From 1 to 100 screens: How to scale digital signage

TL;DR summary:

Scaling up from a test screen to an entire network can be either very easy or very complicated. The most common mistakes are that no one is responsible for publishing content and that there’s no basic content strategy. To succeed, you need to balance central control with local relevance, appoint a clear project owner, and get help with both the graphics and the installation. Around 30 screens is usually the point where a dedicated team becomes necessary.

Expanding your screen network

The test screen went well. The screen in the break room works and colleagues love it. Now management wants to expand to more locations. But how do you go from a handful of screens to 50, 80, or 100+ without it becoming chaotic?

My name is Moa Westman and I work as a Customer Success Manager at PLAYipp. Every day, I help organisations scale their screen solutions. Here, I’ll share what separates those who succeed from those who get stuck.

The most common mistake

When organisations move from a test screen to a broader rollout, I see the same mistake over and over again: no one has thought about who will actually work with the screens. It’s not about technical knowledge, it’s about someone actually having the time and responsibility to publish content.

The second mistake is connected to the first. Without a basic content strategy, things easily become chaotic as the number of screens grows. You don’t need an advanced plan, but at least a foundation that answers: What should be shown? For whom? And who’s responsible for what?

Balancing central and local

When you reach 50 screens or more, spread across multiple locations, the question of central versus local control becomes crucial.

Central control is important to ensure that the organisation’s most important messages actually reach everyone. But local presence is equally important. If the content doesn’t feel relevant to employees at a specific location, they stop watching. You might as well put on the news instead.

The solution? Give local editors the ability to influence the content, even if it’s just on part of the screen. At DB Schenker, for example, they have local publishers who are responsible for their specific screens, while central messages are ensured from headquarters. This creates engagement and relevance at the same time.

When Is a dedicated team needed?

My experience says you need a dedicated team or person around 30 screens. That’s when organisations typically realise they need someone who manages the whole picture. Someone who ensures the brand guidelines are followed, that users get the right permissions, and that content is actually being published.

This doesn’t mean you need to hire someone full-time just for the screens. In most successful organisations, the responsibility lies with the communications department or internal communications. But either way, there must be a clear owner.

Lantmännen is a good example. Their success was built on a dedicated person who held the baton and could bring in the right expertise when needed.

Standardise without becoming boring

When you scale up, standardised templates become important for maintaining order and streamlining work. Otherwise, you’ll suddenly find yourself with 71 different screens that all look different.

But standard doesn’t have to mean boring. It’s about having a common baseline that maintains quality, while the content can be adapted to location and audience.

Don’t forget the practical side

One thing that’s often forgotten in the planning: who will actually set up the screens? When you go from a test screen to 30, 50, or 100 screens, someone needs to install them too. It sounds obvious, but I often see organisations buying hardware without having thought about that part.

My tip: get help. Contact your reseller or reach out to us at PLAYipp and we’ll put you in touch with a good installer.

Three things to take away

Are you scaling up from a few screens to 20, 50, or 100? Here’s my checklist:

Create a content strategy. It doesn’t need to be advanced, but you need to know what will be shown, for whom, and how often.

Allocate time and appoint someone responsible. This won’t sort itself out. Prioritise and make sure someone owns the issue.

Get help. Talk to your marketing department for the graphics, and reach out to us at Customer Success. We do projects like this every day and you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

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