How to create digital signage content that your audience will actually notice

TL;DR summary:

To get your audience to pay attention to your screens, you need to mix important information with relatable content. Use countdowns to build anticipation for events, highlight the people in your organisation by showing birthdays and anniversaries, be quick with timely information when something happens, and create interaction through competitions and quizzes. Plan the big seasons in advance but dare to be spontaneous when the moment is right. It’s the combination of “vitamins”and “candy” that makes people actually look at the screens.

Screens for what’s happening right now

As Customer Success Manager at PLAYipp, I see how companies struggle to get staff to notice the screens. The most common problem is that the content feels too distant or uninteresting. But when companies mix important messages with timely content that feels close and relevant, something happens. Suddenly people actually start looking.

In this article, I share my five best tips on how to create digital signage content that makes people stop and look at the screen.

1. Mix “vitamins” with “candy”

This is perhaps the most important tip. The annual general meeting might be super important, but it’s not relatable for everyone. However, cinnamon bun day or 20 days until summer is something that draws attention to the screen.

Think of it as vitamins and candy. Important messages are the vitamins that need to be there, while fun elements are the candy that gets people to look. Once people are looking at the screen to see the countdown to the Christmas party, they’ll also see the important safety information.

Schedule so that both types of content rotate during the day. That way you create a screen that’s both relevant and interesting.

2. Use countdowns to build anticipation

This works every time. Show how many days are left until the Christmas party, summer holiday or next company event. A countdown creates buzz and gets people talking about the event in the break room.

Feel free to combine the countdown with a fun design that matches the theme. Snowflakes and Santa hats before Christmas, sunshine images before summer. It doesn’t need to be advanced, but it should evoke feeling and anticipation.

We use countdowns ourselves at PLAYipp before our own events, and it really creates excitement in the office. People start discussing what they’re going to wear to the party or what’s going to happen.

3. Highlight the people in your organisation

One of the easiest ways to get people to look is to show people they recognise. Birthdays, anniversaries, when someone retires or returns from parental leave. This is information that’s easily missed otherwise, but means a lot to the person involved.

For smaller companies, it’s often easier to be quick with this type of personal information. But if you work in a larger organisation, you can invite local administrators who can work with content on their local screens. That way each unit gets the chance to be just as spontaneous and personal.

When people from the company appear on the screens, it creates recognition and engagement. It could also be colleagues sharing recipes for the holidays or tips on the best holiday days to take off.

4. Be quick with timely information

Digital screens are perfect when something is happening right now. Recruitment is a good example. Flag both external and internal positions directly on the screens. Show that you’re looking for talent and encourage people to apply.

During campaign periods, especially in retail, screens can show both external offers and internal information about what applies. When new policies are introduced, during fire drills or if emergency sirens are being tested, screens can reach everyone quickly.

It can also be simpler things. The water in the building is being turned off, the elevator is out of order, there’s chocolate cake at three o’clock.

Information that needs to reach everyone quickly but isn’t important enough for an email. The speed makes the screens feel current and relevant.

5. Create interaction and participation

Make the digital signage content something more than just text on a screen. Put up a Christmas riddle for people to guess. Start a competition where you hide Santas or pumpkins around the office and use the screens to launch the competition. Share tips from colleagues about the best holiday days to take off.

You can also put out hints about what’s going to happen at the next company event. Small puzzle images that build curiosity. It doesn’t need to be complicated, but it should make people feel they’re part of something.

We’ve done these kinds of seasonal competitions ourselves at PLAYipp where we 3D-printed small figures and hid them around the office. It really creates engagement and gets people talking about the screens.

Final thoughts: Plan, but dare to be spontaneous

The important thing is to find a balance. Feel free to plan big seasons and events a few weeks in advance so you can schedule the content. But also dare to be spontaneous when something unexpected happens.

I’d like to see more seasonal and timely content on screens. That’s what creates relevance and gets people to actually look. Seize the moment when something happens during the year and use the screens actively. It doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be relevant and timely.

Want to learn more? Check out this article by Emil Lindblad