Headless CMS: Powering dynamic digital signage solutions

Highlights

You’ll learn how a headless CMS powers digital signage.

• Flexibility: Customize content for any format and digital display
• Real-time updates: Instant content changes with API-driven architecture
• Seamless integration: Easily connect with existing software and hardware
• Content consistency: Ensure unified messaging across all digital screens

Revolutionize your digital displays with a headless CMS and connect with your customers in public places.

You can find them at airports, malls, streets, restaurants, stadiums, and in most open places. Digital signage has become a vital part of modern information distribution. Brands and organizations rely on them to advertise their products and services and to guide their audiences with helpful information. 

Digital signage relies on dynamic content, and delivering that with traditional CMSs often requires significant manual updates and maintenance. Using a headless CMS can overcome these challenges. Its decoupled and API-driven approach supports streamlined content delivery, real-time updates, and content customization. 

What is digital signage?

Digital signage is everywhere. They light up the streets; you find them in banks, airports, and most places with some form of commercial activities. These screens display information, adverts, or even the latest news headlines. They can display text, videos, or animations. There are different types of digital signage, such as:

• Dynamic digital signage: Uses a schedule to show content.
• Automated digital signage: This type pulls content in real-time for display–think of digital screens in airports.
• Advertising digital signage: These are LED displays used to show ads in public places.
• Interactive digital signage: This type allows users to interact with screen content via touchscreens, QR codes, etc.

How digital signage works

Each type of digital signage serves a different purpose and can be deployed via specific types of displays, such as interactive displays, video walls, digital kiosks, digital billboards, LED displays, Mobile displays, etc. There are three parts to the entire puzzle.

• The hardware: This is the screen type, mounting hardware, and signage player in use.
• The software: This is the brain of the system and includes a content management system and cloud storage.
• The content: This is what users see on the screen.

Beyond the content that you see on public screens, the software does a major heavy lifting in the background. That is where a headless CMS comes into play.

Benefits of using headless CMS for digital signage

The architecture of a headless CMS makes it stand out for use with digital signage. With separate front end and back ends, you can customize content for delivery to any screen type. It acts as the brain of the system, making it ideal for integrating with digital signage software. 

• Omnichannel content delivery: A headless CMS offers a create one, publish everywhere approach. That allows you to deliver consistent content on any type of screen or display type you choose to use.
• Real-time updates: A headless CMS with several tools that support dynamic content and real-time updates. That includes APIs, webhooks, caching and CDNs that support rapid content delivery.
• Content customization: A headless CMS also offers personalization engines that tailor your content based on data. That allows them to show specific content to various audiences using digital signage.
• Cost-effectiveness: Implementing a headless CMS reduces the need for extensive manual updates and maintenance. That allows you to allocate resources more effectively, focusing on content creation and strategy rather than technical upkeep.

How headless CMS powers digital signage experiences

A headless CMS acts as a central repository from which you can create and manage content for display on various digital screens via APIs. Its decoupled architecture and use of APIs are central to how it powers digital signage solutions.

The role of API-driven content management

A headless CMS is API-centric, which supports easy integration of various digital signage software. The use of APIs also allows you to pull content from the CMS for display on any front-end framework powering the digital screen. It also allows the CMS to serve as a centralized content hub, offering content reuse and omnichannel capabilities.

Leveraging a decoupled CMS for agile content updates

A headless CMS typically uses APIs and supports content modeling. So, you can create a content model for digital signage and configure API endpoints to retrieve content. It also supports the use of server-side frameworks like Node.js for content fetching and front-end frameworks like React or Vue.js to display content on digital screens.

Case studies

MTR

MTR needed to unify its two separate reward programs into one. They also wanted to streamline content delivery to support its app, as well as its digital panels and kiosks in the shopping malls. 

By opting for Contentstack, they transformed from a transportation app to a lifestyle app. Now, they can offer various news and ad content on MTR stations. The headless CMS also enables them to update content in its digital signage within its railway network and malls. With that, they can now connect with millions of customers and serve omnichannel content across the mobile app, web, digital kiosks and more.

Keep reading to see how MTR delivered omnichannel experiences for its customers.

Megaworld

Megaworld needed to build a web and mobile app from scratch. They also needed to improve content updates, streamline workflow, and improve the end-user experience for shoppers.

Today, Contentstack powers its mall's website and mobile app, allowing it to serve over 3,000 brands. Contentstack also enabled them to streamline content, as they can use only one CMS to update content in the app and on the web.

Hear from Aly Racelis, the Customer Experience Associate. "Without a heavy learning curve, I’ve found it easy to keep track of content and keep it up-to-date using Contentstack.”

Keep reading to see how Megaworld keeps over 3,000 brands up-to-date across the web and mobile. 

Implementing headless CMS for digital signage

Here is the summary of steps to set up a headless CMS to deliver content on digital signage.

1. Select a headless CMS platform: Choose a headless CMS based on your business needs. Ideally, focus on API support and integration with existing digital signage solutions. Also, consider features like content preview and the availability of CDNs for rapid content delivery.
2. Create a content model: Create a well-structured content model that defines the types and structures of content to be delivered.
3. Set up APIs: Setting up API-driven content delivery involves configuring the headless CMS to push content to digital signage platforms. This setup is critical to ensure that content is delivered smoothly and efficiently.
4. Integrate with digital signage hardware: Ensure that the headless CMS is compatible with the hardware to enable seamless content delivery and display.
5. Develop a content strategy: A content strategy ensures you are in control of how you distribute content across your digital screens. It should outline your goals, audience, and content types.

Best practices for headless CMS in digital signage

Once you set up the headless CMS for digital signage, here are some tips to make the most of the setup.

• Create personalized experiences: Ensure you leverage customer data to tailor digital signage content based on demographic or user behavior. That ensures the content is engaging and leads to better customer experiences.
• Ensure content consistency across channels: Never lose sight of brand integrity by ensuring the core message or your digital display is consistent across the board.
• Implement security measures: Set up secure API mechanisms and restrict CMS access to authorized users. That way, you can protect sensitive information.
• Monitor and optimize with analytics: Track overall content performance and adjust your strategy based on the data. Also, keep an eye on tech trends to see areas to update, improve, or new technology to integrate.

Future trends in headless CMS for digital signage

Aside from potential changes in display types, the software engine will experience tech integration that will enhance its operation and usage. Here are a few to consider:

• Augmented reality integration: AR/VR integration enhances user experience by providing experiences that are more realistic and immersive. Brands can benefit from these technologies to deliver highly engaging content and adverts.
• Voice-activated displays: With voice-activated solutions, digital displays will become more interactive and intuitive and will support hands-free operation.
• 5G and EGDE support: The rollout of 5G and EGDE technology will enhance connectivity and speed. This will enable more data-intensive digital signage applications.

FAQ section

What are the 3 benefits of using a headless CMS?

It is flexible and supports real-time content updates across multiple devices. It future-proofs your digital strategy as you can integrate new technologies on the go. It also allows you to quickly scale content delivery based on demand.

What is a headless CMS used for?

A headless CMS is used for content management and delivery to multiple platforms using APIs.

When should I use a headless CMS?

You can use a headless CMS if you need to publish content faster and at scale. You can also use it when you need to create and deliver tailored content to specific audience segments.

What is the best headless CMS for digital signage?

Contentstack is the best headless CMS for digital signage. It stands out for its robust API support, automation, and content preview features. It is also easy to use and offers dedicated customer support.

Learn more

A headless CMS offers the architecture that makes it easy to manage and deliver content to digital screens. It uses APIs and CDNs and offers automation that allows you to deliver content fast and at scale. It also enables you to integrate with digital signage technologies for optimized content delivery.

A headless CMS is cost-effective as it does not require endless manual work and configuration to set up your digital signage. Contentstack offers the pioneer headless CMS. It is API-first and cloud-native, giving you the flexibility, agility, and security to power your digital signage at scale. Talk to us today to get you started.