What is digital signage
Digital signage means any screen used to communicate in a physical space: a shop window, the menu above a restaurant counter, a stadium giant screen, an LED wall on a building in the city. Unlike a printed sign, the content changes when needed: by time, place or audience, with nothing to reprint and no site visit.
How it works: screens, players and software
A digital signage installation has three parts that work together.
- Screens: professional displays, LED walls, video walls and kiosks, but also scales, self-service kiosks and tablets.
- The player: the device that receives content and plays it. It can be a PC, a dedicated box or the processor built into the display.
- The digital signage software: the control room where you upload content, build the schedule, check that every screen is on and measure what aired.
With FluidNEXT the software runs in the cloud and is used from a browser. On professional Samsung, LG and Android displays it runs directly inside the screen, with no PC player; LED walls and video walls use FluidNEXT Player; any device with a browser can become a screen with a simple link.
Where digital signage is used
Retail and food service
Windows, menu boards, department screens, price lists, scales and checkouts: the store communicates prices, promotions and new products, and can host brand campaigns.
DOOH: out-of-home advertising
LED walls, giant screens and networks in streets, airports, trade fairs and large venues: digital out of home sells advertising space on digital screens, including programmatically.
Sport and events
LED perimeter boards, ribbons, giant screens and scoreboards: the whole stadium runs from one control room, with sponsors in rotation and schedule changes even mid-match.
From digital signage to advertising: DOOH and retail media
A screen that communicates can also sell space. In DOOH, media owners sell campaigns by impression across their network; in retail media, stores become an advertising medium for the brands on their shelves. Three things are needed: a schedule that distributes campaigns by audience and time slot, a connection to programmatic marketplaces, and proof of play, the certification of every play.
One example: in Esselunga stores, screens, scales, self-scanning and in-store radio in 192 locations are sold to major brands by FluidNEXT Media, with certified airing.
How to choose a digital signage solution
- Start from the screens you already have: check whether the software runs inside professional displays without a PC.
- Ask how screens are monitored and what happens if the network drops.
- If you want to sell advertising, check proof of play, impression-based selling and programmatic.
- Assess security and support: certifications, help desk, language and hours.
- Think about content: a TV video doesn't work on a vertical menu board or a 30-metre LED ribbon.
We cover each of these points in detail in our guide to choosing digital signage software.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between digital signage and DOOH?
Digital signage is the general term for screens that communicate in a physical space. DOOH (digital out of home) is the use of those screens to sell out-of-home advertising, for example on LED walls in cities, airports and trade fairs.
Do I need a PC for every screen?
Not always. With FluidNEXT, professional Samsung, LG and Android displays need no PC player: the software runs inside the screen.
Are digital signage and digital signs the same thing?
Yes. In Italian the term segnaletica digitale is the translation of digital signage, but the English term is used almost everywhere in the industry.
Can digital signage generate revenue?
Yes. Screens can host campaigns from brands and advertisers, sold directly or programmatically: this is the DOOH and retail media model.