Digital signage has become an essential part of internal communications and customer engagement across industries, from corporate offices and warehouses to salons and retail. But while getting your message on screen is a strong first step, how do you know it’s working?
That’s where digital signage analytics come in.
Just like website analytics track visitor behaviour online, signage analytics help you understand how people interact with your screens in the real world. With the right tools and approach, you can make data-driven decisions that improve content performance, enhance engagement, and ultimately deliver a stronger return on your digital signage investment.
In this post, we’ll explore what digital signage analytics are, the key metrics to track, and how you can use insights to make your signage more effective.
What is Digital Signage Analytics?
Digital signage analytics refer to the data collected about how people view and engage with your digital displays. These insights can help answer questions like:
- How many people see your screens?
- How long are they watching?
- Are they interacting with the content?
- Which messages are working—and which aren’t?
This type of measurement is especially valuable in large organisations or public-facing environments where signage plays a key role in communication and customer experience.
Why Measure Performance?
For many businesses, digital signage is an investment in better communication—whether with staff, customers, or visitors. But without measurement, it’s difficult to:
- Assess the effectiveness of content
- Justify investment in screens, software, or updates
- Optimise messages based on audience behaviour
- Demonstrate value to internal stakeholders
Analytics help ensure your signage isn’t just being seen, but actually making an impact.
Key Metrics to Track
Here are some of the most useful metrics to look out for when analysing your signage:
👁️🗨️ Impressions
The number of people who pass by or view the screen. This is often captured via motion sensors, audience detection cameras, or footfall tracking.
⏱️ Dwell Time
How long viewers spend looking at the screen. Longer dwell times generally indicate higher engagement.
📈 Engagement Rate
For interactive signage, this includes touches, clicks, or other physical interactions. You can also track QR code scans or mobile clicks to measure action from static screens.
🎯 Content Effectiveness
Which messages, videos, or announcements are keeping attention the longest or prompting action? Many CMS platforms provide reports on how often each piece of content is displayed and viewed.
💷 Conversion Tracking
In a retail or promotional environment, you might want to track if signage leads to actions—such as visiting a website, scanning a QR code, or making a purchase.
Tools That Make It Possible
You don’t need complicated systems to get started. Many modern digital signage platforms—like those offered by Sabercom—include built-in analytics dashboards that provide visibility into content performance.
Other options include:
- Audience measurement sensors – capture anonymous demographic or footfall data
- QR code tracking – link signage to web pages and measure visits
- Integration with Google Analytics – track actions from screens to online behaviour
The key is to choose tools that match your communication goals and scale with your setup.
Best Practices for Using Analytics
To make the most of your data:
- Set clear objectives – What do you want your signage to achieve? More engagement? Better employee awareness? Sales uplift?
- Track consistently – Review performance regularly, not just once a year.
- Test and learn – Try different formats, timings, or messages. Let the data guide what works best.
- Act on insights – Use what you learn to improve your content and strategy continuously.
Real-World Example
Let’s say you’re using digital signage for manufacturing to share shift updates, health and safety reminders, and company news. By tracking dwell time and using feedback surveys, you learn that short, punchy videos hold attention far better than static text slides. You switch formats, and engagement improves significantly across your sites.
That’s the power of analytics—small changes driven by data can make a big impact.
Final Thoughts
Digital signage is a powerful tool—but it’s even more powerful when you can measure what matters. With analytics, you don’t have to rely on guesswork. Instead, you gain clear insights into how your messages perform and how to make them even more effective.
At Sabercom, we offer digital signage solutions with integrated performance tools, helping you get the most out of every screen.
Ready to unlock the full value of your signage?
Contact us to find out how we can help you measure success – and improve it – with digital signage that works harder for your business.
