Table of Content
“Content is king” doesn’t mean much if your screens are playing the same loop you uploaded six months ago.
The reality is, most businesses don’t have a content problem, they have a content relevance problem. The screens are working. The software is capable. But what actually shows up is not impactful.
Digital signage has the real estate and reach to shape culture, boost clarity, and spark connection, but only if you feed it with the right kind of content.
In this article, we’ll walk through 20 content ideas across five business goals. Each example is rooted in actual usage, framed for real teams, and paired with the right tools to bring it to life.
Let’s get into it.
Engage Customers
Content ideas that grab customer attention and invite interaction to make their experience more engaging and memorable.
1. Social Buzz Wall
A live feed of tagged customer posts gives people a reason to look at the screen and maybe even post something themselves. It’s simple to set up. You just pull content from a hashtag or your Instagram account and let it run on a portion of the display, or full screen at intervals.
It takes the pressure off your team to create new visuals every week. The screen stays fresh because your audience is updating it for you. All you have to do is moderate the feed and keep it moving.
Best For: Retail stores, cafes, event venues – especially in lobby areas or waiting zones where customers linger.
Look DS Tools: Built-in Instagram app (to stream hashtag or account posts)
2. Interactive Poll of the Day
Pose a question to your audience and let them see the collective results. An interactive poll of the day can be presented as a question on screen – for instance, “Which new flavor should we launch next?” – with instructions for customers to vote via their smartphones (e.g. scanning a QR code or taping on the screen). The question can occupy a prominent section of the screen, while the current vote tally updates in real time in a sidebar or bottom strip.
Best For: Bars (fan polls), retail (product preference surveys), lobbies and waiting areas, anywhere you want to spark interaction.
Look DS Tools: The Scenes feature (to build an interactive poll layout with tappable vote buttons), QR code (printed on screen for easy voting access), ticker text tool (to scroll the question or update results across the screen).
3. Countdown to Big Event
A countdown addresses the need to promote time-sensitive events in a memorable way and far more effectively than a static date announcement.
Customers seeing “Only 5 hours left today!” might feel prompted to act or at least stay around for the excitement. This content not only engages customers by keeping them curious and informed, but it can also drive higher participation when the moment finally arrives (people love feeling they’ve been part of the buildup).
Best For: Stores launches, flash sales, product debuts, or any venue preparing for a special event (from gyms launching a challenge to museums opening a new exhibit).
Look DS Tools: Countdown timer app (to display a live ticking clock), layout designer (to design a branded background or call-to-action alongside the timer).
4. Scan & Win Promotion
When a QR code on screen promises a surprise, people tend to scan first and ask questions later. The content behind the QR code could be a limited-time discount, a contest entry, a free digital coupon, or any perk that entices customers. This can run as a full-screen slide between other content, with bright colors and maybe an animated arrow pointing to the QR code to grab attention.
Best For: Retail checkout areas, trade show booths, restaurants (for on-the-spot coupons), and any environment where a quick reward can boost engagement.
Look DS Tools: QR code generator (to create a unique scannable code for each screen or layout, with utm tags to see where scans come from)
Inform Staff
Content ideas to keep your employees informed about important updates, metrics, and resources.
5. Company News & Announcements
You could dedicate part of the display, like a side panel or bottom ticker – to scroll brief announcements: "Quarterly meeting at 4 PM in Conference Room B" or "New coffee machine in the break room – enjoy!" For longer updates, rotate full-screen slides. One slide might welcome a new team member with their photo, another might explain an upcoming policy change or event.
You’ll close communication gaps and make updates visible in the break room, by the time clock, or wherever people pass through.
Best For: Offices, retail back-of-house, manufacturing floors, any workplace where reaching all employees (even those without email access) is critical.
Look DS Tool: Ticker text tool (to scroll quick announcements continuously)
6. KPI Dashboard & Performance Metrics
Displaying live metrics on your screens gives your team quick, visible updates on how things are going. This could be a dashboard view embedded on a screen in a sales area showing real-time sales figures, targets vs. actuals, or a factory production dashboard with output and quality metrics.
The display might be split, for example, the top half shows a live Power BI or Google Analytics chart of yesterday’s performance, and the bottom half could list current top performers or progress bars toward goals. Visual cues like green/red indicators can instantly communicate statuses (on-track vs. behind).
Best For: Sales offices (sales figures, rankings), manufacturing plants (production stats), call centers (service levels), and any team-oriented environment with measurable goals.
Look DS Tool: Built-in Power BI app (to stream live dashboards onto the screen)
7. Safety & Policy Reminders
Quick on-screen prompts can help reinforce key safety protocols and company policies throughout the day. This could take the form of a rotating “Safety Tip of the Day” slide or a list of key do’s and don’ts displayed in a sidebar. For instance, in a warehouse you might show “Remember: Wear Your Safety Goggles in Production Area” with a simple graphic, or in an office, a reminder about data privacy policies.
These messages can appear between other content or at strategic moments (e.g., a safety tip every hour on the hour). Keeping them visually bold (large icons, few words) ensures they catch attention quickly.
Best For: Industrial workplaces (factories, warehouses for safety), offices (compliance and policy reminders), restaurants (hygiene rules) – any setting where on-the-floor reminders improve adherence.
Look DS Tools: Workplace safety templates (customize pre-designed layouts with your own safety tips, icons, or policy messages), scheduling tool (to automate different tips each day or shift), ticker text (for brief one-line rules scrolling continuously in the background).
8. Job Openings & Internal Opportunities
You can also use part of your screen space to highlight internal job listings and referral opportunities for your team. Design a content slide or scrolling list that features current open positions within the company, especially those that are open to internal applicants or referral bonuses.
Each listing might show the job title, department, and a brief note like “Apply by Oct 30” or “See HR for details”. You could dedicate a portion of the screen to cycle through openings one by one, or show a static list if there are just a few. Highlighting one role per slide with an image (e.g., a graphic of the department or a simple icon) can make it more visually engaging than a text dump.
Best For: Corporate offices, retail chains, or any organization with frequent hiring needs – ideally shown in common areas where all employees pass through.
Look DS Tool: Embedded code app (to display a live feed from your online job portal, if available)
Entertain & Retain
Content ideas to captivate your audience and make wait times or visits more enjoyable.
9. Trivia Challenge Loop
Want to keep your visitors engaged while they wait? A trivia loop is a fun, low-effort way to do that. Just set up a rotating sequence where each screen asks a question, like “Which city hosted the first Olympics?”—and then a few seconds later, reveals the answer (“Athens, 1896”).
You can mix up topics (general knowledge, fun facts related to your business, local history, etc.) to keep it interesting. Position the trivia in a portion of the screen or full-screen during idle times; even a small ticker at the bottom with a question can pique curiosity.
Best For: Waiting rooms (clinics, salons), queues (banks, service centers), museum lobbies, or any place customers spend a few idle minutes.
Look DS Tools: Scheduling tool (to change trivia daily or at set times), ticker text tool (to run trivia questions along the screen bottom while other content plays)
10. Weather & News Ticker
Dedicate a ticker running along the bottom or top of the screen that continuously scrolls through the latest news headlines. You can curate this to be general news, sports scores, or industry-specific updates depending on your audience.
Adjacent to that or on a corner of the screen, display a small widget or icon with the current weather and temperature, and maybe a brief forecast (“22°C and Sunny, High of 24°C”). This way, your screen not only shows your own content but doubles as an information service.
Best For: Hotel lobbies, office common areas, cafes, transportation hubs – places where people appreciate quick news/weather info while waiting or relaxing.
Tools: RSS app (to stream RSS feeds or custom news headlines across the screen), embedded code app (for a live weather widget or news feed integration)
11. Live Sports Updates
An effective way to cater to sports fans in your audience is to show live sports scores or updates on your signage. This could be a small section of the screen that continuously displays scores from major games in progress, or a dedicated slide that refreshes every few minutes with the latest scores and highlights (for example, “Patriots 21 – 14 Eagles, 3rd Quarter” or “World Cup: Brazil 2 – 1 Argentina, Final”).
If live scores aren’t feasible, even displaying sports news briefs or the day’s fixtures can spark interest. For venues like bars or lounges, you might integrate a sports news ticker or a feed from a service like ESPN to ensure accuracy.
Best For: Bars and restaurants, hotel lounges, waiting areas during big sports events, gyms (keeping an eye on scores while working out).
Tools: News ESPN app (to stream live sports news or scores), ticker text (to scroll live score updates), embedded HTML (to integrate a sports scores widget or web scoreboard).
Sell Products/Services
Content ideas focused on promoting your offerings and driving sales, using your screens to influence purchase decisions and boost revenue.
12. Dynamic Menu Board
You can replace static signs or cluttered brochures with a dynamic menu board that’s clean, clear, and designed to move with your business. In a restaurant, for example, your screen can rotate between sections—breakfast, lunch, drinks, each one supported by high-quality images that do justice to the food.
You don’t have to show everything at once; one section can fade into the next. You can even change the content automatically by time of day, if breakfast rolls into lunch at 11 AM, there’s no need to touch anything.
Best For: Restaurants, cafes, quick-service venues
Tools: Layout designer (to divide the screen into sections like mains, sides, or specials), smart scheduling (to automate menu switches based on time of day), restaurant-specific templates (to quickly launch clean, appetizing menu boards with minimal setup).
13. Product Demo Showcase
Use your digital screen to play short product demo videos or visual tutorials that highlight the features and benefits of what you sell. These demos can be full-screen, high-resolution clips, possibly with captions if sound isn’t used.
Place them near the product display or waiting area so customers can absorb the info leisurely. Each segment should be concise (30 seconds to a minute) focusing on solving a problem or showing an experience (“Watch how this blender crushes ice effortlessly”).
Best For: Retail stores (electronics, appliances, gadgets), automotive showrooms (feature highlight reels), travel and real estate (video tours), any product or service that benefits from seeing it in use.
Look DS Tools: Built-in Youtube app (paste a video, playlist, or channel link to showcase product demos directly on screen without downloading), layout designer (to combine the demo video with product specs, prices, or QR codes in separate screen zones)
💡 Pro tip: Look DS keeps your videos in their original quality. It doesn’t reduce the resolution or blur the details, so your demos stay clear and sharp on screen.
14. Daily Deal Spotlight
Grab customer attention with a “Daily Deal” or flash sale promotion prominently displayed on your screen. Dedicate a content block each day to one special offer – for instance, “Today Only: Buy 1 Get 1 Free on All Sneakers” or “Wednesday Spa Special: 20% off massages booked today.”
This should be designed with bold fonts and perhaps a countdown or “Today Only” tag to emphasize urgency. Update it regularly (daily or weekly) to keep it fresh. The deal slide can feature a product image or icon, the discount or offer details, and a clear call-to-action like “Ask our staff to redeem this offer.”
Best For: Retail stores (daily featured product sales), restaurants (daily specials), salons (weekday service deals), any business that can offer rotating promotions to stimulate purchases.
Tools: Scheduling tool (to automatically change the deal content each day or time period), countdown timer app (to show how many hours/minutes left for today’s deal, enhancing urgency).
15. Review & Testimonial Spotlight
When someone’s in your store or lobby, you have a rare chance to reinforce trust, and displaying real reviews on-screen is one of the most effective ways to do that.
Set up a simple slide loop or carousel: each screen shows a short review, maybe a five-star rating, maybe a first name and photo if you have it. “★★★★★ ‘Fantastic service and fast delivery!’ – Jane D.” works better than any generic message.
If you’re using Google Reviews, you can pull those in automatically and keep things fresh. You can also add a call-to-action like “Scan to leave your own review” or “See more on our profile.”
Best For: Retail, hospitality, clinics, salons, anywhere reviews influence decisions.
Tools: Google Reviews app (for auto display), QR code (to link to review page).
16. Loyalty Program Promotion
Dedicate content space to show how the loyalty system works and why customers should join. For example, an on-screen graphic could display “Join our Loyalty Club – It’s Free!” and illustrate the perks: “Earn points on each purchase,” “Free item on your 10th visit,” or “Exclusive member discounts every Friday.”
You could visualize progress (like a simple bar or points counter) or highlight a current reward (“You’re only 20 points away from a free haircut!”). Include a call-to-action, such as a QR code to download the app or sign-up page, or simply “Ask our staff to sign up and start saving.”
Best For: Retail stores, coffee shops, gyms – any business with a membership or rewards system, especially effective near checkout or waiting areas where customers can quickly scan a code or ask about joining.
Look DS Tools: Smart scheduling (to rotate through different aspects of the program – e.g., how to join, current promotions for members, testimonials of happy members), QR code (on-screen code linking to sign-up page or app download), digital signage templates (to illustrate point systems or reward tiers in an easy-to-digest graphic).
Build Culture
Content ideas to reinforce company culture, recognize employees, and create a positive, cohesive workplace atmosphere using your internal displays.
17. Employee Spotlight Showcase
If you’re looking for a way to make your team feel seen, an “Employee Spotlight” on your digital signage is a great place to start. You might feature one person each week with their photo, name, role, and a few appreciative or fun facts, something like: “Meet Alex – Warehouse Supervisor. 5 years with the company, our go-to problem solver and a champion of safety protocols!”.
You could show this in shared spaces like the break room or lobby, where both staff and visitors will see it. Add a candid photo or portrait, maybe even a quote from the person or a note of praise to personalize it further.
Best For: All organizations including offices, retail chains, factories – especially effective in communal areas where employees gather (pantries, entrances).
Tools: Employee spotlight templates, (easily customizable with brand colors, photo and text), scheduling tool (to change the featured employee automatically on a set schedule)
18. Core Values & Mission Display
Sometimes your company’s values get lost in a handbook or stuck on a plaque. But when you bring them to life on-screen, they become part of the day-to-day.
One idea is to feature a different core value each week. You might create a slide like “Innovation – We embrace new ideas to drive progress,” paired with a photo of employees in action or a visual that captures the spirit of that value. Another approach could be a continuous scroll of all your values or a screensaver-style rotation that plays on loop.
Best For: Corporate offices, retail back rooms, any organization undergoing cultural emphasis or wanting to instill specific values – ideal for areas where employees frequently pass by.
Look DS Tools: scheduling tool (to cycle through different core values on a set rotation, e.g., one per day or week), ticker text (for a constantly visible motto or slogan running subtly at the bottom of screens).
19. Birthday & Anniversary Shout-outs
You can make someone’s day just by having their name on screen. A simple message like “Happy Birthday, Sam!” or “10 Years with Us – Congrats, Maria!” adds warmth and visibility to personal milestones.
You might schedule these to pop up on the exact day, showing up a few times throughout, with some festive visuals — balloons, confetti, or anything that fits your style. If you’ve got a photo of the person (or their team), even better. These shout-outs work just as well for remote staff, seeing their name across screens makes the celebration feel collective, even from a distance.
Best For: Companies of any size – best shown in common areas like break rooms, office entrances, or even customer-facing displays for a human touch.
Tools: Scheduling tool (to automate birthday or anniversary slides on the correct dates)
20. Team Achievements Wall
You might feature something as specific as “Kudos to the Marketing Team for launching the new website 2 weeks early!” or show a simple metric like “Sales Team hit 120% of Q3 target.” In a busy office, this can take the shape of a live leaderboard or team dashboard. In other environments, it could be a rotating list of recent milestones like “100 days accident-free – go Team Bravo!” or photos from project launches.
Spotlighting team success makes the whole organization feel more connected. It keeps everyone informed, shows that effort gets noticed, and can even encourage a bit of friendly competition.
Best For: Sales offices, project-based teams, and industrial settings tracking things like safety records or output goals.
Tools: Embedded dashboards (to pull in live KPIs or leaderboards), ticker text (for ongoing updates like “Zero incidents – 120 days and counting!”).
Make Your Signage Worth Looking At
It’s easy to overlook screens once they’re mounted. But what you choose to show quietly shapes how people feel, interact, and perform in your space.
The right content builds habits, reduces friction, and makes your environment more thoughtful to be in. That’s not something you can fix with a few rushed slides or last-minute announcements. It takes a strategy and the tools to run it consistently.
Look DS helps you do exactly that. From scheduling tools, built-in apps and ready made templates, you get the control you need to turn your screens into something people actually notice.
You can try Look for free for 14 days to see it in action
