How to Choose Digital Signage Templates
The Buyer's Guide for Digital Signage Content
Choosing the right digital signage template can make the difference between screens that engage and screens that get ignored. This guide walks you through the key decisions: what to look for, what to avoid, and how to match templates to your specific business needs.
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What to Look for in a Digital Signage Template
Not all templates are created equal. The best digital signage templates share several key characteristics: they are professionally designed, easy to customize, compatible with your CMS platform, and optimized for readability at a distance. A good template should work on both landscape and portrait screens and support the content types you need (text, images, video, live data).
DS Templates designs every layout with these principles in mind. Each of the 753+ templates is tested on real screens, optimized for 1920×1080 resolution, and built to be customized without design skills.
- Check CMS compatibility before selecting a template
- Test readability from the actual viewing distance
- Verify data integration support (SharePoint, calendars, RSS)
- Consider both landscape and portrait orientations
- Start simple and add complexity as you learn what works
Common Mistakes When Choosing Templates
The most common mistake is choosing a template based on looks alone. A visually stunning template that does not support your data sources or does not work with your CMS is useless. Other frequent mistakes include ignoring readability at viewing distance, choosing overly complex layouts that overwhelm viewers, and not testing on the actual display hardware before deployment.
Template Selection in 3 Steps
Follow this process to find the right template for your digital signage deployment.
1. Define Your Use Case
What is the primary purpose of your screen? Internal communications, wayfinding, menu boards, promotions? Each use case has different content requirements and optimal layouts.
2. Match to Your Industry
Filter templates by your industry to find layouts designed for your specific environment. A hospital display has different requirements than a restaurant menu board.
3. Test and Customize
Preview the template with your actual content, test on your display hardware, and customize colors, logo, and data sources to match your brand.
Key Features to Evaluate
When comparing digital signage templates, evaluate these six critical features to ensure the template meets your needs.
CMS Compatibility
The template must work with your existing digital signage CMS. DS Templates uses native integration, meaning it works with all major platforms without migration.
Data Integrations
Does the template support live data? SharePoint for company news, Google Calendar for meeting rooms, RSS for external feeds, and weather widgets are common requirements.
Brand Customization
Can you change colors, fonts, and logos? Every DS Templates layout supports full brand customization without design skills or additional software.
Screen Orientation
Some templates work in landscape only, others support portrait. Consider your physical display setup and choose templates that match your screen orientation.
Content Freshness
The best templates automatically update with live data. Manual content updates become a burden that leads to stale, ignored screens.
Template Checklist
Use this checklist before committing to a digital signage template. Every box should be checked for a successful deployment.
Perfect for:
- Works with your current CMS platform
- Supports your required screen orientation
- Readable from typical viewing distance (3-5 meters)
- Supports your data sources (SharePoint, Calendar, RSS)
- Customizable with your brand colors and logo
- Tested on your actual display hardware
- Content can be updated without design skills
- Available in the languages you need
- Includes fallback for when data sources are unavailable
- Part of a maintained library with regular updates
Template Selection FAQ
Most businesses start with 3-5 templates covering their primary use cases. You can add more as your digital signage program matures. DS Templates gives you access to all 753+ templates in every subscription.
Yes. Most digital signage deployments use multiple template types. A corporate office might use meeting room templates, internal communication layouts, and a welcome screen template simultaneously.
DS Templates are optimized for 1920×1080 (Full HD), which is the standard resolution for most commercial displays. Templates automatically adapt to your screen size.
No. DS Templates are designed to be customized by anyone. Change colors, add your logo, edit text, and connect data sources through a simple interface. No Photoshop or design software needed.
Yes. DS Templates offers a free trial that lets you test templates on your own displays before committing to a subscription.
Start Choosing Your Templates
Browse 753+ templates, filter by industry and use case, and find the perfect layouts for your screens. Free trial available.