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2024 in review: 6 top digital signage trends to watch

The digital signage industry in 2024 continued its trajectory of innovation and expansion, driven by advances in technology, market growth, and evolving consumer demands.

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December 31, 2024 by Daniel Brown — Editor, Networld Media Group

The digital signage industry in 2024 continued its trajectory of innovation and expansion, driven by advances in technology, market growth, and evolving consumer demands. This year brought a host of trends that highlighted the sector's adaptability and creative potential, but here we focus on six of the top trends we covered at Digital Signage Today.

1. Data-Driven Digital Signage

Personalized, data-informed content remained a core focus for businesses employing digital signage. By leveraging analytics and real-time data, brands tailored their messaging to specific audience segments. This allowed for more engaging and relevant content delivery, enhancing viewer connection and maximizing marketing impact.

Digital signage increasingly incorporated predictive analytics and audience metrics, helping businesses refine their strategies. This trend underscores the growing demand for smarter, context-aware solutions to improve engagement and ROI. For more, read the in-depth guest piece by Kevin Bierman, head of digital signage solutions at Moving Tactics.

2. Market Growth and Consolidation

The digital signage market showed impressive growth in 2024. This expansion was not limited to revenue; the industry saw consolidation as larger companies acquired smaller firms to bolster their capabilities and market presence.

This consolidation trend is reshaping the competitive landscape, enabling the delivery of more comprehensive and integrated solutions. Industry players are responding to the growing demand for scalable and efficient technologies that cater to diverse customer needs.

This continued industry growth happily underscores a number of trends highlighted in our 2023 end-of-the-year predictions, by the way, which you can read in full here!

3. Sustainability in focus

Environmental sustainability became a significant priority for the digital signage industry. Many companies adopted eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient technologies, demonstrating a commitment to reducing their environmental impact.

These initiatives reflect broader societal and consumer expectations for sustainable business practices. By aligning with global environmental goals, the digital signage sector positioned itself as a leader in corporate responsibility. This validates a core theme of our coverage for the past two years, which was heavily shaped by in depth talks with industry leaders like Michelle Montazeri; sustainability only continues to grow in importance, as underscored by my recent trips to E4 Anaheim, Appspace World of Work 2024 in Phoenix, and many other events.

4. Evolving Content Design Trends

In 2024, digital signage design leaned heavily into bold minimalism, emphasizing simplicity and clarity. Vivid color palettes and the reemergence of serif fonts were notable trends, creating visually arresting and distinctive displays.

The use of these design elements reflects a shift toward prioritizing viewer attention while maintaining brand identity. This focus on aesthetics illustrates how content design is evolving to meet the demands of an increasingly sophisticated audience.

You can see many practical tips and guides for designing your digital signage at our website!

5. Large-Scale Installations and Innovation

Mega-installations like the Las Vegas Sphere captivated audiences and demonstrated the sheer potential of digital signage. These large-scale projects showcased how advanced technology and creative vision can merge to deliver unparalleled experiences.

This trend highlighted the importance of investing in ambitious projects that redefine public engagement. The success of these installations has encouraged businesses across sectors to think bigger and push the boundaries of digital signage capabilities.

6. Security as a Top Priority

As digital signage systems become more integrated with business operations, ensuring network security has taken center stage. Protecting against cyber threats and unauthorized access has become a critical concern for companies deploying digital signage at scale.

Robust security measures are not only essential for protecting sensitive data but also for maintaining the reliability of signage networks. This focus on cybersecurity aligns with broader efforts to enhance trust and resilience in digital solutions.

It's a central theme to our coverage, going all the way back to my early days at Digital Signage Today, when I was privileged to interview the former United States head of cybersecurity for the Obama and Trump administrations, A.J. Grotto. His advice remains prescient and valuable!

Looking ahead

The trends of 2024 demonstrate the digital signage industry's resilience and readiness to adapt to changing landscapes. Whether through advanced technology, market growth, or sustainable practices, the sector continues to thrive, setting the stage for further innovation. For deeper insights and more stories on these trends, make sure to follow our continuing coverage at Digital Signage Today!

Trends / Statistics Display Technology ContentLegrand Microsoft Omnivex

About Daniel Brown

Daniel Brown is the editor of Digital Signage Today, a contributing editor for Automation & Self-Service, and an accomplished writer and multimedia content producer with extensive experience covering technology and business. His work has appeared in a range of business and technology publications, including interviews with eminent business leaders, inventors and technologists. He has written extensively on AI and the integration of technology and business strategy with empathy and the human touch. Brown is the author of two novels and a podcaster. His previous experience includes IT work at an Ivy League research institution, education and business consulting, and retail sales and management.