How to Build a Digital Signage Content Strategy (With Real Examples That Work)

Putting a screen on the wall is easy. Knowing what to put on it, and how to keep that content fresh, is where most people get stuck.

That’s what this guide is for.

We’ll show how to create a digital signage content strategy that actually works, including a fool-proof step by step guide that your team can follow.

Plus, we’ll show you real-world examples, like how Lenovo used signage to drive social engagement and how a London restaurant aligned screen content with foot traffic.

Whether you're just getting started or looking to level up, this guide will help you turn your screens into something more than background noise. 

Let’s get into it.

Do you really need a content strategy for your digital screens?

Yes, you absolutely do, Because your digital signage is a lot like the rest of your business’ investments; it needs to produce results. And while creating digital signage content feels like progress, you need a strategy to confirm if it's working, or worth it.

But confirming ROI from your digital signage system is just one reason to create and develop an effective digital signage strategy. Some others include:

1. Content that your target audience wants to see. Without a strategy, you could have the same boring slides on a loop that no-one wants to look at, or worse, never show information your people need.
2. A solid foundation for great communication. Digital signage can form a critical part of your comms strategy, whether it’s HR communications, internal communications, or even as part of an office communication system. You need a strategy to blend all these aspects together in a cohesive way.
3. More traffic to your website and other owned channels. One easy way to drive traffic to your channels is by displaying QR codes on your screens, along with some contextual information. You could use this for office broadcasts, sales promos, customer contests, and so much more.
4. Faster, easier communication. A well-designed digital signage content strategy makes it so much easier to communicate with everyone. You share content and know it’s reaching the right people at the right time, in the right spaces.
5. Content that is easier to update and manage. It's much easier to determine when a piece of content has outlived its usefulness, if you have a strategy detailing what purpose each message serves.

Create a digital signage content strategy, step by step

Step 1: Establish clear goals

Before you create any content, ask yourself: Why are you using digital signage? Is it to communicate better or part of a larger plan to increase sales or improve your business’ brand perception?

Without clear goals, your digital signage campaigns will spit out content that just fills space.

Your objectives might be measurable, like:

• Driving traffic to a specific URL
• Increasing product sales
• Boosting event signups or mailing list growth

Or they could focus on shaping behavior:

• Improving internal communication and safety awareness
• Motivating sales teams
• Making wayfinding or room booking easier
• Raising brand awareness for new products or audiences

Don’t stop at your first idea. Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit, suggests asking: And what else? It’s a simple way to dig deeper and uncover goals you might’ve missed.

Here’s a quick example.

Lenovo wanted to raise awareness of its products in-store. Their strategy? A selfie wall powered by Lenovo tablets turned to digital signage displays, and branded with #expressyourselfie. Customers could take photos and post them to social media, helping spread the word organically.

At the same time, Lenovo regularly updated their screens with new promotions and product info. This kept content fresh and customers engaged.

Read more about how Lenovo engaged customers with digital signage content.

Step 2: Set targets that are easy to measure

Measurable targets can be a challenge with digital signage because you can't easily count how many people stop to look at your screens every week.

Instead, tie your targets to the overall goals you've set, beyond just screen content. For example, you could monitor:

• Web traffic from a campaign-specific URL
• Promo code redemptions
• Social media follows or shares
• Survey responses or audience feedback

Even simple numbers like ice cream sold or email signups can tell you if your content’s working. Just pick a key performance indicator (KPI) and build your content around it.

Adding a call-to-action, a unique URL, or a discount code can turn a creative idea into trackable results.

A real life example is Coca-Cola’s Share a Coke campaign. Printing names on bottles led to a flood of user-generated photos, tweets, and shares. All tied to one goal: get people talking, which was easily measured by looking at social media conversations.

This works in B2B, too. Internal campaigns can use polls, dashboards, or team social channels to drive engagement and spark sharing among your staff.

Step 3: Define your target audience

Before creating digital signage content, you need to know who you’re speaking to.

Start by building clear buyer personas. HubSpot’s guide is a great tool if you need help outlining things like customer goals, habits, and motivations.

But you want to know who your audience are, what they want from your business, and what success with that segment looks like for you. If you own a digital signage network, your target audience may differ for different screens too.

Let’s look at a real example. 

Mamuska, a Polish restaurant in London, used digital signage to support their marketing goals. They mapped out:

• Who their core audiences are
• What a typical weekday vs. weekend looks like
• What people care about at each time of day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• What actions they wanted customers to take (come back more often, try dessert, etc.)

With this info in hand, their digital signage content design became much easier. The best part, it matched their business goals and actually spoke to the right people.

Read more about how Mamuśka uses digital signage content in their business.

Step 4: Start creating digital signage content that speaks to your audience

Once you know your personas, pick content that solves their problems or meets their needs.

Are they stuck in a long queue? Nervous in a waiting room? Looking for a quick distraction on their break? Good digital signage content should help, entertain, or inform in a way that feels relevant.

You don’t need to start from scratch. Repurpose content you already have, like marketing videos, social media posts, dashboards, or promo visuals. 

Just make sure it fits the screen and the space.

Here are some content ideas to get started:

• Social media feeds: Great for growing followers or showing off real-time posts tied to a campaign.
• News, weather, or general info: Useful in cafes, waiting rooms, or lounges, especially when zoned alongside your own messaging.
• Visual content: Videos, infographics, and images make info more engaging. Movement draws the eye, which is why video is so effective.
• Humor and notices: Light, playful messages (“Try the dessert. It’s basically a hug.”) can make people smile, and share.

Before publishing, do a quick sense check. Is your content helpful? Is it in the right place? If someone’s watching a promo but can’t find the restroom, you’ve missed the mark.

Sometimes, the most useful message on screen is simply: “Toilets this way →”

Read more about how to create wayfinding digital signage that works.

Step 5: Segment your content by time and place

Once your content is ready, plan when and where it appears. This helps keep it relevant and noticed.

Start by asking:

• Who’s seeing this screen, and when?
• What mood are they in at that time of day?
• What’s most useful or interesting for them at that moment?

You don’t need a huge playlist. If people only glance at your screen for a few seconds, keep it short and simple. Match your content to their viewing time.

Placement matters too. At the entrance, go broad. Think general promos or branding. Near a deli counter? Feature menu items, upsells, or offers tied to what’s right in front of them.

In places where people stick around, like hotel lobbies, reception areas, or restaurants, you have  more time. Use it to tell a fuller story: customer testimonials, short videos, social media streams, or even themed content broken into bite-sized slides.

Once you’ve built your playlists, preview them from a fresh perspective. Are they easy to follow? Are the messages clear, even in passing? Trim anything that feels too slow or out of sync with the space.

Read more about creating a digital signage playlist.

Step 6: Build for audience engagement

Here’s another exercise in asking important questions. In this case, it’s: “will my audience actually care about this content?”

For example, that cool Instagram wall only works if your target audience uses Instagram. Otherwise, it’s just noise.

To boost engagement, try content that invites participation. Some ideas to try include:

• Competitions or giveaways
• Polls, votes, or live surveys
• Social media conversations
• Customer stories or testimonials
• Real-time stats (sales, web traffic, goals hit)
• Employee recognition, team spotlights or behind-the-scenes clips
• Fun facts, world events, or trending topics

Read more about using indoor digital display screens for communication.

Step 7: Review, adjust, and keep evolving

Once your playlist is live, take a step back and watch it on the big screen with a few teammates. Is the text easy to read from an appropriate viewing distance? Are slides on screen long enough? Does the whole thing flow?

This quick check often reveals small fixes that make a big difference.

But don’t stop there. The real power of digital signage is that it’s flexible. You’re not stuck with one version forever. Unlike print or USB-powered displays, cloud-based systems let you test, tweak, and update anytime.

Maybe you want to try a hidden promo code in a video. Or a quick reaction slide to a trending event. Whatever it is, digital signage gives you the space to experiment.

Keep checking your metrics. Update stale slides. Try new formats. The more you test and refine, the more your signage will actually work for your target audience, and your bottom line.

Bring your digital signage strategy to life with ScreenCloud

Creating a strong digital signage content strategy isn’t about one perfect playlist it’s about building a system that can evolve with your goals. Whether you’re looking to experiment with interactive digital signage, inform or sell, having a plan (and the right tools) makes all the difference.

ScreenCloud gives you the flexibility to manage content with ease. Our digital signage solution supports everything from social media walls to data dashboards, and our content management system makes updates fast and hassle-free, no matter where your screens are.

Ready to see what’s possible? Start your 14-day free trial or book a demo to explore how ScreenCloud can bring your digital signage content strategy to life.