Quick response codes, more often referred to as QR codes, are becoming increasingly popular.
These black-and-white block codes are starting to show up everywhere, especially in companies marketing campaigns, and for a good reason.
Scanning a QR code can provide users with endless information and couldn’t be any easier. All you need is a smartphone.
Most mobile devices come with a QR code reader preinstalled, but if that’s not the case, the apps are free to download and user-friendly.
The Purpose of a QR code
QR codes were first invented in 1994 by a man named Masahiro Hara. The code’s original purpose was to help simplify and expedite the inventory process in the automobile industry.
With the rise of smartphones in the past decade or so, the QR code has found its place in the modern world. Since they are able to hold an infinite amount of information and leave no room for error on the scanner’s end, they are perfect for our fast-paced world.
The purpose of the QR code now is varied. They can be found in education, healthcare, and most prominently in marketing.
How to scan a QR code
How to scan a QR code
If you have a smartphone, it likely came with a QR code scanner already installed. You can check by opening your camera app and centering a QR code on the camera screen.
If the app is installed and enabled, it will quickly capture the code, and a notification will pop up to click on the link attached to the code.
If you happen to have a phone that doesn’t have a QR code scanner already on it, there is no need to fret. The apps you can download are endless and free.
Head over to the app store on your mobile device and type in the QR code scanner; your screen will quickly fill up with app options. Look for an app that has excellent reviews and a lot of other people have downloaded, and you are set to start scanning QR codes.
Where can you put QR codes?
QR codes can be placed just about anywhere. Not being limited to the digital world makes them invaluable to business owners and great for personal use.
You can find QR codes in numerous places, such as:
- Business cards
- Flyers, brochures, posters, and billboards
- Menus
- Emails
- On products
- In channel subscriptions, i.e., Netflix, Prime, Crave
- On social media
Using QR codes in your marketing campaigns
There are various ways to use QR codes to market your business. Marketing is necessary to get your business in front of your target audience, no matter the size of your business. QR codes can make your efforts much more fruitful by offering a lot of value for a quick scan.
Depending on what you plan on linking to the code, you might be able to use free QR codes. A basic code that will hold information like your email address, phone number, or any other contact information can all be attached to a static QR code, which is free to use.
A few other ideas for using QR codes while advertising is:
- Coupons or special offers only available through the QR code
- Event details
- The URL to your website or social media
- Product information
- A link to a video or audio clip
- Details of an offer you have for a specific product
- Special announcements
Benefits of using QR codes in your marketing campaigns
- Error-free. There is no room for mistakes when scanning a QR code from your smartphone. Scanning the code to cash in on a good deal, find someone’s email address, go to a web page, or for any other reason ensures the information is correct without any work on your part.
- Versatile. QR codes are not limited to the digital world and are often found on physical products such as in magazines, billboards, and items in the supermarket. You can place a QR code on just about anything, allowing your marketing strategy to cast a wide net online and offline.
- It adds more value. You are limited to how much information you can print on a product package or flyer, but adding a QR code ups the value tremendously. You can link the code to a video, an audio clip, coupons, or anything else your audience would find worthwhile scanning. This will open the door to endless possibilities when it comes to offering your customers that little extra over the competition.
- They can be tracked. If you decide to go with a dynamic QR code, you can track the number of times the code has been scanned, where it was scanned from, and when it was scanned. This information is absolutely priceless when it comes to your marketing efforts. You can quickly change your marketing strategy if you find it is not working before you invest too much money into a campaign that is not performing the way you would like.
- They are savable. QR codes can be saved to a smartphone, so the information they contain can be accessed long after your customer has seen the ad they were on. This is fantastic to make accessing the information attached to the code easy to access.
- You can customize your QR code. If you want to infuse your brand into every aspect of your marketing efforts, and you should, customizing your QR code to reflect your brand is a brilliant idea. You can use your brand’s color palette, logo, and anything else that will make your customers recognize your QR code as part of your specific brand.
- They feel exclusive. As hard as it might be to believe not everyone has a smartphone, which makes QR codes seem exclusive, only those possessing a smartphone have access to whatever is attached to the code. People love exclusivity and will be more willing to opt into something that not everyone can access.
Conclusion
The QR code was originally intended to make keeping inventory more efficient in the automotive industry but has since spread worldwide to share information.
We are so obsessed with accessing information quickly that the QR code has been embraced with open arms.
Do you want to get more customers from your QR code?
Do you want to get more likes and shares for your brand on social media?
If so, then you need QR MAGICK. We provide an easy way for you to create beautiful QR codes for your brand.
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