Startup Spotlight: Wavespot

I was recently introduced to a new social WiFi service at my local coffee shop. I went there to get some coffee and (hopefully) get some work done. I sat down, opened my laptop and attempted to log-on to their WiFi network when I was welcomed by a splash screen. It instructed me to either “like” the cafe’s Facebook Page or “Follow” the cafe’s Twitter to gain access to their WiFi network. As a student of social media who is always looking for new developments, I had to look further into this new product.

What I learned was that this product is developed by company called Wavespot and their concept is extremely simple: Customers are asked to connect with the business on a social network in exchange for free WiFi access.

This solution is perfect for small and medium-sized businesses struggling to dedicate the time or resources needed to their social media marketing strategies. Social Media has become such an integral part of any consumer facing business, yet the challenge has always been how to grow your reach effectively. Gimmicks such as contests and giveaways often fail to produce any real results because the majority of entrants are not real customers of the business. Products like Wavespot are a great step in the right direction because new fans generated this way are infinitely more valuable than ones who come because of a contest. These are people who have been to the business, know and love the product and are much more likely to respond positively to marketing messages and more willing to spread the word about the business as well, thus increasing its virality factor. Tools such as Wavespot combined with relevant and original content produced by the business are a surefire way to generate returns that are extremely enviable.

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