Have you ever wondered why you get curious when you see those black-and-white squares on billboards, magazines, or product packaging? That’s the impact of a QR code strategy in action.
Without strategic planning, many people would overlook these QR codes, thinking they have no value. However, you may not realize that you can maximize their use to encourage people to interact with your brand.
They may seem simple, but their potential to boost conversions and improve customer experience is undeniable if implemented correctly.
What is a QR code?
A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode that stores more information than a conventional barcode. It is also faster to scan, even from multiple angles, without the need for special equipment. To scan a QR code, all you need is your mobile device.
You can embed over 4,000 characters of text, as well as phone numbers and website URLs in QR codes. Other types of information you can store in a QR code include:
- vCard files
- Geographic locations
- Calendar data
- Contact information
- Email address
- Images
There are many creative uses for QR codes, from helping to generate reviews to capturing leads. This is especially true now that technological advances and changes in consumer behavior are facilitating even more widespread adoption of QR technology.
Creative uses of QR codes in marketing
It’s easy to create QR codes and include them in an ad. However, a more creative approach can not only help you get more scans, but can also elevate your entire digital marketing strategy.
Major brands like L’Oréal, which placed QR codes in taxis for passengers stuck in traffic to scan, and Burger King, which gave away 10,000 burgers as part of its QR code promotion, are just two examples of how creativity drives results. However, not all companies have the resources to execute QR code marketing strategies on such a large scale.
But that doesn’t mean small and medium-sized businesses can’t benefit too. Here are some creative yet practical ways to make the most of QR codes in marketing:
- Include QR codes on product packaging to provide customers with useful details about their purchase.
- Add QR codes to print ads to connect your traditional and digital marketing efforts.
- Create QR codes that direct customers to a page where they can leave a review.
- Guide users to exclusive augmented reality (AR) content.
- Placing digital codes in emails and online newsletters.
- Encourage scanning with special offers or exclusive promotions.
- Use QR codes to make downloading apps easier.
- Give customers a preview of new services, products or content.
- Direct users to your LinkedIn page, company bio, or official website.
- Use QR codes to facilitate registration for seminars, workshops or other events.
Benefits of QR codes
- Versatility: You can place QR codes on virtually anything, from billboards to printed brochures, product packaging, and even on the products themselves.
- Ease of use: Unlike barcodes, you don’t need a special scanner to access the codes, all you need is a smartphone or tablet with a camera.
- Connecting the physical and the digital :QR codes allow you to link printed materials with the mobile experience, synchronizing your marketing efforts.
- Tracking Capabilities: With dynamic QR codes, you can track how users interact with marketing content and even update information in real-time.
- Endless Content: You can use different types of QR codes to share everything from videos and images to PDF files, app downloads, social media profiles, digital business cards, and more.
- Personalization: You can create custom QR codes with unique designs that align with your branding or product packaging.
- Error tolerance: The codes have a high error tolerance, meaning they will still work even if there is minor damage or loss of visibility in the code. They also work when scanned from a distance.
- Contactless Interactions: QR codes are ideal for contactless mobile payments and other touchless interactions between brands and their customers.
Using QR codes to improve your marketing strategy
The list of benefits of QR codes is long, but just like any other marketing tool, they are only valuable if you know how to implement them. Let’s look at all the ways QR codes can support your marketing campaigns.
ROI Tracking
With QR codes, you can calculate the ROI of all types of marketing campaigns, whether you work in the digital world or prefer offline and print marketing.
If your marketing campaign uses a dynamic QR code, you can use your account on a QR code generation platform to see how users interact with it.
QR code tracking metrics are broken down into categories such as time of scan, device used, scans by top cities and countries, and unique versus total scans.
With these real-time analytics, you can continuously iterate your campaigns for better results and higher ROI.
Multichannel marketing
You can use QR codes for marketing campaigns across a variety of media platforms: print, social media, landing pages, e-commerce sites, and even in-store marketing initiatives.
In fact, you can reach your audience on desktop, mobile, tablet, and print, all with the same QR code. You can also track different sources in your analytics to determine which channel drives the most customer interactions.
To make managing and optimizing your campaigns easier, you can use QR codes for marketing automation.
A/B Testing
With advanced code generation tools, you can create multiple versions to A/B test and refine your marketing assets.
In an A/B test, you publish two versions of the same material with only one or two differences. You might change:
- The call to action (CTA).
- Elements of graphic design.
- The type of QR code.
- The design of the QR code.
- The location of the QR code.
You will need to generate a different code for each version and compare the results. In your QR code generator platform, you can view all the codes you have created and click “Details” to see the tracking data for each one.
Optimization and updates
After implementing a few A/B tests, you’ll have enough information to optimize and refine your marketing campaigns. You can continue using the QR code design that worked best, but update its content or call to action.
As long as you’ve used a dynamic QR code, you can continue to optimize it without having to generate new codes. This feature saves marketers a lot of time and reduces the risk of confusion for consumers.
Key Considerations for Using QR Codes in Marketing Campaigns
To strategically use codes in your communications, there are some key considerations to keep in mind:
- Context and content: The QR code should direct the user to relevant content that complements the printed material it is located on. Simply linking it to your website’s home page will likely not generate action.
- Instructions and call to action: Unless you’re in Japan, your target audience will likely need some prompting to motivate them to scan the code. It can also be helpful to provide information about what the user will find after scanning the code (e.g., “Scan this code to get a special offer…”).
- Mobile-optimized landing page: The person scanning the code will almost certainly be doing so from a mobile device. Therefore, you need to make sure that users are directed to a mobile-optimized landing page to ensure an optimal experience. Sending users to a website designed for desktop will not be helpful and will leave a bad impression.
- Data Tracking and Analysis: If you’re going to use QR codes in marketing campaigns, it’s critical to be able to track the number of scans over time, capture geographic data, and other relevant information. A QR code tracking and reporting system will help you do this effectively.
