We’ve seen this happen over and over again. Network operators invest in brand spanking new screens and are initially thrilled by the audience’s reaction. But one or two years later, the question comes: “What happened? I’m doing nothing different, but the audience isn’t looking at my screens anymore.”
And that’s exactly the point.
They haven’t changed anything for two years.
In many cases, initial ad sales go up and as long as revenue increases, there’s little motivation to invest further. If you're selling 100% of your inventory, what’s the problem?
Here’s the catch: Media is about selling eyeballs, not seconds.
If your screens can’t sustainably attract attention beyond the initial novelty, they are doomed to fade into the background. The most powerful ad blockers aren’t digital—they’re between your audience’s ears. People are incredibly good at tuning out anything that doesn’t offer immediate, tangible value.
A screen that loops the same ads all day becomes just another distraction. And distractions are easy to ignore.
Media Is a Platform Market: Don’t Forget the Audience
At its core, a media network is a platform—connecting two sides: advertisers and audiences. In successful platform markets, value flows because both sides are served well.
Unfortunately, many operators focus exclusively on the "money side"—the advertisers—and completely forget the other side of the equation: the audience. This is the key reason screens go stale and unnoticed.
If you want to sell eyeballs, you need to earn them first. You can't sustainably monetize attention if you're not consistently attracting it.
Maintaining audience interest is not a side task—it is the foundation of your product. If the screen becomes invisible to the audience, there is nothing left to sell to advertisers.
Fresh Content = Sustained Attention = Revenue
Keeping your screens fresh and relevant is key to maintaining audience engagement. And where there is attention, there is revenue. More than that, fresh content improves public perception of the screen itself. People are more likely to accept and engage with signage that feels valuable, not just promotional.
So what works?
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New and dynamic content: Think news updates from the last two hours. Not yesterday. People already know yesterday.
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Useful information: Public transport schedules, weather updates, live traffic info.
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Locally relevant stories: Upcoming events, store promotions, community news.
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Entertaining snippets: Seasonal recipes, quick tips, fun facts, or even well-timed humor.
Too many screen operators forget this: you’re not just selling screen time—you’re maintaining an audience. And that takes effort.
Yes, producing or sourcing editorial content takes up space and comes with a cost. But the cost of neglect is greater. If your screens go stale, your audience disappears—and you won’t have any eyeballs left to sell to advertisers.
In the end, you can only harvest what you sow. Want better yields? Keep your screens fresh.
