How to find the best Digital Signage Content? | 19 great ideas

In the age of almost unlimited advertising opportunities, companies spend considerable resources on providing high-quality content in various marketing campaigns. Digital signage not only saves resources, but also offers an excellent opportunity to increase reach through a well-designed content strategy.

Monitor wall

Why is a perfect content strategy critical for digital signage?

A good cross-channel content marketing strategy is an important component of any successful advertising campaign. It enables efficient delivery of powerful information such as testimonials, product descriptions, orientation maps and social media posts.

Digital signage content creation offers many advantages in this regard. Advertising on bright monitors has been shown to attract more attention from potential customers than billboards. The bright colors, interactive elements as well as moving images promise a positive customer experience and promote customer loyalty.

Sustainable and Cost-Effective

Digital signage represents a sustainable and cost-effective investment. Instead of printing advertising posters and flyers for each campaign, the content on digital displays is adapted at will at any time. This saves time and money. In addition, the company shows its modern nature and sense of sustainability.

Interaction in the Market Analysis

When it comes to digital signage content creation, it's not just creative minds that are needed. Digital advertising requires a well-thought-out content strategy that involves many professional groups.

Designers, marketing experts, psychologists and IT specialists analyze the target group as well as current trends and apply different design elements. Developing successful cool digital signage ideas requires intuition and a precise market analysis. This must consider the wishes and needs of the target group.

On which Factors Depends the Selection of Content?

When determining a digital signage content strategy, it's important to consider not only the budget available, but also the number and size of screens. Through a tightly defined schedule, companies deliver targeted content to the right customers. Planning in a content management system (CMS) has proven its worth here.

A good CMS not only publishes content, but also manages the publication date, contacts, and contacts.

Which Questions Do I Need to Answer to Find the Right Digital Signage Content?

Answering these questions will help you create a strategy that will guide your content creation process and ensure that your digital signage is effective and engaging.

1. What is My Target Audience?

Determining your target audience involves identifying the specific group of people you want to reach with your digital signage. To determine your target audience, you need to consider factors such as:

  • Demographics: age, gender, income, education level, etc.
  • Psychographics: personality traits, values, interests, attitudes, etc.
  • Behaviors: habits, preferences, lifestyle choices, etc.
  • Location: where your audience is geographically located.
audience

By understanding your target audience, you create content that resonates with them and effectively communicates your message. You conduct market research, analyze customer data, and survey your current customers to better understand their characteristics and preferences. Additionally, you use digital signage software to track metrics such as foot traffic and engagement to better understand who is interacting with your content.

2. What Types of Content Will be Most Engaging?

The types of content that will be most engaging depend on your target audience, your goals, and the context in which your digital signage design ideas are displayed. Here are some types that are commonly used in digital signage and tend to be engaging:

  • Eye-catching visuals and graphics: High-quality images, videos, animations, and other multimedia capture the attention of viewers and help to convey your message in a compelling way.
  • Interactive content: Interactive content such as touchscreens, quizzes, and surveys encourage viewers to engage with your digital signage and make it a more interactive experience.
  • News and information: Displaying up-to-date news and information such as weather updates, sports scores, and headlines can keep viewers informed and engaged.
  • Promotions and offers: Displaying promotions, discounts, and other special offers can drive traffic to your business and increase sales.
  • Social media content: Integrating social media signage feeds, hashtags, and user-generated content can help to create a sense of community around your brand and encourage viewers to engage with your content.
  • User-generated content: Featuring user-generated content such as photos, videos, and reviews can help to create a more authentic and relatable experience for viewers.
  • Timely and relevant content: Displaying content that is relevant to current events or specific times of day can help to keep your content fresh and engaging.

By experimenting with different types of content and analyzing metrics such as engagement and conversion rates, you determine which types of content are most effective for your specific goals and target audience.

3. How Often Should I Change the Content?

In general, you want to balance the need to keep your content fresh and engaging with the practicalities of creating and managing that content. Here are some factors to consider when determining how often to change your digital signage content:

changes shoes
  • Your goals: If your goal is to promote a specific event or product, you may want to change your content frequently to keep viewers informed and interested. On the other hand, if your goal is to build brand awareness, you may not need to change your content as frequently.
  • The context: If your digital signage is displayed in a high-traffic area with a lot of competition for attention, you may want to change your content more frequently to avoid becoming stale or overlooked. If your digital signage is displayed in a more controlled environment with a captive audience, you may not need to change your content as frequently.
  • The type of content: Some types of content, such as news or weather updates, may need to be updated more frequently than others, such as branding or product information.
  • Your resources: Changing your content for digital signage frequently can require significant resources, including time and money for content creation and management. Consider your available resources when determining how often to change your content.

A good starting point for changing your digital signage content is every 1–4 weeks, depending on the factors above. However, you should monitor metrics such as commitment and conversion rates to determine if your content needs to be changed more or less frequently.

4. What Types of Visuals Should I Use?

When selecting visuals for your digital signage, it's important to consider the context in which your signage is displayed and to test different types of visuals to see what resonates best. Additionally, make sure that the visuals you use are of high quality and are consistent with your branding guidelines. Here are some types of visuals that are commonly used in digital signage and can be effective:

  • High-quality images and photographs: Using high-quality images and photographs help to capture the attention of viewers. Make sure the images you use are relevant to your message and are of high quality to avoid looking cheap or unprofessional.
  • Videos and animations: Videos and animations are a powerful way to convey your message in a dynamic and engaging way. Use videos and animations sparingly, as they are more resource-intensive to create than static images.
  • Infographics and charts: Infographics and charts can simplify complicated information or data. Make sure that your infographics and charts are easy to read and understand, and that the information you present is relevant to your message.
  • Typography: Typography supports your message a visually appealing. It is crucial to ensure that the fonts you employ are legible and comprehensible from a distance, and to employ typography sparingly.
  • Branding elements: Using branding elements such as your logo, brand colors, and brand messaging help to reinforce your brand. This creates a consistent look and feel across all of your digital signage.

5. How Do I Make the Content Interactive?

To make your digital signage content interactive, you can use a variety of features such as touchscreens, quizzes, social media integration, augmented reality, gesture-based input, and interactive video. These features allow viewers to directly engage with your content and create a more immersive and engaging experience.

touch on screen

When creating interactive content, it is important to consider your target audience and the context in which your signage is displayed, as well as to ensure that the interactive elements are easy to use.

6. What Types of Messages Should I Communicate?

Here are some general types of messages that you could consider:

  • Brand messaging: Communicate your brand message, values, and personality.
  • Promotional messaging: Advertise promotions, discounts, or special offers to drive sales.
  • Informational messaging: Provide useful information, such as event schedules, weather updates, news headlines, or wayfinding.
  • Educational messaging: Educate your audience about your products or services, or to provide helpful tips and tricks.
  • Entertaining messaging: Entertain your audience with engaging content, such as games, trivia, or videos.

When creating your messages, it is important to keep in mind your target audience and their needs, interests, and preferences. You should also ensure that your messages are clear, concise, and visually appealing, Furthermore, they should align with your overall branding and marketing strategy.

7. How Can I Ensure the Content is Timely and Relevant?

To ensure that your digital signage content is timely, effective, and relevant, you should consider the following strategies:

  • Set a schedule: Plan out a content schedule that aligns with your overall marketing and promotional calendar. This will help you to ensure that your content is synchronized to current events, holidays, and other important dates.
  • Keep it fresh: Regularly update your content to keep it fresh and engaging. This will encourage viewers to continue engaging with your digital signage.
  • Use dynamic content: Incorporate dynamic content, such as weather updates, news headlines, or social media feeds, to keep your messaging relevant to current trends.
  • Gather feedback: Collect feedback from your viewers to learn what messaging resonates with them and what topics they would like to see more of. This will help you to tailor your messaging to your audience's interests and needs.
  • Analyze performance: Use data analytics to track the performance of your digital signage ideas and to identify what messaging is resonating with your audience. This will help you to optimize your messaging.

8. What Types of Branding Should I Include?

brand footprint

Here are some types of branding that you should consider:

  • Logo: Your logo is a key element of your brand identity and should be prominently featured.
  • Colors: Use your brand colors consistently throughout your digital signage content ideas to reinforce brand recognition and visual identity.
  • Fonts: Consistent fonts reflect your brand's personality and tone of voice.
  • Imagery: Images that matches your brand's aesthetic and messaging, such as product photos or lifestyle shots.
  • Tagline: If your brand has a tagline, include it to reinforce your messaging and brand personality.
  • Social media handles: Include your social media handles to encourage viewers to follow you on social media and engage with your brand.

By including these branding elements in your digital signage content, you create a consistent and cohesive brand identity that helps to build brand recognition and reinforce your messaging with your target audience.

9. What Types of Metrics Can I Use to Measure the Effectiveness of My Digital Signage?

To measure the effectiveness of your digital signage, use the following KPIs:

  1. Impressions: This measures how many people are exposed to your content. It can be tracked using sensors, cameras, or other monitoring tools.
  2. Dwell time: Measure how long people stay in front of the display. This can also be tracked using sensors or cameras.
  3. Conversions: Record how many viewers take a specific action as a result of seeing the content. This could be anything from making a purchase to signing up for a newsletter.
  4. Engagement: Register how often people interact. This can be determined through touchscreens or social media integration.
  5. Feedback: Find out how viewers feel about your content and whether it resonates with them. This can be collected through surveys, feedback forms, or social media comments.
  6. Sales: Measures how much revenue is generated as a result of your campaign.

By measuring these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into how effective your digital signage content is and identify areas for improvement.

How does a Content Creation Software help in creating Digital Signage content?

To make it easier to prepare signage content design, it makes sense to use content creation software for digital signage. Many tools have a built-in database of animations, images and various templates. This allows you to create content for digital signage quickly and easily.

Numerous construction kits for content creation offer many options for individual design. Furthermore, additional and useful plug-ins such as calendars, SEO tools as well as chats and surveys can be integrated.

19 Ideas for Digital Signage Content

The areas of application for digital signage are as varied as the needs and interests of the customers. Whether in a restaurant, at the airport or in a professional context — the following digital signage content examples offer you options for every taste.

  1. Menu Boards

    A real boom is currently being experienced in digital signage in the restaurant industry. More and more restaurants are turning to creative and modern menus to wow their guests. Animated images such as a steaming coffee cup or a delicious steak with tangy lemon stimulate the appetite. Professional cooking videos ensure unforgettable moments and displayed recipes underline the quality of the dishes.

  2. General News

    News and lend themselves to waiting areas and queues. Visitors naturally have more time to read something.

    Make sure you have a clear layout that can be quickly grasped, neat typography and fade in their information long enough. This will increase readability and your readers will thank you.

  3. Industry News

    Presenting industry-related news and trends conveys the company's professional expertise and ensures knowledge transfer. Up-to-date news displayed on monitors engages customers and promotes interest in the industry.

  4. Weather Display
    Weather Display

    The timeless classic and probably the most used content in digital signage history. Display the local weather of the location.

    In ancient times, you had to laboriously generate static images, flash animations or even videos for different screen sizes.

    Modern variants, on the other hand, offer the following advantages:
    • update themselves regularly on their own through feeds
    • adapt responsively to display resolution
    • enable slim animations without megabyte-heavy video downloads
  5. Calendar and Time

    To ensure that important events will no longer missed, the use of digital signage has proven its worth. In the foyer, in offices or in meeting rooms, the highly visible monitors help visitors and employees to keep track of all significant appointments.

  6. Project Status

    Are critical projects running in the company? Before employees are laboriously informed via other communication media, the flow of information can be uncomplicated via digital displays. The advantage lies in the simplicity of updating the project status.

  7. Flight Information

    Digital signage solutions provide travelers with clear flight information. Large monitors are visible from afar. Rebooking, delays or significant information such as gate numbers can be highlighted in color.

  8. Emergency Services
    Pharmacy emergency service

    Display emergency service numbers or other helpful contacts on your screens. For example, in hotel rooms or on tourist displays. For pharmacies outside business hours, it's a good idea to display the two nearest pharmacies on duty.

  9. Sales Numbers

    Have you had a strong sales year? Then proudly show the results achieved to your workforce. The presentation of sales figures and transparent corporate communication strengthens employee loyalty and promotes motivation.

  10. Real-time Advertising

    Real-time advertising is especially popular for cooking presentations. But also the presentation of the latest technology, toys, etc. can be broadcast live on large digital signage monitors.

  11. Inspirational and Motivational Quotes

    At work, at a university, at school or at the gym — motivation plays an important role in many aspects of our lives. Motivational and inspirational quotes are a great opportunity for digital signage content. Increase the motivation of your target audience and convey positive energy.

    With a template and a feed, this is great to automate as a channel.

  12. Employee Profiles

    It is indispensable to strengthen team spirit and create a sense of belonging. That's why you publish employee profiles from the internal social media platform or intranet via DS monitors. This promotes internal communication and strengthens employee loyalty. Be sure to observe data protection and obtain written permission before publishing.

  13. Congratulations

    Especially in larger companies, it's important to regularly communicate appreciation for the work of your colleagues on the team. So let everyone know when it's someone's birthday. There's no better way to reach the largest number of people possible while making the recipient feel recognized on their special day.

    Happy Birthday
    Create a digital signage template where you can put the name, picture and best wishes for the day. Be sure to make the texts sound personal every time and not come across as if they were copied from a postcard.

    Even if things are tense and rough in the team currently, friendly words on the day of honor lighten the mood again and clear conflicts out of the way.

  14. Visitor Reviews and Testimonials

    Are you proud of your visitors' ratings? Then show it! Share the enthusiasm and positive experience of your regular customers with new visitors. Recommendations from satisfied customers are a valuable treasure. They create trust, show social competence and strengthen your brand.

    Testimonials are one of the most effective ways to explain the benefits of your product. Thousands of words and graphics don't accomplish as much as a simple testimonial: “I saved $150 every month with this product!”.

    In the simplest case, you only need a well-prepared template with text and image module.

  15. Event Countdown
    Countdown

    Create tension by counting down to a special event or holiday. Implement your event countdown either as a web page, or even more elegantly as a digital signage widget.

    Tip: Keep the countdown flexible and then customize it to fit your needs. This way it can be used over and over again. There are always exciting dates to look forward to!

  16. Social Media Wall

    Communication on social media is now part of many people's everyday lives. The regular exchange of information and experiences forms a good basis for deciding for or against a particular product or service.

    Social media signage offer a great opportunity for an exchange of information on digital screens.

  17. Sponsoring Wall

    Use large digital signage screens to attract the attention of the audience and potential sponsors for the company. This way you present important information, company successes and statistics on a large scale.

  18. Wi-Fi How-To
    Wi-fi-HowTo

    Do you offer free Wi-Fi in a restaurant, waiting room or hotel?

    Minimize questions and frustrations from your visitors by explaining how they connect to the Internet. The best way to explain is with a short, simple video. At the same time, the screen displays the current password of the day.

    Your guests will quickly understand and appreciate the information.

  19. Directory Tables

    What can I expect to find here? DS directory boards on the walls answer this question. They give the customer a clear listing of specific information.

Conclusion

To engage the target audience with the use of digital screens, you need memorable digital signage content. Boring content, even on the best monitor, causes the viewer to yawn and has a counterproductive effect. A well-thought-out content strategy, animated images and exciting videos captivate your target group and make a lasting contribution to your company's success.


Gravatar Nikolaos Sagiadinos
Author: Niko Sagiadinos
Developer & Co-Founder SmilControl – Digital Signage
Visit me on: LinkedIn or GitHub

Contact

Do you have further questions?





Our contact data

SmilControl GmbH
Niederaue 1a
D-30419 Hanover

Germany

☎ +49 (0) 511 - 96 499 560

Local court Hanover
HRB 221981
VAT-Id: DE 281 780 194

Authorized to represent:
Nikolaos Sagiadinos