QR (Quick Response) codes are the barcodes that you will have most likely seen in magazines, business cards, leaflets and on the corner of advertisements. QR Codes can be used to link the offline and digital worlds together in novel and useful ways, and are used by tech-savvy businesses in a variety of ways. By scanning the code with a mobile phone, a variety of functions can be performed such as:
Recent statistics have shown that QR Code scans increased 300% in 2011 from 2010 (ScanLife) and QR Code usage jumped 617% from January to December 2011 in the top 100 magazines (Nellymoser). If used properly, QR Codes can become invaluable marketing tools. Poor usage of QR Codes can alienate potential customers, and fail to deliver measurable results. So here are our tips on how to use QR Codes effectively to promote your business:
Make sure that a QR Code is appropriate and adds value to your campaign before using one. Don’t just jump on the bandwagon! Think about how you can use QR Codes cleverly as part of a campaign linking offline with digital.
Everyone wants to know where they are going.
QR Codes are scanned using smart phones. It’s a far better experience to land on a web page that’s been optimised for touch input, tiny screens and reduced download speeds. Talk to your web designer about optimising your site for mobile.
Don’t simply send people to your home page, when you could create a more relevant page.
There is a wide combination of phones and Apps available to scan these codes. They don’t all work as well as each other, so it’s important to follow some basic rules to get the best compatibility:
Possibly obvious to some; but test your codes using as many different smart phones as you can lay your hands on.
Make use of tracking systems within your codes so you can measure how well your efforts paid off. A good agency will provide this as standard and show you how to view the statistics.
Want help using QR Codes effectively for your business? Contact us on 01923 888799 or send us a message – we’re always happy to help.
Hallway is a growth-driven agency for ambitious craft beer businesses - we offer peak-performing websites and online marketing that deliver stellar results.
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