Making Digital Signage Work: A Content Strategy for Business Displays

The challenge with digital signage is rarely the hardware. Commercial displays have become affordable and accessible, and most businesses can have one mounted within a day. The real challenge emerges afterward: determining what content belongs on that screen and how often it should change.

This is where many organizations falter. A display goes up with clear intentions, then cycles through the same few slides for months. A logo here, a stock image there, perhaps a promotion that expired weeks ago. No one plans for this outcome. It simply happens when content strategy takes a back seat to installation.

The solution requires intentional planning. Organizations that extract value from their displays treat digital signage content as a genuine customer or employee touchpoint. They consider the audience, the environment, and the frequency of updates. This shift in approach distinguishes effective signage from screens that serve no real purpose.

Identify the Audience Before Designing Content

Before creating any content, one question deserves attention: who will actually view this display?

A screen positioned near a retail checkout serves a fundamentally different purpose than one in an employee break room. A waiting area display at a medical practice operates under different constraints than a menu board at a quick-service restaurant. Content that performs well in one context may prove ineffective in another.

For customer-facing displays, the viewing experience matters. Are customers waiting? Browsing? Making a purchasing decision? Each scenario calls for different content. Those who are waiting may appreciate informational content or light entertainment. Browsers may respond to product highlights. Decision-makers may need reassurance or social proof.

For internal displays, the questions shift accordingly. Are employees checking in at the start of a shift? Passing through a common area? On break? The answers shape what content belongs on the screen. Schedules and safety reminders work well near time clocks. Recognition programs and team updates fit better in break areas.

Maintain Freshness Without Excessive Effort

Many organizations assume that “fresh content” requires constant updates, which can feel unsustainable. That concern is valid if the approach is wrong.

The key is building a content rotation that feels dynamic without demanding daily attention. A mix of evergreen content (material that remains relevant for weeks or months) and timely updates (promotions, announcements, seasonal messages) creates variety without overwhelming the team responsible for updates.

Several practical approaches can help:

Establish a weekly or biweekly review cycle. Allocating 30 minutes on a set schedule to remove stale content creates consistency without requiring perfection.

Use templates. Most modern signage platforms offer drag-and-drop design tools. There is no need to start from scratch with each update. Changing the text and swapping an image is often sufficient.

Automate where possible. Scheduling tools allow content to appear and disappear on specific dates. A holiday promotion can turn off automatically rather than lingering into the following quarter.

Visual Design Carries Significant Weight

Research from the Content Marketing Institute consistently demonstrates that visual content outperforms text in engagement and retention. This finding is particularly relevant for screens that receive only a few seconds of attention.

Several guidelines are worth following:

Minimize text, maximize impact. If a viewer cannot absorb the message within five seconds, the content is too dense. Screens are not posters. They are not designed for paragraphs.

Prioritize contrast. Dark text on light backgrounds (or the reverse) reads more clearly from a distance. Subtle color schemes may look refined up close but become illegible across a room.

Use motion sparingly. A subtle animation or slide transition can draw attention. A screen that flashes constantly causes viewers to disengage.

Choose quality over quantity. One strong photograph communicates more effectively than five mediocre ones. When using stock imagery, select images that feel authentic rather than staged.

Align Content With Business Objectives

Not every screen needs to drive sales. In fact, the most effective displays often do not resemble advertisements at all.

Consider the intended outcome:

Driving purchases: Highlight specific products, limited-time offers, or bundles. Maintain focus. One clear call to action outperforms a cluttered list of options.

Reducing perceived wait times: Entertainment and useful information work well in this context. Trivia, industry-relevant tips, or local weather and news can make waiting periods feel shorter.

Informing employees: Metrics, schedules, recognition, and policy reminders all have a place. However, employees respond better when lighter content is mixed in to avoid a constant stream of directives.

Building brand awareness: Testimonials, behind-the-scenes content, and community involvement stories help customers connect with the organization on a more personal level.

The principle is intentionality. Random content creates noise. Purposeful content creates value.

Start Simply and Iterate

Organizations that feel overwhelmed by these considerations should remember that perfection is not required at launch. A screen, basic software, and a willingness to experiment are sufficient starting points.

Begin with something useful. Observe how the audience responds. Adjust. Repeat.

According to HubSpot, more than half of marketers incorporate video and images into the majority of their content, and that trend continues to grow. Those marketers did not begin with a flawless strategy. They started, learned, and refined their approach over time.

The same methodology applies to signage. The first attempt does not need to be exceptional. It simply needs to be better than a blank screen or outdated content.

The Strategic Perspective

Digital displays represent one component of how an organization communicates. They function best when integrated into a larger framework: consistent branding, clear messaging, and content that reflects organizational values.

Businesses that extract the most value from their screens treat them as dynamic extensions of their brand. Not afterthoughts. Not decoration. Tools that serve a defined purpose and evolve alongside the organization.

For any business with a screen that has been showing the same content for months, the opportunity cost is real. Starting with one new piece of content and observing the response is a low-risk way to begin capturing that value.

The hardware is already in place. The question is whether the content strategy will follow.