The disclosure relates to a coating method for coating a component with a coating agent, comprising the following steps: moving an application device over a component surface of the component to be coated, delivering a coating agent jet (9) from the application device to the component surface that is to be coated, defining switching points on the component surface for initiating a switching action, in particular for switching on or switching off a coating agent jet, and performing the switching action when one of the switching points is reached. The disclosure provides the following steps: marking the switching points on the component surface by generating a switching marking on the component surface at the individual switching points, detecting the switching markings corresponding to the individual switching points during movement of the application device, and performing the switching actions when the switching markings are detected on the component surface. The disclosure further includes a corresponding coating installation.