The benefits of guest WiFi go beyond convenience and user satisfaction. However, you must use a custom portal page and a WiFi marketing solution to unlock them. This combination of tools allows you to have a marketing agency at your disposal.
If you want to know more, the following discussion with five guest WiFi benefits of guest networks will help clear your doubts.
What Is Guest WiFi?
Guest WiFi is a separate wireless network that the host provides for guests to use. This host might be an individual or a business. We’ll focus on the business aspect.
A guest WiFi network is a win-win situation for businesses and their customers. It provides free Internet access to guests while keeping them isolated from the business’s primary network.
You might not know how to set up guest WiFi if you’re not technical. So, here’s what you need to do.
You can start by entering your router’s IP address in a web browser and logging in to your router’s network administrator.
Locate guest network or a similar term in wireless settings. Then, select a name for your guest network, preferably one that includes the name of your business.
Also, set up a strong password and implement a captive portal.
We recommend doing the latter since it will open further opportunities for your business.
It is also important to configure the security settings and enable network encryption.
Lastly, test your guest network by connecting some smart devices to it. If it works, you’re good to go. But if you face any difficulty, it’s better to contact your ISP and ask for support.
5 Benefits of Guest WiFi Every Local Business Should Be Aware Of
According to Norton’s WiFi Risk Report, 55% of respondents said they’d be willing to exchange something valuable for WiFi access. This “something valuable” includes personal information, survey completion, and even leaving a review.
Therefore, the importance of free WiFi is obvious. By understanding this need for connectivity, you can leverage guest WiFi to attract more customers and create a welcoming environment.
However, with the implementation of captive portals and WiFi marketing, you can do even more! So, here are the five benefits of guest WiFi that can help you shape your strategy.
1. Keeps Your Primary Network Safe
Whether you’re an established business or a new startup, you’ll have a wave of customers pouring into your venue. That holds especially true if you offer free WiFi. Those little stickers encourage people to visit you, at least.
If you share the password with all these people on your business’s main network, it will become congested. You might be unable to perform your online tasks effectively, and even your employees will have difficulty managing their duties.
For example, your staff might experience delays processing online orders or updating inventory due to a slow Internet connection.
One of the best ways to avoid this disruption is to create a separate guest Wi-Fi network. Customers won’t be able to interfere in your business, and you won’t have to interfere with their surfing.
Besides, customers might accidentally transfer a virus or malware to your network if their device has one. This poses a security threat to your business data.
You can take this benefit to the next level by implementing a captive portal. It will block Internet access until the user has performed an action. The possibilities are endless here.
You can get customers to fill out a form, provide information, accept terms of usage, or leave a review. This way, you can keep unauthorized access out of your primary and guest networks.
2. Allows Comprehensive Data Collection
As mentioned earlier, implementing captive portals allows you to collect customer information. This might be their names, email addresses, preferences, etc.
You can store this data and create email lists to guide and enhance your email marketing strategy.
However, personal information isn’t the only data you can collect through guest WiFi. Pair it with WiFi marketing software to track customer dwell time and see how often they return.
Moreover, you can learn which areas they visit frequently. This piece of information can be beneficial for your venue’s layout.
Suppose a grocery store notices that customers visit the meat section immediately after the vegetable section.
If it rearranges the layout for these two sections to be together, it will be able to provide better navigation.
Additionally, you can gain insights into age groups, genders, and potential customer interests.
Another benefit of guest WiFi is the ability to personalize customer experiences. The data you collect through your guest WiFi marketing software can help you understand your customer base. The behaviors, preferences, and history allow you to create better-targeted promotions.
Apart from that, you can leverage location-based marketing to personalize your efforts. For example, WiFi proximity marketing allows you to send push notifications to the connected devices.
Moreover, you can integrate social login through captive portals. This increases customer convenience and allows you to capture data. Again, this data helps personalize your marketing efforts.
4. Enhances Customer Satisfaction
Many customers like to see online reviews before making a purchase. They also want to be able to browse the Internet, check emails, and access social media while on-premises. Imagine the satisfaction levels when they can do so through your guest network.
The personalized recommendations and experiences also play a role in satisfaction. Customers who see ads and content that interest them are less frustrated and more ready to buy.
Guest WiFi also shows your customers that you care about their needs. It makes them feel welcome, giving you a competitive advantage in terms of customer satisfaction.
5. Helps With Marketing and Upselling
Marketing and promotion are other benefits that guest WiFi solutions offer, but only with a captive portal.
You can customize this splash page to include important updates, upcoming deals, etc. Since everyone will be visiting that page, they’ll likely view those messages.
You can even connect with customers by incorporating your brand story. Alternatively, offer incentives for connecting, signing up on the captive portal, completing surveys, or leaving reviews.
Remember, populating this page with your brand elements, like logo, colors, etc., will help spread brand awareness.
Additionally, customers might stay longer to enjoy the free WiFi service. This allows you to encourage them to buy more than they have intended.
For example, restaurant servers can offer a dessert or coffee if a person lingers around after a meal. There’s a greater chance they’ll say yes because they want to stay longer.
Power Up Your Business With Guest WiFi
Overall, the benefits of guest WiFi surpass mere convenience. You can use it to collect data, personalize experiences, authenticate, promote, and upsell, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
It is the best way to attract more visitors to your venue and turn them into loyal customers. However, to reap these benefits, you must combine it with WiFi marketing and implement a captive portal. If you own a business, Beambox has what you need.
Beambox is an all-in-one solution for captive portals, marketing campaigns, and getting reviews on autopilot. Try it free for 30 days now!
Get Started With Free WiFi Marketing
Beambox helps businesses like yours grow with data capture, marketing automation and reputation management.
Sign up for 30 days free
