What QR Codes Really Mean for Marketers
Quick Response codes, or simply QR codes are square barcodes that usually look like this:
They can vary in color and shape, and marketers use bright creative QR code design, shapes and forms with additional meaning as well to attract the clients’ attention. QR codes are put on print materials such as brochures, catalogs, cards, outdoor ads, posters and flyers.
QR codes have a great potential for engaging mobile audiences on a new level. Just like any other technology, QR codes require proper use but their ability to grab the attention of your target audience, tie up the online and offline together, along with the fun from scanning that the client gets, are worth the effort of how to use them in marketing. However, many marketers still experience problems with QR code marketing, and today we’ll dig into the issue to check on some of the best practices and most common mistakes.
The technology behind QR codes is similar to the one used in barcodes but QR codes can contain more information including URL addresses or downloadable content. Some QR codes are automatic trigger for actions on the user’s devices. The widespread usage of smartphones stimulated the popularity growth of QR codes, and most QR code apps can be downloaded for free to share your landing page, bank account address or check out a viral video.
How Your Clients Can Use QR Codes
With the help of QR codes, your customers can:
• Visit your landing page with product information, trial offer and registration form — users get an opportunity to scan QR codes at fairs, events, billboards, and you can tell a lot more about your product or company regardless of the place due to the advantages of QR code.
• Dial a telephone number — QR code implies trigger actions for iOS and Android smartphones, so your company can be contacted much easier on the client side. Go ahead and share your call center number if phone contacts matter to your business results.
• Display a Google Maps geolocation. This is relevant for companies with multiple local offices as clients need to find them easily, and for tourism companies as sights can lead to landing pages with additional historic information in the language of the mobile device user (which is especially relevant for spots attracting international audience).
• Send a text message — if you need to transmit some complicated textual information to your client (a unique promo code, a telephone number, a banking account information, an address, etc.), you can use this option for additional communication.
• Send an email — this is another kind of trigger event you can use not to make your client print out your email address as it’s not always convenient on the go.
Download contact details card — this is great for B2B businesses, a lot like broadcasting your business card to many people at once instead of just handing it to everyone separately.
• Open up a social media profile — luckily, social media profiles load rather fast in corresponding mobile apps, or they just open up in the cross-platform mobile website versions. Anyway, the process gets easier on the customer side.
• Pay for products and services instantly — this feature is on if the credit card information is already logged in. Generally, it also depends on the country you’re paying your bills in, and the availability of such QR code scanning services with extra banking coverage.
• Integrate the product information with other mobile services that inform about customer ratings, prices and nearby alternatives to purchase it.
• Learn more about complementary products and where to buy them (in fashion or automobile industries, for example).
