The QR code buzz is steadily growing louder. As many print, mobile, and online marketers, media pros, and bloggers pass around the phrase “QR code”, you may be starting to ask yourself, “What the heck is a QR code?” It’s quite simply the future of print to digital interaction.
This 16 year old technology, created by Denso Wave, a Toyoto subsidiary company, was originally derived for the simpistic approach of tracking manufactured items. The term “QR code”, which encompasses not just the original brand, but newer iterations as in the ScanLife EZcode, the Microsoft Tag, datamatrix, and many others, is generally used to refer to any type of mobile scan barcode.
So what’s a QR code and why all the buzz? Without the technological description, find that here, a QR code is a square 2-dimensional barcode that can be read by smartphones with the appropriate scan software.
After reading the 2D barcode image, the smartphone converts the QR code in the specified information provided by it’s creator. The codes themselves, can contain URLs, text, photos, contact information, and so much more. Great features are being created daily! In the near future, we will showcase the diverse capabilities of the QR code.
How can they be used in marketing? QR codes can be integrated into any type of print media you can think of including business cards, newsletters, and even sales banners to pass on an exclusive coupon, as American Eagle Outfitters did in November. Also, trade shows are probably one of the best places to distribute marketing literature with QR codes. Using these barcodes for a direct line to your media is a must.
What are the benefits of directly linking QR codes to your products or media?
- Easy customer adoption. A customer will become familiar with your products faster without the hassle of typing in a URL seen on print media. They just let the app do the magic!
- Leveraging current technology. With smartphones coming preemtively loaded with mobile scan technology, the customer already has what they need, right in their hands!
- Actionable Use! Case studies have shown that direct links to a companies products or media, enhance the likelihood of user adoption, purchases, or social sharing.
- Scan Analytics. A user or brand could create a unique URL, short or long, for specific QR code campaigns to measure individual response rates.
- Simply Awesome Tech! The use of QR codes to connect the print and digital world, actively joins them to create a unique experience for the customer. New users of QR codes will be very excited about using them and will tell their friends. This adds a viral element to your campaign and expands the reach beyond just the initial user.
Where can I find QR code software? Yes, there are multiple companies, startups, and bloggers with some truly great barcode scanning tech, but here are 3 that are free to download.
(A future article will contain more infomation on readers and generators)
Things To Remember
There are people that do have QR code app reading software, but please don’t shun those that don’t, quite inversely, let them interact with the codes. Include a concise explanation of how to use a QR code and where you’d recommend to find free software with any marketing that includes one.
Modern smartphones will have a barcode scanning app prebuilt in them to help with user adoption. Not everyone has a smartphone though, so be sure to target customers who have the likelihood to have a smartphone.
The majority of experts will agree that successful marketing campaigns today will use multi-channel communication. QR codes are at the epicenter of this new interactive customer engagement era.
With QR code technology being on the brink of a tipping point in the United States, how have you used if in your marketing strategy? Please feel free to comment below, and share with your friends on Twitter.
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