Guest WiFi marketing FAQs
Straight answers to the questions venues ask us most, from equipment and set-up to guest data, GDPR and the marketing you can send.
Getting started
Getting started with guest WiFi marketing
What it is, how it works for your guests and what you need to get going.
What is guest WiFi marketing?
Guest WiFi marketing turns the free WiFi you already offer into a way to get to know your customers. Instead of sharing a password, guests join through a short sign-in page branded for your venue and give a few details, such as an email address. Those who opt in become a list of real customers you can welcome back with emails, texts and offers, and you can see who visits and how often.
How does Wayv work for my guests?
A guest picks your WiFi network and a sign-in page opens in your colours. They connect with a social login or a quick form, and choosing to hear from you is a separate step they can skip. Wayv then remembers their device, so on later visits they are connected automatically with no password and no form. Each visit is added to their profile, ready for your next campaign.
What WiFi equipment do I need?
You need a working internet connection and WiFi equipment that Wayv can work with. Many venues keep what they already have: Wayv links to UniFi, Meraki and Omada through their cloud controllers, and Aruba, MikroTik, Ruckus and Cambium can be set up by following an installation guide. If you only have a standard router, a small access point can plug into it and add a separate guest network alongside your own.
How long does it take to set up?
It depends on your venue and your equipment, so we will talk you through the steps before you start rather than promise a time. The technical part is connecting your existing WiFi controller or plugging a small access point into your router. After that, you brand your sign-in page, choose the details to collect and set up your first campaigns in the dashboard with a guided set-up, and we can help if you get stuck.
Can I limit how long guests stay online?
Yes. You can set a time limit for each WiFi session, plus a speed limit so a few devices cannot slow the connection for everyone else. When time runs out, guests can be asked to make a purchase or a member of staff can give them more time. That suits cafes with laptop users, pubs at closing time and salons where a treatment has a natural length.
Data and privacy
Guest data, consent and GDPR
What is collected, who it belongs to and how consent is handled.
What information does Wayv collect from guests?
You decide what to ask for at sign-in: usually a name and email address, plus a mobile number, birthday, postcode or a question of your own if they are useful to you. Wayv also records each visit, the device used so it can reconnect automatically next time, how guests respond to your emails and texts, and any ratings or feedback they choose to leave.
Is guest WiFi marketing GDPR compliant?
It can be, when it is set up and used properly. Wayv is designed around consent: guests see your WiFi terms and privacy policy, signing up for marketing is a separate choice with a clear skip option, and the platform records what each guest agreed to and when. Marketing only goes to guests who opted in. How you use the data is still your responsibility, so we will talk you through the set-up for your venue.
Who owns the guest data?
You do. The guest list your WiFi builds belongs to your business, not to us or to a social network. You can view your whole database in the dashboard, export it at any time and import contacts you already have. Each guest has a profile you can edit, unsubscribe or archive, which helps when someone asks you to update their details or stop contacting them.
Is the guest WiFi kept separate from my tills and card machines?
You can choose to put guests on a dedicated guest network, kept apart from the network your tills, card machines and back-office systems use. How that works in practice depends on your equipment and how it is set up, so we will look at your current network with you and recommend the right approach, rather than make promises about a set-up we have not seen.
Marketing
Emails, texts and reviews
The marketing you can send, the tools it works with and how reviews fit in.
Can I send emails and texts automatically?
Yes. You set up a campaign once and Wayv sends it whenever a guest qualifies, such as a welcome after a first visit, a birthday message, a thank-you to regulars or a nudge to someone who has not been back for a while. Messages can go by email or text, and only ever to guests who opted in. Text messaging is arranged with us, so ask how it would work for your venue.
Can I use my own email marketing tool?
Yes. You can export your guest list whenever you like, or keep it in sync with tools such as Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign and Constant Contact, and Zapier can connect it to many other apps. If you would rather keep everything in one place, Wayv has its own drag-and-drop email builder, reusable templates and text messaging, so you can choose whichever suits your team.
How does Wayv help with online reviews?
After a visit, Wayv can email guests a short request asking how it went, at a time you choose, with a link to leave a review on sites such as Google, Tripadvisor or Facebook. Reviews from your connected sites appear together in one dashboard, so you can reply and put things right. Review tools depend on your package, so ask us what is included.
Still have a question? Ask the Wayv team and we will talk you through it, or see every Wayv feature in more detail.
Talk to us about guest WiFi for your venue
Every venue is different, so we'll put together a package that fits yours. Tell us a little about your business and we'll be in touch.