Recent reports state that free Wi-Fi will be provided for customers in hotels, shops and other various businesses, under the condition that they check-in at the business from their Facebook account. The new plan is a cooperation between the social networking giant Facebook and Cisco Systems, has been in pilot since 2012 and has been rolled out more broadly recently.
In order to do this, the businesses need to load a piece of the Facebook software into their Cisco router first. When a Web browser is opened by the customer, they are then taken to a page where they will be asked to ‘check-in’ with the help of their Facebook login and they will get the Wi-Fi in return.
The business will be able to benefit from this, as the check-ins provide them with more exposure on the social networking site. Facebook will also give various information about people who check-in, like their age, sex and location and these information businesses can use for marketing programs. The social network stated that it will offer ‘aggregate, anonymous’ data, which means that it will not be linked to individuals.
The data provided can be analyzed by businesses in order to better understand the preferences of their customers, as well as to deliver targeted promotions, which will in turn, improve their marketing campaigns.
Photo Credits: SB Nation
