- QR Code
I recently posted a QR code on my Twitter account and I had many people ask me why I linked to a picture of a barcode. Although popular in many countries, marketing by QR code has not yet caught on in the US. I am of the opinion that it soon will and when it does, it will become one of the most effective marketing tools in the digital world. QR codes are non-intrusive to consumers; easy and cost-effective for marketers to produce; and they allow companies to effectively target market and drive consumers directly to their message. Chances are, you have already run across a QR code and didn’t even realize it. This article is meant to introduce you to QR codes and how they can be utilized.
QR codes are similar to what you may have seen stockers using in grocery stores. They contain information that can be easily scanned. Unlike grocery barcodes, QR codes are 2 dimensional and are able to hold a lot more data. Creating your own QR code is simple. There are many free sites that will auto generate a QR code based on the content that you supply. For example, to create the QR code shown above, I simply went to a website offering this service and put in our website URL and immediately there was a .jpeg of the code. In order to read a QR code, all you need is a Smartphone with a camera. Some mobile operating systems, like Nokia’s Symbian and Google’s Android, have a QR code reader preinstalled on your phone. If you own an iPhone you will need to download an application, many of which are free. Once you have a reader installed, all you need to do is aim your Smartphone’s camera at the code and the “hidden” message will be revealed, directing you to whatever content the marketer wanted you to see. Hopefully, you now have a basic understanding of what QR codes are and how to read them. Next, we illustrate a few ways that QR codes can be used in your marketing campaigns.
The uses of QR codes as a marketing tool are limited only by your imagination. I recently ordered a Papa John’s pizza and there was a QR code on the box. Curious, I scanned the code and was taken to a video of Papa John himself discussing the quality of the ingredients in his pizza. Another company utilizing QR codes is Best Buy. On their products price tags is a QR code that when scanned will take you to a page with more detailed information about that product, including reviews, comparisons to similar products and specifications. One of our clients just used a QR code in their catalog to direct their customers to a specific product page on their ecommerce website. Customers who were savvy enough to read the scan were offered 20% off of their purchase. These are just 3 real life examples. As I mentioned, the applications for QR codes are limitless. Listed below are just a few of the possible uses:
Business Cards – recipient scans the code to import your contact info directly into Contacts
T-shirts – wear a code on your shirt to promote your website, storefront, whatever
Campaign Signs – people can scan to volunteer, donate or see candidate speak on issues
Real Estate Signs – instead of tear offs, direct to listing on website or a virtual tour of house
Product Packaging – link to video with assembly instructions
Hopefully by now your mind is wandering with all of the great things you can do with a QR code. They are an inexpensive way to effectively market and they can also reduce costs substantially. For example, if you are a retailer and have a QR code which links to a video with assembly instructions, you can reduce the number of calls into Customer Service and the number of returns. Large corporations, like Ford, Best Buy and Verizon, are implementing QR codes into their marketing mix. Many of the ads in Times Square are also utilizing QR codes to direct people to sites containing more information on their products or as a call to action, signing a petition for example. Data shows that that there is heavy Smartphone use during the shopping process. It is estimated that 79% of Smartphone owners use their phone to help with their shopping and 70% use their phones while in a store. These numbers are only going to continue to increase. If you are a small business owner I strongly encourage you to experiment with using QR codes. They truly will be impactful to the future of marketing. If you happen to have a Smartphone with a reader installed, click on our QR code above. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.
SECURITY UPDATE: http://mashable.com/2011/10/20/qr-code-security-threat/#comments
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