Have you heard of iBeacons? Tools and apps like Facebook, newsletters, email, and text messages are certainly good ways to stay in touch with your customers. But with the overload of messages and information that customers face every day, your business can easily get lost in the crowd. This is exactly where iBeacons come in.
Customer communication at the right time, in the right place, and directed at the right person—iBeacon makes this possible. Targeted messages sent via Bluetooth directly to your target audience’s smartphones can work wonders in customer communication.
Beacons: Communication at the Right Time in the right place
Experts in the field of digital customer engagement have found innovative ways to give business owners like you a direct and easy way to connect with your customers. Read our article to learn how this complements other mobile channels Mobile Customer Loyalty: Do’s and Don’ts.
This method of customer communication is known as „beacon marketing.“ Before we delve deeper into the topic, let’s first cover the basics.
What is a Beacon?
A beacon is a small device that transmits a short-range Bluetooth signal at regular intervals to specific receivers, such as smartphones. This signal is transmitted in a specific format—a communication protocol. The two most common protocols are iBeacon and Eddystone.
In this article, we'll focus on the iBeacon protocol, since we use it at hello again and can therefore speak from our own experience.
| Characteristic | iBeacon | Eddystone |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | Apple | |
| Highest Compatibility | iOS devices | Cross-platform, including Android |
| Featured on hello again | Yes, used primarily | No |
What is a iBeacon?
The iBeacon profile is the first—and, to this day, the most widely discussed—communication protocol for beacon technology. It was developed by Apple, and as a result, it is closely integrated with the iOS mobile operating system.
Although the iBeacon profile also works on other mobile operating systems, it runs most reliably on Apple iPhones and iPads. That’s why it’s called iBeacon—a nod to the small „i“ that appears in the names of many Apple products.
How does a iBeacon?
A beacon that uses an iBeacon profile transmits a combination of letters and numbers in predefined groups. Each code is unique to each beacon, and a mobile app is activated only when it recognizes the data associated with that beacon.
As soon as an app detects a beacon, it triggers a predefined action: a push notification on the home screen, a prompt to visit a location, to open the app, or something similar. An iBeacon thus has the ability to „wake up“ apps—and it does so with very low power consumption.
This feature offers many benefits. Your customers don’t have to actively open the app, enter any codes, or scan anything. They just need to have the app installed—once they do, you can send and collect personalized, location- and profile-based data.
Beacon technology: Helpful for Customer Communication
Beacon technology can make customer communication much easier for you. Services like hello again support this type of communication: Beacon marketing is automatically integrated into your customized customer loyalty program. You can find out more about the basics in our article hello again Loyalty App: The 6 Most Frequently Asked Questions.
Beacon marketing lets you reach your customers using a small, wireless device—the beacon—and fully automate your customer communications. The beacon itself is placed in the store near the entrance and transmits using low-frequency Bluetooth. This allows messages to be sent directly to your customers’ smartphones as soon as they walk through your door or pass by the store.
Which Advantages What does Beacon Marketing offer?
Beacons: Customer Loyalty Made Easy
A friendly greeting when customers walk into your store, an unexpectedly great offer when they walk by: No matter what the message is, it reaches your customers at exactly the right moment and in the right place, putting a smile on their faces.
Your customers will associate a positive experience with your business and will be happy to return. That’s exactly what the Beacon makes possible: It not only sends the messages you define, but also automatically recognizes your customers without requiring you to conduct additional market research.
Beacons: In the Right Place at the Right Time
Push notifications are a great way to reach customers directly. Unlike text messages, push notifications aren’t perceived as spam because customers enable them themselves through the app’s settings. But here’s the thing: Timing is everything! While a push notification reaches the right person, a beacon also delivers your message at exactly the right moment.
Experience shows that messages triggered by beacons achieve a higher success rate than traditional broadcast messages. Sending the right message to the right person at the right time and in the right place makes a noticeable difference in the conversion rate.
Customer loyalty in 2026 will work if it’s easily accessible, remains personal, and offers immediate rewards. Only those who support their customers in their daily lives and offer genuine added value can build a close relationship. Because that’s exactly what makes the difference.
Franz Tretter, CEO and Founder of hello again
Beacons: Your app will never be forgotten again
The beacon is connected to an app that your customers have already downloaded. Digital customer loyalty programs provide businesses with a loyalty program to retain customers—and a beacon that is placed in the store.
But what good is an app if it’s forgotten months after it’s downloaded? This is exactly the problem that Beacon can solve: The technology can reactivate your customers’ forgotten app as soon as it sends a relevant message to their phone via a Bluetooth Low Energy device—essentially like a little reminder. Our article shows you how to take a targeted approach to app marketing beyond that App Marketing: How to Successfully Market Your App.
This helps your business stay top of mind with your customers, brings them back to your store, and thereby increases customer loyalty—and, as a result, your revenue.
Conclusion: Beacon marketing as underestimated lever
iBeacons turn an app that’s already installed into an active customer loyalty tool. Instead of relying on general broadcast messages, you can automatically reach your customers at exactly the right moment and in the right place—without any extra effort on your part or theirs.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About iBeacon and Beacon Marketing
What is a beacon?
A beacon is a small device that transmits a short-range Bluetooth signal at regular intervals. When a compatible app detects this signal, it automatically triggers a predefined action, such as a push notification.
What is the difference between iBeacon and Eddystone?
iBeacon was developed by Apple and works most reliably on iOS devices. Eddystone was developed by Google and is cross-platform, meaning it also works on Android devices. hello again primarily uses the iBeacon protocol.
How does beacon marketing work?
A beacon is placed in a strategic location, such as near the entrance to a store. As soon as a customer’s app detects the Bluetooth signal, it automatically triggers a defined action—such as a greeting or a special offer.
What are the benefits of beacon marketing?
Beacon marketing reaches customers at exactly the right time and in the right place, without them having to take any action. This increases the success rate of messages, strengthens customer loyalty, and helps reactivate apps that were installed long ago but have not been used.
Do customers need a special app for beacons?
Customers simply need to have your company's app installed and Bluetooth turned on. Everything else happens in the background: They don't need to enter any codes or scan anything to benefit from beacon marketing.
Where should a beacon be placed?
The best location is one with high foot traffic, such as near the entrance. This ensures that as many app users as possible receive the signal reliably as soon as they enter the store or walk past it.
