Published on
For perhaps the first time since the 1950s, retail and restaurant franchise environments are undergoing a major transformation. In-store tracking, geolocation technologies, and increased integration between digital and brick-and-mortar experiences mean that owners need to be as tech-savvy as they are sales-driven.

A key part of this shift is understanding how best to utilize digital signage. Driven by growing demand, new opportunities, and the declining cost of digital screens, it has become an increasingly popular option for franchise owners.

​Top 10 benefits of digital signage in the modern franchise environment:

1. Minimizes perceived wait time

One of the best things you can do to improve customer experience is to keep them entertained. A digital screen gives them something to do-it’s a lot less annoying to wait in line if you’ve got something to watch. As a result, perceived wait time drops.

​2. Run time-sensitive ads

The lead time on a print ad is at a minimum six weeks. For most restaurant franchise companies, it’s even longer. But digital signage is connected to the internet, which means that fresh ads can be rolled out as easily as a social media post. It also means:
  • You can run social media feeds, weather, blog posts – whatever you could run on a website.
  • Able run extremely relevant & local ads (since you’re not relying on a national brand to send you collateral)

​3. New creative is inexpensive

​Compared to traditional print signage, it’s far less expensive to develop and roll out new ads for digital screens. This means that you can run more targeted, local marketing campaigns. Your digital marketing plan can now take into account local events as well. For example, you might create two ads depending on the outcome of a local football game and then run the relevant ad.

4. You can run relevant ads depending on the time of day or day of the week.

Breakfast ads during breakfast if you’re a restaurant franchise, for example. Alternatively, if you have a retail clothing franchise, you might run ads featuring rain gear on rainy days and sunglasses on sunny ones.

​5. Digital signs increase sales.

​A report in from DataTrend found that digital signage increase purchase amount and dwell time by almost 30% each in retail business. In terms of digital marketing tactics, it’s hard to get a better bang for your buck.

​6. Digital signage can be interactive.

​You can use digital signage to interact with your customers and thus learn more about them–“Data-driven marketing”. For example, you might run a social promotion where customers can sign up to receive email newsletters in exchange for a discount. Waiting in line to check out with their smartphone is a prime time to deliver that message to customers.

7. You can double up your marketing efforts by using content online and on digital signage.

​Most major franchised brands, from IKEA, Mixue to McDonald’s, produce far more digital marketing content at both the national and local level than ever ends up offline. With digital signage, you can leverage a lot of that creative work and reuse it, quickly and effectively updating your in-store marketing.

8. You can quickly test and iterate your marketing tactics.

​Because you can put up and take down different ads at the click of a button, you can be extremely effective in testing which marketing messages work best. Over time, you can hone your digital marketing strategy accordingly.

​9. Reduces administration cost.

​Digital signage might be expensive to install, but you save money in the long run by reducing print and administration costs. As a one-time expense, digital signage equipment is generally regarded as a capital investment and comes out of an operations budget and not your marketing budget. Even better, there is no print cost.

And, digital administration can be done by one person in a central location@ CMS Content Management System. So if you own 10 franchises, you can update all of them at once. With just one person updating it, it’s easier to manage and you can ensure peace of mind that it’s been done, and done consistently with brand standards. In comparison to coordinating a new print roll out, digital signage:
  • Is faster and easier
  • Creates a more consistent brand experience across franchises
  • Is easier to comply with changing regulations

10. Digital signage lets you leverage video.

Video is far more engaging than stills. Digital signage lets you leverage the hypnotizing power of video to grab and hold customers’ attention. Even simple animations like pause and zoom effects on still artwork provide a more engaging viewer experience.

My Final Take and 2Cents

Digital signage delivers high-impact, scalable, and future-ready advertising, making it a powerful upgrade from traditional media when implemented correctly.

Digital signage is no longer a luxury—it’s a strategic advertising tool.
✔ Best for brands that want:
  • Strong visual presence
  • Flexible content control
  • Modern customer engagement
⚠ Not ideal if:
  • Budget is extremely limited
  • No resources for content creation or maintenance
Author: Kyzson
19 Comments
Ron Booker - 6 years ago
I really liked that you mentioned how digital signs can enhance the culture in the workplace and using signs can increase the recolonization of employees. After moving to our current area we saw a sign at an office building that was congratulating its employees on a digital sign. I think using digital signs would be a good way to increase employee morale and to keep things exciting in the workplace.
Fred Gibbons - 5 years ago
It's interesting that this article elaborates on how digital signage can help you market your business more effectively. I'm thinking about starting a business in the near future, so I will probably want to make use of digital signs to market it. I'm going to look for a reputable company that can sell me some digital signs.
Nelson Fogerty - 5 years ago
It's cool that you point out that using digital signage is a great way to advertise your business. I want to start a business in the near future, so I'm thinking about hiring someone to make some digital signs for me. I'm going to search for a reputable business that can sell me some digital signage.
Intuiface - 5 years ago
This is one of the best blogs we have read on digital signage software. Please go through the services provided by Intuiface and include us in your next post. Many thanks for considering our request!
Kristofer Van Wagner - 5 years ago
I appreciate that this post shared that when looking for screen printing, it is important to consider the service. It makes sense as it impacts the quality. I will keep this information in mind.
Custom Digital Signage - 5 years ago
I am completely agree with you, We have to consider all the points. Its better to attract and keep engage our customers.
Kristofer Van Wagner - 4 years ago
The other day my sister mentioned that she is looking to hire an agency that provides digital print media. I appreciate that this post shared that digital print media is very relevant in this digital age as it bridges the gap between her agency and potential clients. I will definitely remind her to look for someone who is experienced and skilled.
Eliza Harding - 4 years ago
It helped me when you mentioned that you can do a lot of creative works, quickly and effectively updating your in-store marketing when you do digital signage. My colleague has put a small food business last two weeks ago and shared with me that he wants to know marketing strategies to attract and reach potential customers. He is hoping to find a trusted digital sign company that offers effective services in doing videos or images to market his business.
Edward - 4 years ago
What an exquisite article! Your post is very helpful right now. Thank you for sharing this informative one.
Edward - 4 years ago
Thanks for sharing this useful information! Hope that you will continue with the kind of stuff you are doing.
Rahul Dev - 4 years ago
Good Article and very informative
Rohit Shetty - 4 years ago
Cool Article
Platon Graphics - 3 years ago
Great list! I think having digital signage has become important for businesses nowadays. I want to get one. Do you have recommendations on where I could have one made here in LA?
Victoria Addington - 3 years ago
It was interesting to know that digital signage can boost purchase amount and visit time. That's probably why my friend wants custom electronic signs in her store. I should advise her to look for a provider that can execute her desired design.
Printed Banner - 3 years ago
Digital signage advertising displays are a type of digital display that shows commercials, public service announcements, and other messages. They are often found in public places such as stores, restaurants, and businesses. Many businesses use digital signage advertising displays because they are an effective way to reach customers and promote their products or services. There are several benefits of using digital signage advertising displays for businesses, including the ability to target specific audiences, the ability to change the message frequently, and the ability to track customer engagement.
Platon Graphics - 3 years ago
Digital signage advertising displays offer many benefits for businesses. They are a cost-effective way to reach a large audience with your message. They are also interactive and can be used to engage customers and collect customer data. Additionally, digital signage advertising displays can be used to target specific audiences and locations.
Thomas Clarence - 3 years ago
It was interesting to me when you talked about how digital signs can increase sales by almost 30% in retail businesses. As far as I know, digital signage is often installed on large televisions and electronic devices. It seems like it would be a good idea to work with an audio-visual provider if you are wanting to utilize digital signage.
Steve Smith - 3 years ago
It helped when you mentioned that you could boost sales by having signage to attract consumers. My friend mentioned last night that he and his business partner hoped to find a custom digital signs service that could provide signage to attract customers for their clothing store. He asked if I had any idea what would be the best option to consider. Thanks to this informative article, I'll tell him it will be much better if they consult a trusted digital signage installation company as they can provide information about ideas and designs.
Vijay Kumar - 1 year ago
Excellent article! Digital signage is indeed a game-changer in how businesses communicate visually. From improving customer engagement to streamlining internal communications, its applications are endless. At AV COM India, we’ve seen firsthand how integrating <a href="https://www.avcomindia.com/solutions/audio-visual-collaboration-solutions">digital signage</a> into a broader audio-visual collaboration strategy can enhance user experience across industries—from corporate boardrooms to public venues. Excited to see how innovations like AI and real-time content updates continue to shape the future of digital displays!
MANXEON=360°>
Click the Center Dot
free counters