Five Digital Signage Trends to Watch in 2026

“Keeping an audience’s attention has grown increasingly challenging – so has measuring it and monetizing it. This increases the stakes for effective digital signage. Every interaction plays into the overall experience.”

This was the perspective of BrightSign CEO, Steve Durkee when asked to assess the business of digital signage, the incredible opportunity ahead of the industry in the new year, and its critical role in attracting, captivating, and engaging audiences.

What else will 2026 bring the digital signage industry and customers across verticals including retail, healthcare, transportation, enterprise, and any business that needs to create an experience for customers or employees?

Here’s what the experts at BrightSign are keeping an eye on that will change how content is created, displayed, managed, and monetized.

1. The Winners of AI Own Real, Authentic Journeys

The AI hype is real, but success lies in how it is applied to current and emerging digital signage use cases. For example, AI and sensory technologies, including dwell measurement, audience estimation, and gaze analysis, are already available today. These capabilities capture insights well-beyond basic attention. Rather than relying on isolated interactions, the value of AI will be derived from how all elements of the digital signage ecosystem work together and create experiential impact. The challenge is deploying and managing them reliably and securely without compromising content playback. That starts with the right digital media player.

The Takeaway: The future of digital signage depends on combining AI insights with video or graphics for more personalized content that drives stronger relationships with audiences.

2. The Convergence of Media Networks Continues

Last year, digital signage ascended to take its place as a driver of business value. An example was media networks, as businesses look to control and create revenue-generating content ecosystems. Good news is digital signage is in the driver’s seat as the conversation shifts away from revenue per signage application to value generated from the entire experience. This changes how media networks are measured and monetized. Using more data and intelligent touchpoints within a signage journey gives businesses the tools to better understand the overall value of these networks during the customer lifecycle.

The Takeaway: The model for signage is evolving dramatically. By 2026, we will see businesses expect metrics tied to engagement and experience, not just screen time.

3. The “Experience Economy” gets Hyper Personalized

This could possibly be the biggest shift in digital signage. Looking back, every conversation has been tied to the macro experience offered by a business. That is now table stakes, and businesses and industries are racing to modernize and use digital signage as an advantage. What is shifting is the hyper-personalization of each individual touchpoint within an overall journey. Being able to create unique, interactive, and sharable micro experiences for each consumer is the goal. With younger generations paying more for these, the time is now.

The Takeaway: Businesses are obsessing over each individual touchpoint and interaction within a customer journey, with technology being the conduit to managing and measuring.

4. Digital Signage Is Enterprise IT

Modern digital signage systems are now firmly integrated into enterprise IT environments. They have proven value in enabling new business, revenue, and loyalty opportunities. The caveat: they now demand the same laser-focused security, reliability, service, and support as any other connected endpoint within an IT ecosystem. Think about how detrimental any blank screen, misinformation, or compromised display is for a business and the wellbeing and security of its customers. This is the environment where digital signage sits. Businesses cannot afford to risk poor experiences. Failing technology can undermine a business’ credibility during times where reputations can change rapidly.

The Takeaway: The security of digital signage infrastructure, content, and data will be of paramount importance in 2026. It is no longer optional with so much at stake.

5. Mixed Reality and IoT-Enabled Experiences Gain Traction

Digital signage maintains its cool factor. We will see mixed reality and IoT-enabled experiences at major sporting events, concerts, theme parks, theaters and more in the coming year. Supported by AI, AR, VR, and mobile connectivity, new experiences will immerse guests in highly interactive environments where the lines between reality and virtual worlds are blurred. For example, the use of avatars and characters appearing throughout mixed-reality scenery to create sharable moments unique for everyone.

The Takeaway: Digital signage ecosystems that integrate emerging technologies bring people closer to each experience in a way that feels authentic and fun.

As always, businesses must start by defining the problem digital signage is solving before deployment. This turns signage into a measurable driver of revenue and customer satisfaction and creates limitless opportunities for your business.

That opportunity starts with the right technology foundation. Reach out to the BrightSign team to discuss how to put these trends into action with reliable, secure solutions built for long-term success.