What Are Digital Beacons and Why Should You Care?

Only 8% of retailers use beacons today according to Forrester Research. But this untapped technology has massive potential to drive meaningful engagement. So what are they and why should you care?

What is a beacon?

Beacons are palm-size gadgets that can send digital messages to smartphones through Bluetooth or via apps. At home in airports, restaurants, stadiums and resorts, digital beacons are an intelligent messaging technology.

Why should you care?

1. Beacon usage is booming
Apple launched its iBeacon in 2013, setting the groundwork for location-based marketing. There are currently 8.2 million active beacons worldwide, with this number expected to grow to 500 million by 2021 according to ABI Research.

2. Uses for mobile beacons are growing
Sports fans and travellers are prime customers for beacon technology. Unlike in retail where customers may not take out their smartphones, stadiums, airports and smart cities are natural encouragers of mobile use. Meanwhile restaurants are adopting the technology to let consumers order ahead, to offer tailored coupons or to notify customers of special offers. Find out more about using location-based triggers to drive restaurant footfall.

3. Software is simplifying beacon technology
Software used to manage and set up beacons is becoming more sophisticated, making the technology more cost effective. There’s no need to plaster walls and ceilings with the devices when you have a multichannel messaging platform from which to distribute notifications.

Want to get started with location-based triggers? Discover Eagle Eye AIR for distributing digital messages across multiple channels without the need for beacon devices.