If you welcome customers into your business, chances are you’ve been asked for your Wi-Fi password. Customers
now expect to be able to connect to a fast, free network when they enter your business. And while it may feel like yet
another courtesy service, there are ways that guest Wi-Fi can actually benefit your business.
What is Wi-Fi marketing?
Wi-Fi marketing is when a business provides their customers with complimentary Wi-Fi and uses it as a way to tap
into their customer base for engagement and customer analysis purposes. This form of marketing is highly cost-
effective and can be used by any business, regardless of size.
Guest Wi-Fi can be one of the first touchpoints with your customers, and another way you can extend a great
customer experience. Your guest Wi-Fi network can also give your customers the option to stay in touch with your
business, with a simple opt-in mechanic when they first sign in.
Know and serve your customers
Every time a customer signs in to your guest Wi-Fi is an opportunity to better understand your business’ key
demographic – helping you not only provide a more tailored service, but also giving you valuable data and insights
that can inform your business development and marketing strategy.
Examples of data that can be tracked using guest Wi-Fi include:
- Number of visitors
- Number of new visitors
- Number of returning visitors
- How many times a campaign has been viewed
- Conversion
- Visitor dwell time
- Visitor age
- Visitor gender and more
Knowing your audience with the help of guest Wi-Fi can also provide you with reliable foot traffic data, which is
notoriously difficult to measure.
How Wi-Fi marketing can work for your business
It’s not uncommon for businesses to offer free Wi-Fi by simply writing the password on the menu board or handing it
out to customers when asked for it. However, this can be a massive missed opportunity (and a security risk, which
we’ll touch on later). Instead, there are specific services available that provide a more professional Wi-Fi experience
for customers while also making it easier to capture useful data. For example,
Leverage social media log-ins
one convenient way for customers to log in to your guest Wi-Fi is through Facebook. This is not only quick and easy
for users, but can also provide you with fast, aggregated demographic information.
Gather valuable insights with surveys
Alternatively, you could exchange free internet access for completion of a simple survey, giving you valuable
feedback on your products and services, or whatever insights you may be searching for at a given time.
Market to an audience that’s already engaged
This page also gives you the chance to share offers, invite newsletter sign-ups or promote your social media
channels. Some Wi-Fi services also integrate easily with email marketing list providers like Mailchimp.
Stay in control of customer Wi-Fi access and usage
Giving out your business Wi-Fi password to anyone who asks for can put your network at risk. A tech-savvy
customer who has your password has the keys to your gateway, and could alter your configurations. A good way to
mediate this risk is by simply separating your business network from your guest network. However, it is important to
ensure that you have plenty of bandwidth to cope with multiple users accessing your internet simultaneously. Being
known as the place with the dodgy Wi-Fi could undermine your entire guest Wi-Fi marketing strategy.
Let’s get your business connected with tech
At TBTC Perth South, we’ve been working with local businesses for over 15 years. We’ve seen firsthand the rate of
technology growth, and help businesses navigate this growth and digital transformation with tailored
recommendations. If you’re ready to learn more about how we can help support your business with guest Wi-Fi
solutions like SO Connect, we’d love to meet you for a coffee and a chat. Talk to us today.
