How to turn Wi-Fi in a public place into a marketing tool

What is a Public Hotspot, and where is it used?

A public Hotspot is a wireless Internet access point available for public use, usually in public places. It allows you to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi without using mobile data or your home network.

A Wi-Fi Hotspot is usually set up using routers or access points that connect to the Internet via cable. Users can connect to these networks with their devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets) using standard Wi-Fi.

Public Hotspots are used in many places. Among them:

• Cafes and restaurants. Many cafes and restaurants provide free Wi-Fi to attract customers. Internet access is often provided through the use of a password that can be obtained in exchange for a purchase.
• Airports and railway stations. Public Wi-Fi networks are provided at many airports and railway stations so that passengers can stay connected while waiting.
• Hotels and hostels. Free or paid access to Wi-Fi is provided to guests of hotels and hostels for use during their stay.
• Shopping centres and shops. Large shopping centres often provide public Wi-Fi access for the convenience of shoppers.
• Libraries and educational institutions. Many libraries and universities have public Wi-Fi networks available to visitors and students.
• Public parks and squares. Some cities have public hotspots in parks or plazas for the convenience of visitors.
• Vehicles. Sometimes trains or buses have Wi-Fi for passengers.

The main advantages of public Hotspots are:

• Convenience. Public hotspots allow you to connect to the Internet without having to use mobile data or pay roaming charges.
• Affordability. This is a great option for those who are travelling or need Internet access in public places.
• Anywhere connectivity. Public Hotspots allow you to stay connected even while you're away from home or the office.

Monetisation opportunities via Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi can be used not only to improve the customer experience, but also to monetise it. The following models are used for this purpose:

• Paid access. Premium access models can be implemented where Internet speeds are high, without adverts, and the customer will pay for such access.
  

  Selling premium access to Wi-Fi in establishments works particularly well in high-traffic locations. Compared to free access to wireless Internet, paid access provides higher speed (10-50+ Mbps), no adverts, and no time limits, as well as additional features (VPN, secure connection, access to streaming).

  The cost of premium access depends on the institution and clientele. Usually, it costs 10-30 UAH/day, or establishments offer to buy a subscription for a week/month. Visitors can also be offered vouchers (e.g., premium access is free when ordering over 200 UAH) or faster Internet for a certain period for watching a promotional video.

• Data collection. Through Captive Portal, you can collect user contact data (for example, by authorisation via social networks or email). This opens up opportunities for retargeting and personalised advertising campaigns in Google, Meta, or via email newsletters.
• Adverts and affiliate offers. You can display banner ads and popups, show video adverts with your offers, and offer discounts on your next in-store purchase before accessing the web. This monetisation model is especially suitable if you plan to partner with brands or create your advertising through a Wi-Fi portal.
• Online surveys. Guests of an establishment can be offered to fill out an online questionnaire with a survey about the quality of service. In this case, a discount or a pleasant bonus for the next visit to the institution works well as an additional motivation.
• Cross-promo. With Wi-Fi marketing, it is possible to promote one location in another. For example, offering guests coupons or additional bonuses in another network establishment after authorization.

How does the establishment benefit from Wi-Fi?

Today, Wi-Fi in an establishment is not just a formality, but a strategic tool that can give businesses real benefits:

1. Increased competitiveness

Often, potential visitors (especially freelancers, local students, or tourists) are looking for places with free Internet. If your competitors don't offer Wi-Fi, your establishment gains a clear advantage.

2. Revenue growth

As practice shows, in establishments with Internet access, customers stay longer (working, socialising, scrolling through social networks). This means that they order more often, and as a result, the owners' income increases.

3. Increased customer loyalty

When a customer feels cared for and comfortable, it makes them more likely to return. And loyal customers provide your business with consistent profits.

Wi-Fi can be an important element of loyalty. Here's how:

• Customers who have convenient access to Wi-Fi are more likely to stay at an establishment longer and therefore make more orders.
• Free Wi-Fi in an establishment creates a sense of care, convenience, and a positive experience, which greatly increases customer loyalty.

Wi-Fi can be integrated with mobile apps to reward loyal customers, encouraging more repeat visits.

4. Organising promotional events

If Wi-Fi access in your establishment is via social networks, this allows you to:

• collect users' contacts (name, email, age, gender, social networks, frequency of visits) and then use them for retargeting via Google and Meta (Facebook/Instagram);
• advertise your promotions and new products directly on the login page;
• increase brand awareness.

If your establishment has its own app, you can integrate Wi-Fi with it to automatically connect users or collect data.

5. Customer behaviour analytics

With Wi-Fi systems, you can analyse how many visitors connect to your network, how long they stay, whether and how often they return, which is very useful for understanding customer behaviour. This provides information for further Wi-Fi targeting and personalising offers.

Some systems allow you to use “heat maps” to determine which areas of the venue are most visited and how much time customers spend in different parts of the venue.

What equipment and services are needed to organise a public Hotspot

Organising Wi-Fi in an establishment involves not only installing a router but also creating a reliable infrastructure that will work quickly and meet the needs of customers. To do this, you will need:

1. Basic equipment

This category includes the router and access points:

• Router. The main device that provides the Internet connection and through which all traffic passes.
• Access points. If the territory of the institution is large, one router may not be enough. In this case, access points are used, which are connected to the main router and provide coverage in different parts of the room.

To provide fast and stable Internet for many users, it is worth choosing modern routers/access points with Wi-Fi 6 support, which work much faster and more stable than previous versions.

Small and medium-sized businesses are better suited to solutions from vendors (e.g., TP-Link, Ubiquiti, Netgear) that allow you to manage a large number of connected devices.

For large establishments or places with high traffic, we advise choosing more professional solutions — Cisco, Aruba Networks, Ruckus.

2. Internet connection

Wi-Fi in an establishment works provided there is a stable Internet connection. Therefore, it is important to choose the right Internet service plan:

• Speed. It is better to choose a package with high download and upload speeds. For example, for comfortable use of Wi-Fi in a cafe or restaurant, the Internet speed should be 100 Mbps or higher.
• Internet Service Provider. First, you need to find out which providers provide services in the area where your establishment is located, and then choose the fastest and most reliable option.
• Backup connection. If constant availability of Wi-Fi is important for your institution (for example, in co-working centres or offices), it is worth connecting to the Internet based on GPON technology.

3. System for access control (Captive Portal)

Captive Portal is a special web page that users must go through before they can access the Internet. It can include:

• Request for authorisation via social networks (Facebook, Google, Instagram).
• Authorisation via email or phone number.
• Displaying adverts on the Wi-Fi network or terms and conditions for using wireless Internet.
• Possibility to sell premium access (e.g., via PayPal, cards, SMS).

Most solutions on which Hotspot is built have built-in settings for such user authorisation pages. But if the functionality is not enough, then you can consider additional options.

Some of the popular platforms for Captive Portal include:

• Purple Wi-Fi. A marketing, data, and analytics platform that allows you to create customised portal pages.
• Tanaza. Provides remote access point management and analytics.
• MyWiFi Networks. A platform for creating marketing campaigns based on customer data.
• Antamedia. A well-known system for Wi-Fi administration in establishments, which allows customising access and data collection.

Upon your request, the Maxnet team is ready to design and provide maintenance of such systems.

4. Website or CRM for data collection

If you plan to collect visitor data for marketing campaigns (e.g., retargeting via Facebook or Google):

• You need to set up a CRM system or integrate data from Wi-Fi into an existing platform.

For example, this is how the menu of the configuration interface of the Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Key controller, designed for remote management of a Wi-Fi network based on UniFi devices.

• You can use email marketing to send promos or special offers to customers who have connected to Wi-Fi.

5. Maintenance and support

If the Internet in your establishment is an important part of your business, regular maintenance will help to ensure stable Wi-Fi and infrastructure. To ensure security and stability, all devices, routers, and hotspots require regular software updates.

Security and traffic management

Typically, Wi-Fi hotspots employ certain security mechanisms to ensure that access is controlled.

Personal data protection

If your establishment, represented by the owner or management, plans to collect user data, it is important to adhere to the legal requirements regarding the protection of personal data. According to the Law of Ukraine “On Protection of Personal Data”, owners of establishments must inform customers what data is collected, why it is collected, and how it will be used.

Before you start collecting data, you should create a privacy policy that explains what data is collected, what it is used for, and how it is stored. User consent must be obtained for each data collection (e.g., through checkboxes when registering via email or social media). Users should also be allowed to opt out of data collection, or at least not to use it for marketing purposes.

Logging user sessions

In some countries, legislation requires that Wi-Fi connection logs be retained. This means that venue owners are required to retain information about network access for a certain period (usually several months).

User session logs should be stored securely and only accessible to authorised persons. They should not be accessible to unauthorised persons or malicious users.

If it is necessary to log user session data, it should be done in accordance with legal requirements and protected against unauthorised access to these logs. Depending on local legislation, it may be possible to automatically delete old logs after a certain period or after an investigation has been completed. It is also important to inform users about the logging policy through a privacy policy.

Filtering prohibited content

In Ukraine, there are restrictions on access to certain websites (e.g., sites with pornography, violence, gambling, pirated content, etc.). Violation of such restrictions may result in fines or other legal consequences for the Wi-Fi network owner. Therefore, it is important to ensure that prohibited content is filtered on Wi-Fi.

Usually, most blocked resources are filtered at the ISP level. If you want to configure certain restrictions yourself, you can do it at the firewall level of the Wi-Fi equipment itself.

Protecting your network from intruders

Because Wi-Fi can be a source of vulnerabilities for attackers, you need to ensure that your information is properly protected to prevent intrusion into your business's core network or data theft. Proper network protection can also be important in terms of compliance with certain security standards (e.g., PCI DSS if your business deals with payment cards).

Practical ways to secure a Wi-Fi network:

1. Network isolation. It's important for Wi-Fi users to create an isolated guest network, logged in with a password, to restrict access to their corporate network (e.g., for POS systems or video surveillance). This can be done using virtual local area networks (VLANs).

2. Network encryption. A secure protocol (WPA3) should be used to protect against unauthorised access to Wi-Fi. Configuring a VPN to ensure security when handling sensitive data transmitted over a public Wi-Fi network will also be useful.
3. Monitoring and attack detection. It is recommended to implement monitoring systems to detect unusual activity, such as attempts to access the network or connection failures. This will help to detect and prevent possible malicious actions on time.
4. Access restriction. It is important to configure the network so that users cannot access other devices in the institution (e.g., printers or servers).

Importance of having Wi-Fi in a public place

Today, Wi-Fi in an establishment or other public place is not just a convenience, but a strategic asset. Let's look at the aspects of why it is important and profitable for businesses to organise Wi-Fi networks right now.

1. Increasing demands for digital services

In 2020-2023, due to the pandemic, people have become more digitally savvy, and Wi-Fi has become almost a basic need in public places. Now, most people can't imagine staying in an establishment without being able to connect to the Internet. And if an establishment doesn't provide Wi-Fi, it can be a serious disadvantage for customers, especially those who work remotely or need to be online all the time.

2. Developing remote work and freelancers

With the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of freelancers, remote workers, and students who often work or study from home. They are looking for places where they can work comfortably with access to fast internet. Establishments that offer Wi-Fi can attract these customers and create new revenue streams.

3. Simplify processes

Having Wi-Fi in establishments allows customers to:

• Order easily through online services if they are connected to Wi-Fi (especially in restaurants and cafes).
• Use payments via mobile apps without unnecessary procedures.
• Book a seat or pay a bill online without having to wait for a waiter.

4. New opportunities for technology

Wi-Fi network also enables the latest technologies such as smart chairs, electronic menus, or contactless payments. This not only adds convenience for customers, but also raises the status of the establishment as modern and technological.

Stay ahead of the curve — organise a reliable Wi-Fi network in your establishment to significantly strengthen your competitive position. And the Maxnet team is ready to help you do just that.