Why Public WiFi Should Be Free: 3 Benefits You Can't Ignore

The modern day user expects free WiFi wherever they go. On the train or in pubs, it’s difficult to go anywhere without the option of WiFi. But should the privilege be one that’s free? You might think that implementing and maintaining a network costs money, so why shouldn’t some of the costs be covered by the user?

Well, here are just some of the benefits of free public WiFi that you might not have considered.

3 Reasons to Keep Your Public WiFi Free

  1. Increases Dwell Time

Visitors are more likely to spend more time in your venue, retail store or at your event if they have access to free WiFi. The longer they stay with you, the better the chance they spend more money. It’s as simple as that.

Think of the free WiFi as an investment that will lead to a long-term increase in sales.

If your competitors offer free WiFi but you charge customers to use it, then it’s an easy choice for them to go elsewhere. A survey found that 62 percent of customers spent more time in a shop or facility after free WiFi had been introduced and 50 percent ended up spending more money as well.

Just think about how many coffee shops offer a free WiFi connection. It’s because they know visitors will spend hours working and having meetings, ordering food and multiple coffees the whole time.

  2. Improves Visitor Experience

Every decision you take as a business should be done with the aim of improving a visitor’s experience. Whether you’re a large venue or an individual store, you should take any steps you can that will improve overall visitor happiness.

Free WiFi will have a positive impact on anyone that visits. Once they’re connected, visitors can stay connected with friends and family, as well as find out more information about your store or venue.

For example, if you’re a retailer, a shopper can use the free WiFi to order an item online if it isn’t available to buy in-store. Or, if you’re a large venue, visitors can use the WiFi to access important logistical information, like maps and nearby points of interest.

  3. More Users = More Data

Implementing a public WiFi network gives you access to valuable data and visitor information. The GDPR compliant data can be used in a multitude of ways from direct marketing to insight generation.

If you require users to enter their email address when registering for your free WiFi, then you’ll be able to send them messages in the future about upcoming events and offers, enticing them back to your venue with targeted and relevant offers.

Another example would be a shopping centre that can analyse foot traffic to understand which areas are busy and at what times. If they know that a lot of people are gathering in the same place, they can introduce stalls or place promotional messaging to increase sales or raise awareness.

If the WiFi isn’t free, then fewer users will be accessing the network and you’ll have less valuable analytical data that you can then use to your advantage. Make your network free for everyone and you’ll have more than enough information to use and analyse.

Introducing Free WiFi at Your Venue

We’ve talked about retail stores and pubs enjoying the benefits of a free WiFi network, but large venues can enjoy them too, despite the increase in size and scale. Venues that host conferences and exhibitions are perfect avenues for free WiFi for a number of reasons.

Whatever the conference or event, visitors will be expecting state-of-the-art facilities and a free WiFi network as standard. Good quality conference WiFi should offer fast connectivity to guests and provide the venue with a cost-effective, reliable service, offering engagement and return on investment.

For visitors, a bad experience with WiFi can be the talk of the whole event. It would be a shame for guests to be unable to share their experience and interact with the venue online and it can also mean that the venue misses out on engagement and positive promotion from its customers.

Make sure the WiFi network is free and both you and the visitors will be able to equally benefit from it.

Get the Most from Your WiFi

Some venues already do offer a WiFi network for guests to connect to, but they aren’t robust or streamlined enough. They may not offer fast and free connectivity with excellent coverage or enhance the visitors’ experience.

Increase customer dwell time, improve visitor experience and get smarter with your data.

For more tips and guidance on finding the right conference WiFi supplier, make sure to download our free eBook now. It can help you to choose the right supplier for your specific needs, allowing you to provide the best possible WiFi network to all of your future visitors.

Get your copy now by clicking on the link below.