A brief rundown on what QR codes are and how you can use them
A brief rundown on what QR codes are and how you can use them
In recent years, countless businesses all over the globe adopted QR code scans to assist with tasks including checking into the premises, viewing and ordering from a menu and more.
If you’re not too well-versed with them and haven’t had to scan QR codes much, or haven’t ever come across one before are wondering what the heck we’re talking about, here’s an example of a QR code image:
Also known as a quick response code, a QR code is a 2-D barcode that is able to hold particular data, first developed by Japanese company Denso Wave. When scanned with QR code readers on a mobile device (either Android smartphone or iOS device), it will take the user into a specific app or point them to a link.
For example, you can send them to your Facebook page, Google maps location, an image file, PDF file, contact page on your website, open their WhatsApp or send them to a paid subscription page. You can even make a Vcard QR code that includes all of your contact details to make networking with business contacts an absolute breeze.
Their characteristic as a contact-free way to share information meant it made them a highly popular asset to use throughout the pandemic. As a result of this worldwide mass adoption, QR codes can now be seen everywhere, from outdoor advertising to magazines, social posts, websites and on packaging.
Due to how easy it is to connect with anyone that has a mobile phone, there are a huge number of businesses now incorporating QR codes into their marketing campaigns. It’s not unusual to see a QR code campaign spanning across multiple touchpoints, with each QR code content differing from one another and serving its own purpose within the marketing mix.
Why use QR codes within your marketing strategy
There are a lot of businesses who are already seeing major benefits (and ROI) to utilizing dynamic and static QR codes to reach their customers. Bottom line, if you’re not doing it and your competitors are, you’re potentially losing revenue as a result.
So if you’ve been considering implementing static and/or dynamic QR codes into your marketing approach, it’s never been a better time to do so because the advantages are plentiful.
Increase customer engagement
Connecting with your audience in engaging and meaningful ways allows for the relationship to grow and become much stronger, and the more you can engage with them the better.
Using customer QR codes as part of your campaigns means you can make each of these engagements much more intriguing and interactive, transforming your messaging from tired and boring to something seriously attention-grabbing.
Just one example is having a custom QR code on your product packaging that points to exclusive video content, a competition or another fun activity.
Easy cross-channel marketing
Years ago, by advertising through traditional mediums like TVCs, outdoor and print you were incredibly limited; you had to get your entire message across in a heartbeat, or your efforts were wasted. This especially hurt brands that wanted to tell a story.
Thankfully, though, an ad in a magazine, on a billboard or even within a TVC can include high resolution QR codes. As a result, you’re free to continue your brand’s story by pointing them to your website, YouTube channel or anywhere else online.
This means your audience can learn much more long after they’ve walked past the billboard or turned the page in the magazine.
Minimize error correction levels
Typing in a URL manually is so 90s, folks. Especially a long one that can be easily mis-typed and either end up with a 404 error or send your audience down some weird rabbit hole to the depths of the internet.
Minimize these potential roadblocks from ever happening and avoid the need for error correction by using a custom QR code (which is valid forever) that takes them exactly where you want them to go. This makes for a totally seamless, issue-free storytelling experience between your brand and the audience which will help further strengthen your relationship with them.
Gain audience insights
A good marketing campaign will involve capturing analytics and insights to help improve future campaigns and help a business get to know their audience better overall.
As you’re likely aware, digital campaigns make tracking data very easy. But if you’re also using traditional advertising, it’s effectively impossible - or it was, until the introduction of QR codes!
There are several methods that can be undertaken to track scan statistics depending on the location you’re pointing to with the QR codes created, with data such as scan location, the number of people that scanned it and even when it was scanned - all in real time, too.
We’re here to help you with your tracking goals - call our team now on 888 635 4135 to learn how we can make your business grow.
Continue your story
You only have so much space to play with on your product’s packaging or in a print ad. If you need to give additional information to your audience that simply cannot fit with the area you have available, you can expand it infinitely with a created QR code.
For example, you can offer in-depth information to your customers about where each ingredient of your product came from and how it was sourced by pointing a QR code from the packaging to built-in landing pages on your brand’s website.
A step-by-step guide to using our free QR code generator
With all of the benefits of using QR code technology now being abundantly clear, it’s time to take the next step and use our awesome (and totally free) QR code generator. Here’s an easy to follow guide to create QR codes using our free tool so you can implement them into your marketing efforts today.
Step 1Scroll to the very top of this page where you’ll see the tool and all its functions.
Step 2Determine the type of new QR code you want to create. Our tool can generate all kinds of different QR codes (email, location, link, phone, SMS, Wi-Fi and more), but for brevity’s sake we’ll run through a link as it’s the most common QR code for businesses.
Step 3Type in or paste the link you want the QR code to lead to in the ‘Link’ field.
Step 4Review each of the graphic formats/rendering options as presented and make appropriate changes wherever necessary.
Step 5As it will be marketing material for commercial usage, we recommend using your company logo. You can do this by clicking the ‘Logo’ icon under the Watermark heading in the options.
Step 6Click the ‘Generate QR Code’ button if it hasn’t generated automatically already.
Step 7The QR code generator will display your unique print quality QR code design which you can then save and use as you wish as a marketing asset.
QR code FAQs
WHAT IS A QR CODE?
Short for Quick Response, a QR code is a two-dimensional pattern that can be scanned by mobile devices with a QR code scanner. Once the QR code has been scanned, it can perform one of many different actions on the user’s device. There are a number of different QR code types including linking to branded links or social channels, inputting phone numbers into the scanning device and showing the location of and directions to your business – just to name a few.
QR code content has fast become a widespread inclusion in marketing materials, where brands can use custom QR codes valid across all types of devices to better connect with their audience. The opportunities for QR code content are limitless, allowing businesses to utilise both digital and print QR codes to ensure a more improved customer journey.
HOW ARE QR CODES DIFFERENT TO STANDARD (LINEAR) BARCODES?
Where linear barcodes can only store specific information in one direction along a linear path, a QR code adds an extra dimension of possible scannable data. This mixture of both horizontal and vertical means you’re able to keep a lot more information within the QR code – up to 7,089 numeric or 4,296 alphanumeric characters at once compared to the linear barcode’s 85 total characters.
As a result, each QR code type available to be created using our quick and easy QR code generator can give your mobile marketing approach an overhaul. Reach your audience at a level you’ve never been able to before and create free QR codes with the king of all QR code generators found at the top of this page!
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DYNAMIC QR CODES AND STATIC QR CODES?
If you’ve been doing some research into QR codes, chances are you’ve come across articles discussing static and dynamic QR codes. But what exactly is the difference between a static and a dynamic code?
Static QR codes are a QR code solution that, once created, aren’t able to be modified in any way. They aren’t trackable, nor can they be used for any kind of online retargeting campaigns. A static QR code can be useful for running individual campaigns that don’t need to be tracked, though generally they’re used by individuals and not for business purposes.
A dynamic QR code, on the other hand, can be edited – even if it’s been printed. Dynamic codes are also fully trackable, which makes them the preferred option for most brands. Going with a dynamic QR code enables you to execute retargeting campaigns, as well, and because you’re able to change the QR code content you can reuse it to point to multiple links throughout its life.
If you’re ready to create a QR code of your own, scroll to the top of this page and use our free QR code generator – you’re sure to be impressed. If you’d like to learn more about static and dynamic QR code differences, call our friendly team today on 888 635 4135.
WHERE CAN I USE A QR CODE?
As a business, there are almost endless opportunities when it comes to using QR codes. Free up space in your traditional advertisements, streamline your customer journey, and implement cross-channel marketing campaigns with ease, all when you add QR codes to your marketing arsenal.
Just one example of how you could use our free QR code generator to enhance your marketing is by using a QR code in a competition which has a scan limit; first in, best dressed for free brand merch – and with absolute ease.
There are countless methods for using QR code tech for your business. Use our QR code generator to create all your QR codes and you’ll quickly realize just how useful they are.
Need help to manage QR codes? Want a QR code generator pro to assist with dynamic QR code creation? We’ve got you – call 888 635 4135 today.
HOW DO I SCAN A QR CODE?
There are lots of QR code scanner apps available in Google Play and the App Store. You may also find your phone’s camera acts as a QR code scanner, too.
WHAT INFORMATION CAN I PUT INTO A QR CODE?
The sky’s the limit in regards to what you can include! A quality QR code generator (like ours) offers various QR code types such as high quality QR codes that can easily be read by scanners in print ads as well as online.
If you’ve been looking for a bulk QR code generator to help your business flourish, we’ve got exactly what you need right here at First Page. Just scroll to the top of this page and you’ll find a QR generator that gets it done.
HOW CAN QR CODES HELP MY BUSINESS GROW?
Generated QR codes that have been created with a top quality QR code generator like ours enable your business to reach your audience like you never have before.
With a carefully-curated marketing campaign incorporating QR codes, you will see outstanding results. Use our QR generator to create your QR codes and give us a call on 888 635 4135 to learn what we can do to take your marketing to the next level.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY OWN STATIC OR DYNAMIC QR CODE?
Happy to create a static QR code that links to your website? Add your contact info into their phone? Makes it easier for them to pay through PayPal? Jump to the top of this page.
Want to make a dynamic QR code which actions you can modify? Our team is here to help. And we’re more than just dynamic QR code pros, too – call us now and discover everything else we can assist with.
