What is Digital Signage?
An introduction to digital signage & content distribution platforms.
Digital signage is a centrally controlled content distribution platform to playback digital content to one or many displays or screens. Digital signage screens are used for the relaying of any number of types of information, such as text, video, images, live weather, news, TV, menus, flights, calendars, and adverts.
What is Digital Signage used for?
Digital signage displays are used within many industries, the most prominent and eye catching tend to be retailers who use it within store windows or to promote special offers and stock. In addition hotels, senior living communities, stadia, arena, conference venues, schools, colleges, universities, local councils, government, hospitals and businesses around the globe also use digital signage systems to provide staff communications messages, information for guests, residents and visitors or a branded TV channel.
Digital signage is a segment of electronic signage that uses digital display technologies to present multimedia content in both public and private environments. Content may include video, images, text, or interactive media and is typically displayed for purposes such as advertising, information dissemination, branding, or entertainment.
Digital signage systems can be either networked or standalone. Networked systems are managed through centralized content management systems (CMS), often cloud-based, enabling remote updates, scheduling, real-time data integration, and dynamic content delivery. These systems may also incorporate audience analytics, IoT sensors, or AI-driven personalization.
Wikipedia
Digital Signage Integration
As a technology, digital signage incorporates a number of key facets, which when delivered together correctly produce fantastic results, this includes;
- Media Players and Set Top Boxes
- System-on-Chip Displays
- Standard Displays and Projectors
- Software Content Management System (CMS)
- Network Infrastructure
- Well designed, professional content
- Meeting Room Booking Systems and Signs
Choosing the best Digital Signage System
Selecting the right digital signage system is essential for maximizing the impact of your content and ensuring long-term success. A powerful and flexible Content Management System (CMS) sits at the heart of any effective signage solution. When evaluating providers, look for a platform that offers the following key features:
- Option for local or cloud content delivery
- 3rd Party Data Feeds
- Integrated IP Television (IPTV)
- Content and Event Triggers
- Scheduling and Calendar Support
- 4K resolution
- Drag and Drop User Interface
- Security integration (eg. SAML, LDAP, Active Directory)
- Zoning and Screen Groups
- Playlist Creation and Management
- Content Interactivity
Types of Digital Signage Solutions
- Communications displays for internal messages and company updates
- Infotainment screens that provide news, weather, and live information
- Image and video displays for brand storytelling and promotions
- Live TV streaming alongside scheduled content
- Menu boards that dynamically showcase food and beverage options
- Public promotion and advertising screens designed to increase brand awareness
- Interactive and passive wayfinding displays that assist visitors navigating large spaces
- Room signage to manage meeting rooms and events efficiently
- Video walls that create large, immersive visual experiences
- Digital concierge services providing guests with interactive self-service information
- Topic boards that share real-time updates on schedules or key metrics
- Interactive kiosks that offer touch-based customer engagement
- Outdoor Digital Signage from large billboards to public interactive wayfinding
Why use Digital Signage?
As you can see, a lot goes into a deployment so asking the question ‘why use digital signage?’ is worth considering.
The reason digital signage has become so popular is that it engages with the audience in a more effective way than static signage. Moving images, visually striking graphics and the ability to refresh the message instantly make it more captivating. Through digital delivery an organisations ensures that signage screens look exciting, up-to-date and relevant.
Digital signage was previously seen as a technical tool requiring the support of an IT team. However, CMS platforms are now designed with the needs of a marketing or communications team in mind, allowing simple updating and control. While there can still be some complex integration work required to deliver the solution implementation, day-to-day operation should no longer be a technical challenge.
Digital signage networks can be as complex or as simple as you like, scaling from control of one, two or three screens, up to however many you can handle. Zoning features allow you to send the same digital content to multiple screens or to just a handful.
How Can Digital Signage Benefit Your Industry?
Digital signage is a powerful communication tool that enhances operations, engages audiences, and improves the overall experience across a wide range of sectors. Here’s how organizations in Uniguest’s core markets benefit from implementing digital signage:
Banking & Finance
Brings transparency and trust to financial institutions by displaying real-time rates, service announcements, and queue updates. It helps reduce perceived wait times and keeps customers informed while maintaining a modern, professional environment.
Casinos
In fast-paced casino environments, keeps guests informed with real-time promotions, jackpot announcements, and event schedules. It adds to the excitement while guiding guests across expansive floorplans and entertainment zones.
Corporate & Enterprise
In the workplace, digital signage streamlines internal communications with up-to-date company news, KPIs, and event information. It also supports hybrid work models by managing meeting spaces and encouraging collaboration through digital room booking and corporate branding.
Education
From primary schools to universities, improves campus communication. Institutions use it for emergency alerts, timetables, wayfinding, and student engagement through event promotion and live social feeds—all in real time.
Government & Military
Secure and efficient, digital signage in government buildings and military facilities supports mission-critical communication. It provides real-time updates, policy changes, and wayfinding, while ensuring content delivery complies with security protocols.
Healthcare
Hospitals and clinics use it to reduce patient anxiety and streamline operations. Applications include wayfinding, wait-time updates, educational health content, and personalized patient messaging, improving both experience and efficiency.
Hospitality
Hotels and resorts enhance guest satisfaction with digital signage that provides concierge information, local recommendations, and event listings. It supports branding and revenue generation by promoting on-site amenities, dining, and services.
Retail
Retailers drive sales and brand awareness by showcasing promotions, new arrivals, and product demos through eye-catching digital displays. Interactive kiosks and lift-and-learn experiences boost engagement and support informed purchasing.
Senior Living
In senior living communities, digital signage fosters connection and comfort. It helps residents stay informed about activities, menus, and health reminders, while also offering a platform for personalized messaging and entertainment.
Sports Stadiums & Entertainment
Large venues use digital signage for crowd management, sponsor promotion, and live game updates. It enhances the fan experience with dynamic content, wayfinding, and food & beverage offers; all tailored to the event in progress.
No matter the industry, Uniguest’s secure and scalable digital signage solutions deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time—enhancing communication, increasing operational efficiency, and elevating the overall experience.
Uniguest Digital Signage
Uniguest’s Digital Signage solutions operate from a standards-based server platform using solid-state media players. This approach makes our solution cost effective, robust and removes the need to manage a large estate of windows-based PC players.
Our Digital Signage solutions can also be managed from any web browser via laptop, tablet or IP enabled mobile device. They also have instant one touch override of screens enabled through our events engine, allowing instant rebranding or campaign launches.
Our Digital Signage software integrates seamlessly into our own IPTV and video-on-demand platform. This means that by investing in a Uniguest Digital Signage system you are also opening up the possibility of running an IPTV platform and a video resource library from the same server.
Get in touch today for more information or to speak to a member of our sales team.
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