According to a Harris Poll roughly 150 million Americans currently use Facebook and Mashable reported 18.1 million people use Twitter (A2aMEDIA started using a Twitter handle this fall!) But what about other social media mediums? We started thinking, would digital signage qualify as a social media avenue? Several recent developments support the argument.

To begin with, 2009 saw many digital signage players focusing on increased interactivity and use of social media avenues within their displays. A few notable developments demonstrated potential to boost revenue sales and customer loyally within the retail market: Intel and Microsoft announced a partnership to bring a standardized platform to the digital signage space, and are working with Harrods’s to install an interactive digital signage solution to be used by Harrods’s ’s customers. Intel also designed its Intelligent Digital Signage Concept to show that retailers can engage and interact with consumers in a more personal and compelling manner through new usage models such as augmented reality and interactive product explorations. These displays will allow customers to submit feedback to the retailer and contact friends through their social media accounts.

Many digital displays like BarCast, seen in a growing number of restaurants and bars, are also integrating social media activity with digital signage by allowing users to send Twitter, Flickr and text messages to the displays.

It’s likely the use of digital signage as a social medium will continue to increase. For one thing, consumers are becoming increasingly mobile. Who wants to be tied down to a computer, to use social networks? Secondly, with the growing popularity of social media, the idea is bound to spread to other mediums. It’s only a matter of time until you’re talking to friends, discussing that latest blog post or even posting your Flickr pics…all on a digital sign.