Top 7 Industries With Most Digital Signage Benefits (and How They Use It)

Digital signage impacts all industries from many different angles. In some, it plays a secondary role by making the business more professional and appealing. Meanwhile, in other cases it has become a must-have ingredient for keeping up with the competition. Starting with the biggest users of digital signage, let’s take a look at some of the industries utilizing digital signage the most!

Retail

Easily at the front of the line, the retail industry benefits from virtually every single use digital signage has to offer. This includes promotions, brand storytelling, wayfinding, interactivity, as well as heavily relying on the speed and ease of updating offered by CMS.

Digital signage has become a valuable part for any retail business in drawing potential customers in and elevating the customer experience. It is safe to say that it’s become a necessity for any business looking to compete in this space, especially in more densely packed locations like shopping malls. 

Restaurants and QSR

Digital menu boards are certainly the number one way restaurants of all types utilize digital signage. Consider the more densely packed menus at the counter of fast food restaurants, but also highlight menus on the wall that feature one product at a time, aimed at customers who spend more time at a location. Coffee shops can fall under this category, as the digital displays can slowly scroll through menu items, appealing to existing customers with pleasing visuals.

The ability to update content fast is a key component here, as system catering restaurants often update their offers throughout the day. This is quite easy to set up by scheduling, and also utilizing menu board apps, such as those available with OnSign.

Healthcare

Hospitals and clinics can utilize digital signage for queue management for the sake of efficiency. Wayfinding is also important here to lessen the load on staff and make things easier for visitors and patients. It’s also a big component in patient education. Aside from information about the hospital itself, it can provide information on prevention, procedures, pricing, preparation for appointments, post-surgery care information, etc. All this data can be obtained from the hospital staff, but digital signage is playing a big role in reducing that workload.

Given the complexity of data here, it is understandable why the adoption of cloud technology in healthcare is rising. Content updates are easier to make, maintaining messaging consistency.

Hotels

Hotels are utilizing digital signage as a competitive tool to heighten the overall experience of customers. The aesthetic appeal plays a big role here as it elevates the appearance of the establishment, beginning in the lobby. There are also use cases of using it exclusively for the visual highlight via satisfying ambient visuals.

There are also plenty of benefits that are less about appearance. Self check-in is one big feature, driving revenue through upsales and special offers depending on customer behavior. The reduction of waiting is another big component. According to a 2023 survey, 65% of hotels using digital signage saw a noticeable drop in wait times, which boosted customer guest satisfaction.

Transportation

If there is any instance where there’s a constant flow of data that needs to be regularly updated, it’s transportation. Airports, metro stations, and bus hubs utilize signage to display departure and arrival times, gate changes, emergency alerts, and even advertising. In these cases, information must be up-to-date and simply cannot be managed manually. According to studies, prompt communication increases passenger satisfaction and reduces perceived waiting times by up to 35%.

Another point here is that the use of digital signage in transportation can also apply for businesses that operate in the area of key transportation hubs. For example, restaurants and shops near these locations can create content targeted at travelers by displaying directions, or arrival/departure times for the next bus or train.

Entertainment and sports

Entertainment venues such as stadiums and cinemas utilize wayfinding, concession promotions, live feeds, and sponsored ads, to name just a few uses. Digital signage is a key component to boost the experience at the venue and elevate engagement.

Large sports venues utilize it to offer a better view of live events, and also to show different events happening at the same time. In cinemas, displays highlight upcoming movies and build excitement.

Fitness and wellness

Aside from elevating engagement, gyms are utilizing digital signage to display group workout schedules, trainer profiles, safety rules, membership upgrades, as well as motivational content. This is certainly one example where every bit of information can be easily asked to staff, as the workload isn’t too high. But the component of digital signage just makes the user experience that much better. All digital signage benefits become even more important in self-service gyms, or for 24/7 gyms where there are no staff members at location for certain periods of time.

Digital signage can help build a stronger connection to consumers, by up to 30%, according to research. Of course, if it is utilized properly! As with each industry above, digital signage software is a key tool in keeping content organized, clean, and professional. Try out OnSign for free!