Your First Content

Your First Content

Now that you have a display set up, let’s fill it with engaging content. This guide shows you how to add various content types and organize them effectively.

Understanding Content

Content is anything that appears on your display:

• Visual: Images, slideshows, videos
• Information: Weather, time, events, news feeds
• Interactive: Presentations, live data, social feeds

Content lives in your Content Hub and gets arranged onto displays through layouts.

Quick Wins: Easy Content to Start

Every content type starts the same way: open Content in the sidebar, click Add New, then pick a category in the New Content Source dialog and walk through the setup wizard. Start with these types that require minimal setup:

1. Weather

Show local weather conditions:

1. Open Content > Add New > Weather
2. Give it a name and enter your location (city name, zip code, or coordinates)
3. Pick a forecast type:
   • Current Conditions
   • Icon Only (temperature and icon, transparent overlay)
   • Hourly Forecast
   • Daily Forecast
4. Finish the wizard

2. Time

Always useful, especially in waiting areas:

1. Open Content > Add New > Time
2. Configure the clock and countdown options
3. Finish the wizard

3. Slideshow

Display photos, promotions, or announcements:

1. Open Content > Add New > Slideshow
2. Upload images (drag and drop, or click to browse)
3. Arrange images in order
4. Set timing and transitions
5. Finish the wizard

Tip: Start with 5-10 images. You can always add more later.

Connected Content

Enrich your displays with live data:

Events & Calendars

Display upcoming events:

1. Open Content > Add New > Events. This opens the Add Events dialog.
2. Select an Event Source from the dropdown — these are the calendar sources you’ve already synced in the Events tab.
3. Choose a display format (list, week, month, or timeline)
4. Finish the wizard

News

Display curated headlines from trusted sources — no RSS URL needed:

1. Open Content > Add New > News
2. Pick your news sources
3. Choose a display style
4. Finish the wizard

Organizing Your Content

Finding content in the library

The Content Hub’s library shows all your content sources. To work with it:

1. Use the search box to find content by name
2. Use the category filter chips (WEATHER, EVENTS, COUNTDOWN, etc.) to narrow the list
3. Toggle between grid and table views
4. Click any item to edit it, or use the Duplicate and Delete actions on each card

Content scope

Content can be scoped to your brand (shared across all stores) or to a single store (location-specific). Use the brand selector in the Designs hub to switch context.

Putting Content on Displays

Content reaches a screen through a layout:

1. Open Designs and create or open a design.
2. Click an area and assign one of your content sources to it.
3. Repeat for each area, then save.
4. In Zones, open the display and assign the design (or assign it while creating the display).

You can also assign content to a layout directly from the Add to layout step of the content setup wizard.

Content Best Practices

For Readability

• Use large, clear fonts
• High contrast colors
• Minimal text (7 words or less per screen)
• Leave breathing room (don’t fill every inch)

For Engagement

• Rotate content frequently (10-30 second intervals)
• Mix content types (don’t just show images)
• Update regularly (stale content gets ignored)
• Use movement sparingly (subtle is better)

For Performance

• Optimize images before upload (1920x1080 for HD)
• Compress videos (H.264 codec, reasonable bitrate)
• Limit animated GIFs (they consume resources)
• Test content on actual displays

Important: Content that’s too complex or high-resolution may cause performance issues on some display devices.

Common First Content Issues

Content Not Appearing

1. Verify the content is assigned to an area
2. Confirm the layout is assigned to the display
3. Check content status (not expired or disabled)
4. Wait for sync (up to 60 seconds)

Images Look Stretched

1. Check image aspect ratio
2. Adjust content sizing mode (Fit vs Fill)
3. Use images matching display resolution

Video Won’t Play

1. Verify video format (MP4 with H.264)
2. Check file size isn’t too large
3. Test video plays locally first

What’s Next?

You’ve got content showing! Continue exploring:

• All Content Types - Explore every content option
• Scheduling Content - Automate when content appears
• Managing Your Library - Advanced organization

Pro tip: Ask Twig for content ideas specific to your industry. Click the Twig icon for AI-powered suggestions.