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10 common digital signage mistakes (and how to avoid them)

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Digital signage is one of the most powerful tools in your communication kit – but even the best screens can fall flat if the content strategy isn’t quite right. Whether you're just getting started or you’ve been running screens for years – here are 10 common mistakes we see (and how to dodge them).

 

too much text, too little time

You’ve got five seconds (maybe less) – if your screen looks like a novel, viewers won’t bother. Keep your messaging short, sharp, and easy to absorb at a glance. 👀

How to avoid it:

  • Stick to one clear message per screen
  • Use bullet points or punchy headlines
  • Let visuals do the heavy lifting 💪

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cluttered, unreadable designs

When everything’s loud, nothing gets heard. Busy layouts, low contrast, or poor font choices can quickly kill your content’s impact. And that's the opposite of what we want for your content. 

How to avoid it:

  • Use negative space
  • Choose high-contrast colours
  • Ensure font sizes are readable from a distance 🤓

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no content schedule

If your screen has been playing the same loop since last quarter, people have stopped noticing. Guaranteed. Digital signage works best when it’s timely, relevant, and feels alive. A well-planned content schedule means you can align your messaging with things like:

  • Time of day – promote coffee in the morning, lunch deals at noon, and happy hour in the afternoon.

  • Day of the week – feature weekend events on Thursdays or run Friday-only flash promos.

  • Seasonal shifts – refresh campaigns to match holidays (EOFY, back-to-school periods or local events).

  • Rotating campaigns – mix up promos, educational content, customer reviews, or staff shoutouts so screens feel fresh (even if you're working with the same core content). 🙌

Using Fusion Signage’s built-in scheduling tools, you can automate all of this. Set it and forget it – your screen will do the heavy lifting while you focus on your day-to-day.


wrong screen placement

Digital signage screens are captivating, but if they're behind a pillar or facing away from high-traffic areas – you're losing viewers!
Avoid it by: using one of our trusted Resellers to install the right digital signage for you.

Need to get in contact with a Reseller?  Get in touch here. 💙


not designing for the screen's aspect ratio

If your content looks stretched, cropped, blurry, or has black bars – that can be fixed! It's not anything wring with your screen!

How to avoid it:

  • Ensure that the resolution of the content you are displaying matches the screen resolution. If the content is of a lower resolution, it can become blurry or stretched on a higher resolution screen. We recommend 1920 x 1080p as a good baseline resolution.
  • Check the fit / fill / stretch! If your content is lower resolution and you are using the fill or stretch options within the playlist – this will cause your content to become pixelated.
  • Make sure your content is tailored to the aspect ratio of your screen. A typical aspect ratio is 16:9 for landscape or 9:16 for portrait. This may be different if you are using an LED or projector (so it is best to get in contact with your Reseller if you are unsure).

Need more help? Click here for our Support Article. 

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lack of brand consistency

Your signage should feel like an extension of your brand – not a random PowerPoint pressie!

Avoid it by: uploading your fonts, using your colour palette, and applying your tone of voice across all messaging. ✨

 

forgetting a cta

You’ve done an awesome job. You've made the attention-grabbing content! But haven’t told your viewer what to do next. Let's fix that.

Avoid it by: including a clear CTA – whether that’s visit our website, download our app, or try the new menu item today!

one size fits all messaging

Every location, audience and time of day is different. So your content should be too.

Avoid it by: customising content per location using groups or tags, and adjusting messages by daypart or schedule.

 

trying to do everything on one screen

Don’t try to cram six campaigns, three promotions and the staff birthday message into one loop. It can be too much all at once.

Avoid it by: categorising your content (promos, announcements, wayfinding) and assigning different playlists or screen zones accordingly. 👏

Fusion-Signage-Optimal-Content-03final extra tip!

Digital signage isn’t just about displaying content – it’s about delivering the right message at the right time in the right way.
Nail those three and your screens will do more than just look good – they’ll work. ✨

 

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