Digital signage used to be a technology once reserved for large operations like airports, hotels, and stadiums but is now seeing unprecedented big and small adoption by organisations.

This boom is largely due to recent advancements in signage technology, including screens, media players, and content management systems (CMS), which have made digital signage far more accessible, cheaper, and more effective to deploy and operate.

However, the industry is ever-evolving, making it hard to track the top digital signage trends driving the industry forward. Staying current allows businesses to jump on game-changing innovations and gain a competitive edge. 

So, whether you’re using digital signage to promote, educate, inform, guide, or entertain, we will discuss 13 of the latest digital signage trends and tools to help transform any business. 

Let’s delve in!

1. Rise of interactive touchscreens

The interactive touchscreen is no longer a new phenomenon. From smartphones to tablets, the touchscreen innovation is everywhere. Besides smartphones and tablets, certainly, you must have seen their applications in malls, airports, and maybe even your local retail outlet. 

But interactive displays are about to take a gigantic leap. According to research published on Precedence Research, the global digital signage market size is likely to reach USD 87.29 billion by 2032. 

That’s not pocket change.

So, what’s driving this industry’s growth?

• Increased user engagement: It’s human nature to love to touch, swipe, and interact.

• Personalised experience: Customised content based on user interaction.

• Data collection: Businesses can collect invaluable information from user interactions.

Our suggestion for you as a business is if you have yet to incorporate interactive digital signage displays/touchscreens, you should start thinking about how it can fit into your strategy. 

Whether it’s for marketing, data collection, or customer engagement, the possibilities are endless.

You may also like: 9 Ways Digital Signage Analytics Can Reveal Key Insights into Customer Behaviour.

2. Growth of mega digital signage

Another digital signage trend that will rise in 2024 is mega digital signage solutions. You may be wondering, “What exactly is mega digital signage?”

Mega digital signage is a large-scale digital signage solution that involves screens with high-resolution and compelling forms that appropriate entire buildings or walls. When mega digital signage is used to display images locally, it can create a “wow’ factor that is appealing to people and cannot be ignored.

Mega digital signage became a thing when the Las Vegas Sphere was officially launched in 2023. From the moment the Sphere opened, it instantly became the centrepiece of tech discussions globally.

With so much focus on this revolutionary structure’s advertising and marketing implications, many forget that the Las Vegas Sphere is essentially one gigantic LED screen. 

While the Sphere operated at a loss during its first year and did experience its fair share of technical issues, its popularity proves that consumers and businesses are ready for bigger and bolder digital signage installations. 

As a matter of fact, the launching of another mega-screen-powered project (TSX Stage) in Times Square is just enough proof of the future of mega-screen-powered digital signage solutions. 

Therefore, watch out for more mega digital signages in 2024 because marketing will never be the same once the world realises what is truly possible.

3. Increase in live streaming integration on digital signage

Besides donor walls, lobby signs, and digital welcome boards, many businesses now incorporate live streaming for interactive digital signage. With the live streaming market projected to reach $6555.32 million in 2030, this is a trend you should consider incorporating into your business’s digital signage strategy.  

For instance, through consumer-oriented visual marketing tools like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and other digital display solutions, it’s possible to increase live streaming for commercial reasons.

Furthermore, some software connectors will make this procedure efficient. Some use cases for live streaming include:

• Sharing live updates to keep your audience in the loop.

• Showcasing live tweets or Instagram posts to create a dynamic social wall.

• Sharing live stock updates for businesses and financial centres.

• Restaurant businesses can use live data to display current wait times or daily specials sourced directly from the kitchen.

The live streaming technology is an excellent tool to incorporate into your digital signage strategy. It isn’t just informative; it encourages viewers to participate in your live streaming with insight into your audience engagement level.

4. Automated content creation

Another exciting trend is how artificial intelligence makes digital signage solutions smarter. And when we talk about smarter, we mean machine learning and predictive analytics.

According to Markets and Markets, the AI market size is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 36.8% from 2023 to 2030. The projected revenue for 2030 is to reach 1,345.2 billion. That’s a rocket-like trajectory.

With an AI tool available to you, you can:

• Quickly analyse real-time data to display dynamic content that’s relevant right now.

• Get insight into knowing what your customers want before they do.

• Save time, funds, and effort for more strategic tasks through automated content management. 

For businesses in retail, AI-driven content can help upsell products by displaying complementary items based on customer behaviour. 

5. Expansion of digital signage to Metaverse

One of the most prominent social media platforms, Facebook, now “Meta,” is responsible for popularising the “Metaverse” trend, which offers users entry to the virtual reality world.

The Metaverse looks like something out of technological know-how fiction films. However, the reality is that it is here and is about to redefine the possibilities in digital signage technology.

With the Metaverse market expected to be worth more than $800 billion by 2024, we’re discussing a whole new reality.

Digital signage will no longer be confined to a place or bodily barriers. Imagine walking through a virtual mall guided by digital signs that you can interact with.

6. Surge in cloud-based digital signage system

Before now, digital signage used to be updated with a USB drive or memory card. 

While this option worked, it was a daunting process that made it difficult to make updates in real-time, and this is besides the risk of misplacing the memory card, which is both an inconvenience and a security breach.

Thankfully, cloud technology has emerged, and it has been very helpful. Because of this, more and more digital signage businesses and their clients are switching to the cloud.

Cloud-based digital signage and storage offer many benefits, including the ability to control any digital sign from anywhere in the world.

As a business looking to invest in digital signage, consider partnering with one that is cloud-based, such as Luna Screens. 

Luna Screens is a reliable cloud-based digital signage system allowing businesses to transform any screen into a digital sign quickly. 

If you want a solution that will help boost your promotional efforts and help you capture attention and engage your customers, get started with Luna Screens to see how we can help take your digital signage to the next level.

7. Use of holographic ads

Holographic ads are one of the major digital signage trends in 2024; 2D digital displays can now take a chill pill, as holographic ads create a more impactful and meaningful effect for the audience.

According to Facts & Factors Research reports, holographic ads are expected to reach a market size of $15,500 million by 2030. Clearly, holography is no longer sci-fi stuff. It’s here, and it’s captivating.

With Holographic ads:

• A 3D hologram doesn’t just catch the eye; it captivates the imagination.

• You save space. With a small projector, you can create large 3D digital display solutions.

• Some holographic digital displays even respond to gestures and voice commands.

If you are into retail, specifically fashion retail, it’s time to incorporate holographic ads into your marketing. Leading fashion brands are already at the forefront of showcasing entire clothing lines in stunning 3D.

8. TikTokization of everything

TikTok is a force to reckon with both in 2023 and beyond. The following are some impressive stats of the platform: 

• The average TikTok user spends 89 minutes daily on the app, per a leaked deck from TikTok. (Music Business Worldwide)

• 36% of Gen Z and 22% of Millennials consumers prefer to learn about products through short-form videos like TikToks. (HubSpot Blog Research)

• A quarter of U.S. adults under 30 regularly get news on TikTok. (Pew Research Center)

• 38% of TikTok users report entertaining adverts teach them something new. (TikTok)

• TikTokers are 23% more likely than the general population to believe participating would motivate them to promote an organisation online. (GWI)

• When TikTokers see brands’ organic content before their paid adverts, there is a 27% increase in brand recall. (Neurons Inc.)

• TikTokers are 1.3x more likely to be aware of products and trends than their peers. (Material & TikTok)

• TikTokers are twice as likely as users of other platforms to endorse something they discovered on the channel. (TikTok)

• Adverts on TikTok viewed for less than six seconds still produce a significant impact compared to ads viewed for 20 seconds or more. (TikTok)

• Brands are remembered 40% more on TikTok than on other platforms. 71% of TikTok users who take action off the platform say that TikTok shows them exactly what they are looking for. (Market Cast)

The stats above show TikTok’s significant impact on users and advertising; the trend is predicted to continue. What does this mean for digital signage? 

TikTok operates predominantly with videos, and display technology does the same. The modus operandi of both are similar. The secret to success for marketers here is to apply the best practices of TikTok engagement to digital signage.

9. Increase in digital out-of-home ads

DOOH is on the rise again after a tough time during the pandemic. It is building to become a big advertising player once again. In fact, a Statista report states that global DOOH ad revenue is expected to grow by around 17% to 34%, reaching nearly $21 billion from 2024 to 2028. 

Companies can capitalise on the trend by investing in OLED, which offers higher power efficiency, lightweight, and better response time for their DOOH advertising. Besides investing in modern display screens, companies must find creative ways to feature ads that instantly grab attention on that screen. 

Remembered DOOH are placed in public places; the human attention span is short, so grab attention as creatively as possible.

10. Utilisation of voice activation

Voice activation is one exciting trend to look out for in 2024. With voice activation incorporated into your digital sign, your digital signage becomes a two-way conversation. 

Now, it’s not just about reading signs; it’s about interacting with them and experiencing your sign talking back to you.

The voice recognition market is expected to reach $278.1 billion by 2025, driven by popular voice recognition tools like Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. 

With such a tool, we are about to enter a period where you can converse with digital screens. 

With such capability incorporated into your digital signs, consumers/customers can say what they want, and the sign delivers in the case of Hands-Free Navigation.

If a customer solicits directions via smart integration, your digital sign can send the route to the customer’s phone. 

Another excellent capability with this tool incorporated into digital signage is improved accessibility, enabling people with physical limitations to easily access and manipulate a digital signal using their voice. 

Art gallery businesses, for instance, can use voice-activated signs to offer detailed explanations of exhibits.

11. Integration of QR codes

At one point, QR codes were almost redundant, but no longer. QR codes are making a comeback, and they’re smarter than ever. 

Since the pandemic, the usage of QR codes has maintained an upward trend. In fact, the QR code market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 16.9% from 2023 to 2030.

In the digital signage industry, QR codes can:

• Be used to provide exclusive discounts or unlock hidden features, adding surprise and delight

• Lead customers to a treasure trove of information

• Facilitate contactless interaction

• Be used to provide quick updates

QR codes are not just a bridge to online content but a gateway to enriched customer experiences.

12. Integration of augmented reality

When you thought digital advertising couldn’t get any cooler, Augmented Reality (AR) steps in. According to Statista, the AR market is projected to generate over US$53.71 billion by 2027. 

What’s the big deal for digital signage?

Businesses that integrate AR into their digital signage strategy will experience enhanced engagement. 

You point your phone at a sign and see it come to life. 

Businesses can use AR to turn passive viewers into active participants and provide consumers with more information about their products and services.

If you are an event planner, think of maps that lead participants right to their seats.

13. Sustainability takes centre stage

The global market for sustainable tech is expected to hit $36.6 billion by 2025. Digital signage businesses and companies implementing digital signage will want to ride on this wave.

Think beyond the screen; frames and mounts are going green, too. Think about creating new digital signage systems that will not gulp electricity.

Think smart scheduling. Why run your digital signage 24/7 when you can schedule downtimes?

Check for Energy Star ratings when shopping for digital screens. It’s a quick way to gauge energy efficiency.

Sustainability isn’t just good for the planet; it’s good for business. If you’re not thinking green, you’re missing out on more than saving the Earth.

Takeaway: Elevate your business with the latest digital signage trends and tools

This article discussed in detail the latest digital signage industry trends and tools to look out for in 2024. The possibilities are endless when it comes to how companies will use it in 2024. However, the question is, what will you do with this information?

• Our advice for you is to:

• Stay updated on the latest digital signage content, technology, and trends.

• Test new display technologies before going all in and invest with the right digital signage software provider.

Cloud-based digital signage platforms like Luna Screens offer a comprehensive solution with constant updates and new features that align with dynamic digital signage. We provide an easy-to-use system that you can access anywhere in the world.

Whether in retail, healthcare, or a corporate business, Luna Screens has you covered with scalable and hassle-free solutions.

Ready to elevate your business with the right digital signage software? Sign up on Luna Screens today!