--- schema_version: "1" id: 6f0853eaa46c15a1efc63689bbce486fca28d50ccea10ba9e11a72b053f07fef title: Beacon Messaging collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_mp_beacons_overview.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacons_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 69ab7025297eb021223aa106473e8ac0456a29192b04cd570764be7ff8316913 description: Beacons are physical devices that you position in the locations where you want your customers to receive messages. Beacons use a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal to broadcast a universally unique identifier (UUID) to a compatible app. Use beacons to send messages based on an individual’s location. When a device enters the range of the beacon, the device uses the broadcast UUID to trigger and display a message. Beacons provide a precise location around which to plan and execute your marketing activities. Because you know the exact location of the beacon, you can tailor your messages to better target your mobile app users. products: - Marketing - Marketing Cloud Engagement release: "264" --- # Beacon Messaging Beacons are physical devices that you position in the locations where you want your customers to receive messages. Beacons use a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal to broadcast a universally unique identifier (UUID) to a compatible app. Use beacons to send messages based on an individual’s location. When a device enters the range of the beacon, the device uses the broadcast UUID to trigger and display a message. Beacons provide a precise location around which to plan and execute your marketing activities. Because you know the exact location of the beacon, you can tailor your messages to better target your mobile app users. ## Beacon Messages Beacons use BLE to broadcast a signal up to 50 meters from the beacon. When a device that has an app installed that contains the MobilePush Journey Builder for Apps SDK comes within range, the device is triggered to perform an action, such as display a push notification message associated with that app. Marketing Cloud Engagement supports general ranging, rather than distance-specific ranging. Any devices up to 50 meters from the beacon receives the message. ![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_mobile_studio-264-0-0-production-enus/26e7f9fa-f44c-489b-9b21-135d26904a29/images/icon_note.png) Note Beacon messages work on devices that run iOS 7 or later and on devices that run Android version 4.3 or later. To display messages, mobile devices must have location tracking, Bluetooth, and background app refresh enabled for your specific app. ## Beacon Messages vs. Geofence Messages Geofence messaging and beacon messaging complement each other. Geofences allow you to target your marketing at the macro level, such as when a customer enters or leaves a store. Beacons allow you to target your marketing at the micro level, such as when a customer is next to a particular display case in the store. A geofence uses the GPS capability on a customer’s device to determine the user’s latitude and longitude. The geofence delivers a message when the user enters or exits the virtual fence. ## Beacon Messages vs. Push Notifications Beacon messages are different from push notifications. Beacon messages are downloaded to and displayed on the mobile device when they’re triggered, while push notifications are sent to the device. If your use case requires you to record whether a device came into range of a beacon, display a unique message corresponding to that beacon. By displaying the message, you can determine the exact time and location of the encounter with the beacon. - **[Prerequisites to Using Beacons with MobilePush](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_prerequisites.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Complete these steps before you can use beacons in MobilePush. - **[Beacon Best Practices](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_best_practices.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** A list of recommendations to help you successfully implement beacons in Marketing Cloud MobilePush. - **[Create a Beacon Location](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_create_a_beacon_location.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Create beacon locations in Marketing Cloud Engagement to specify the physical location of your beacons. - **[Create a Beacon Message](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_create_a_beacon_message.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Complete these steps to create a message in MobilePush that users receive when they come near your beacon. Save your message at any point and return to it later. To use custom sounds, OpenDirect, or Custom Keys, enable them for your app before you create a message. - **[Edit a Beacon Location](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_edit_a_beacon_location.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Follow these steps in MobilePush to edit details about a beacon’s location, such as the beacon’s name and description and the GUID, major, and minor values listed on the hardware. - **[Delete a Beacon Location](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_delete_a_beacon_location.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Learn when and how to delete a beacon location in MobilePush. - **[MobilePush Beacon Scenarios](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_behavior.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Learn more about what happens in different situations when you use beacons with MobilePush. - **[Beacon Terminology](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_terminology.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)** Definitions of common beacon terms used in MobilePush in Marketing Cloud Engagement. #### See Also - [MobilePush Beacon Scenarios](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_behavior.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Learn more about what happens in different situations when you use beacons with MobilePush.") - [Beacon Terminology](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_terminology.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Definitions of common beacon terms used in MobilePush in Marketing Cloud Engagement.") - [Prerequisites to Using Beacons with MobilePush](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_mp_beacon_prerequisites.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Complete these steps before you can use beacons in MobilePush.")