for visually impaired users.
• High-contrast colours for better reading.
• Clear symbols for understanding regardless of language.
• Consistent placement at easy-to-read heights.

These things ensure everyone, regardless of age, language, or ability, can find their way around independently and safely.

Types of wayfinding signage

Wayfinding signs come in all shapes and sizes, don’t they? You’ll see different sorts popping up in places like parks, university grounds, town centres, and tourist hotspots. Picking the right kind of sign boils down to where you are, who you’re trying to reach, and how folks tend to wander about the place.

Directional A-boards

A-boards are ideal for guiding foot traffic on pathways, directing cars and pedestrians, or displaying maps. They are commonly used for displaying special offers or providing directions for events. 

The A-frame provides a smooth, flat surface to showcase your directions in a bright and attractive way to make them eye-catching. A-boards are also mobile, so you can easily place them where you see fit or where they are needed most.

We stock high-quality timber A-boards that are durable, sustainable, and can enhance any environment. They boast user-centred design elements, and the replaceable panels help keep your signage fresh and updated. 

Shop Cromer A-frame board and Aberdeen A-board

Directional fingerpost signs

Finger posts are used to direct visitors around public open spaces such as parks, nature reserves, town centres, airports, and universities. The number of directional arms or ‘fingers’ will differ according to the environment and provide relevant and clear directional information in a tried-and-tested format. 

As one of the oldest and most popular forms of signage, these posts offer maximum visibility and accessibility so pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists can view them from afar. Our fingerpost signs have been used in many UK destinations like Melton Mowbray, Newport Railway Station and Dunster Castle.

Shop our Fingerpost Signs

Digital direction signage

Digital signs are both dynamic and easy to adapt. They have the dual purpose of assisting wayfinding as well as providing advertisements and additional information about exhibits and upcoming events. These prove to be cost-effective as they can easily be changed, saving the cost of additional signage or remaking the sign. 

Citi-System combines multiple elements to reduce clutter, waste, and enhance public places. From a simple bench to a multiple run of shaped spaces and walkways, it fits any environment and can be customised to suit your unique requirements.

Get custom directional and wayfinding signs

A well-designed wayfinding system starts with the right signage. To make it easy and convenient for your visitors to navigate your business, we create high-quality wayfinding and directional signs. 

Get in touch with us for customised directional, wayfinding, and informational signage for your business. Choose the perfect signs to suit your environment and point your customers in the right direction!