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How to choose the best digital signage CMS

The best digital signage CMS is about finding the right balance between powerful technology and the people who stand behind it.

Photo: Generated by AI. Adobe Stock.

October 23, 2025 by Mitch Albers — Digital Media Specialist, Carousel Digital Signage

The best digital signage CMS is about finding the right balance between powerful technology and the people who stand behind it.

If you've ever searched for 'the best digital signage CMS,' you've probably realized there's no one-size-fits-all answer, but there is a right fit for your goals, audience, and content strategy.

Whether you're managing a few displays in a school or hundreds across a corporate campus, the right CMS should make it easy to keep people informed, engaged, and safe.

Back to the basics: What is a digital signage CMS?

A content management system is software that allows users to create, manage, and publish digital content easily. It simplifies and streamlines the process of scheduling and managing content, ensuring that the right message is displayed at the right time and place.

Think of a signage CMS as the brains behind your screens, where your messages, schedules, and content all come together. With the right CMS, your signage becomes a dynamic, reliable, and scalable communication platform.

Choosing the right digital signage CMS for powerful communication

Digital signage is about creating a communication channel that connects people, delivers critical information, and keeps communities informed from corporate lobbies and university campuses to hospitals, government buildings, retail stores, and more.

But here's the truth: your signage CMS is what makes or breaks the experience. It determines whether your screens are powerful and reliable or forgettable and underutilized.

The question, then, isn't if you need digital signage, but what is the best signage CMS to power it?

What defines a great signage CMS?

The right CMS does more than display content, it builds a bridge between your message and your audience. It's reliable, scalable, and easy to use, no matter how many screens or people you're reaching.

Top features to look for in a digital signage CMS (in no particular order):

Ease of use.
Approval workflows.
Permissions.
Audience targeting.
Connects seamlessly to your existing data systems.
Device compatibility.
Personalized content delivery.
Scalability.
Content flexibility.
Feature integrations.
Alert capabilities.
User management.
Analytics.
Support.
Training.
Security.
Transparent pricing.
Accessibility.
Real-time data integration.
Multi-channel reach.
A dedicated team.

Encourage collaboration, maintain control

The best digital signage CMS strikes a balance between open collaboration and controlled publishing. A CMS with approval workflows allows content creators across departments or locations to easily submit messages, updates, and announcements while administrators review and approve what goes live.

Behind the scenes, role-based access controls keep everything organized. Administrators can assign permissions and manage user roles, ensuring the right people have the right level of access (from full content editors to read-only contributors).

Built to scale

Whether you're running a handful of displays in one office or rolling out across hundreds of endpoints, your CMS should scale with you.

Integrations that keep content fresh

Static signage quickly becomes stale. A great CMS should integrate with the tools you already use — event calendars, dynamic dashboards, weather feeds, social platforms, and emergency alert systems. That means your content updates automatically and stays relevant.

Emergency messaging

Your CMS should integrate with CAP (Common Alerting Protocol). This will allow emergency alerts to quickly override scheduled content. From weather warnings to lockdown notifications, when your system integrates with CAP, your signage becomes a critical communication channel.

Personalized communication, audience targeting

Personalized and targeted communication is essential. Your CMS should let you direct messages to specific screens, buildings, or audiences so the right people get the right information at the right time. And because communication doesn't stop at the screen, the best platforms also extend messaging to mobile devices, keeping everyone connected, informed, and engaged wherever they are.

Accessibility

Digital signage should be accessible to everyone. The right CMS helps organizations create content that meets accessibility standards, ensuring all audiences can see, understand, and engage with important information.

Security

Security should be everyone's priority. From ongoing training to strong policies and industry certifications, the best digital signage providers ensure your data stays protected and your operations remain compliant.

Training and resources Included

Every great digital signage platform should empower your team from day one. Look for solutions that include training and a rich library of templates and resources, so your team can create confident, effective communication right from the start.

The people behind the platform

The best digital signage software isn't just about screens, it's about the people behind the platform. Choosing a partner with experience means gaining a team that knows how to help you communicate with clarity and confidence. From onboarding and training to ongoing support, the right provider stays with you every step of the way, ensuring your signage strategy succeeds long after installation.