How Coworking Spaces Use Digital Signage to Engage Members and Earn Revenue
Coworking spaces use digital screens for event promotion, wayfinding, member spotlights, and advertising. Here's how to make screens work in your space.
Coworking spaces have a communication problem. You host events, run workshops, onboard new members, promote partnerships, and manage a rotating cast of hundreds of people — and most of them never check their email.
Your Slack channel has 30% open rates. Your email newsletter gets skimmed. The bulletin board by the elevator hasn't been updated since February.
A screen in the right spot fixes this. It catches people where they already look — walking in, waiting for coffee, heading to a meeting room — and delivers information passively, without asking anyone to open an app or check their inbox.
Why Coworking Spaces Are Ideal for Digital Signage
Coworking spaces have a unique combination of advantages:
High daily foot traffic. A 200-member space sees 80-120 people per day. That's consistent, daily impressions on every screen.
Long dwell time. Members spend 4-8 hours in the space. Even if they only glance at a screen a few times, that's multiple daily exposures.
Professional, high-income audience. Coworking members are entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers — exactly the demographic that local businesses, SaaS companies, and professional services want to reach.
Natural gathering points. Lobbies, kitchens, phone booth queues, and lounge areas are places where people pause and look around. Screens in these spots get attention without interrupting work.
7 Ways Coworking Spaces Use Screens
1. Event Promotion
This is the highest-impact use case. You spend hours organizing events — lunch-and-learns, networking mixers, workshops, pitch nights — and then half your members say "I didn't know about that."
A screen in the lobby showing this week's events catches members on their way in every morning. No email required.
- "Today: LinkedIn Headshot Day, 12-2pm, Lounge"
- "Thursday: Founders Happy Hour, 5:30pm, Rooftop"
- "Next Week: Tax Planning Workshop with Smith & Associates"
Impact: Coworking spaces that add event screens report 30-50% higher event attendance within the first month.
2. Meeting Room and Desk Availability
"Is the large conference room free at 2?" Instead of checking an app, members glance at the lobby screen.
Display real-time availability:
- Meeting room status (available/occupied/next booking)
- Hot desk availability by floor
- Quiet zone vs. collaborative zone occupancy
This reduces booking conflicts, cuts down on front-desk questions, and makes the space feel well-managed.
3. Member Spotlights and Directory
New members don't know who else works in the space. Existing members forget.
A rotating member spotlight builds community:
- "Meet Sarah — freelance UX designer, Desk 14. Need a website redesign? She's your neighbor."
- "New member: Apex Marketing joined this week. They specialize in social media for restaurants."
- Company logos of current members
This drives member-to-member referrals — one of the most valuable outcomes for any coworking community.
4. Operational Announcements
Some messages need to reach everyone but aren't worth an email:
- "Kitchen deep-clean today 2-3pm — coffee bar will be closed"
- "Elevator maintenance Friday 9am-12pm — use stairs"
- "New printer setup: scan the QR code for instructions"
- "Parking lot repaving next Monday — use the garage on Wilson Blvd"
Screens deliver these messages passively to everyone who walks through the lobby, without cluttering anyone's inbox.
5. Community Metrics and Social Proof
Show off what makes your community special:
- "423 members and growing"
- "12 events this month"
- "$2.3M raised by members this quarter"
- "Member NPS: 72"
- Social media feed highlights
These metrics reinforce member satisfaction ("I picked the right space") and impress visitors touring the facility.
6. Partner and Sponsor Content
Most coworking spaces have partnerships — a coffee vendor, a catering company, a wellness provider, an insurance broker that offers member discounts.
Give them screen time:
- "Member perk: 20% off at Greenberry's Coffee — show your badge"
- "This week's lunch catering by Pupatella — order by 10:30am"
- "Free 30-minute financial planning session with Arlington Wealth Advisors"
Partners appreciate the exposure, which strengthens the relationship and can justify higher partnership fees.
7. Local Advertising
Coworking members eat lunch, need haircuts, hire accountants, go to the gym, and buy gifts. Local businesses want to reach them.
With PiAds, you can sell screen time to local advertisers while keeping 75% of the revenue. Your operational content always plays first — events, announcements, member spotlights — and ads fill the remaining screen time.
Typical revenue: A coworking space with 100-200 daily members and screens in the lobby and kitchen can earn $300-800/month in ad revenue from local businesses.
Best Screen Placements for Coworking Spaces
| Location | Best Content | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Main lobby/entrance | Events, announcements, member spotlights | Every member sees it on entry |
| Kitchen/coffee area | Events, partner promos, ads | 2-5 minute dwell while making coffee |
| Near meeting rooms | Room availability, upcoming events | Functional + promotional |
| Elevator lobby | Quick announcements, ads | Captive audience for 30-60 seconds |
| Lounge/break area | Community metrics, member spotlights, ads | Relaxed browsing, longer dwell |
Start with one screen in the lobby or kitchen. Those are the highest-traffic spots where members naturally pause.
The Business Case
Let's look at the numbers for a 150-member coworking space:
Operational value:
- 35% increase in event attendance = more engaged members = lower churn
- Fewer "I didn't know" complaints = better member satisfaction
- Reduced front-desk questions about rooms, schedules, and announcements
Revenue from advertising:
- 4 local advertisers × $75/week × 75% revenue share = $900/month
- Partner content sponsorships: $200-500/month
Total additional monthly value: $1,100-1,400+
Cost:
- Screen: $200-400 (one-time, or use an existing TV)
- PiAds subscription: starts at $29/month
The operational improvements alone justify the screen. The ad revenue is a bonus.
Getting Started
- Pick your highest-traffic spot (lobby or kitchen)
- Mount a screen or use an existing TV
- Connect a Chromecast or Fire TV Stick
- Set up your content in PiAds — events, announcements, member spotlights
- Enable advertising to start earning
Your content plays first. Ads fill the gaps. You approve every advertiser. You keep 75%.
Most coworking spaces that join PiAds have their first screen running within 15 minutes.
Turn your coworking space screens into a communication hub and revenue stream. Get started with PiAds — free trial, no contracts, 75% revenue share.