The Do’s and Don’ts of QR Codes
The latest marketing tool today is using these funny boxes with lots of random looking black squares in them. Have you seen them? These are called QR or “Quick Response” codes. You use a QR code reader app on your phone or tablet and it scans the code, which will then take you to the designated website or dial a phone number. There are some practical applications and some things to avoid when it comes to applying QR codes to your marketing campaign.
Do: Use QR Codes to share contests, videos, pictures, or your website. Put a QR code on your promotional materials so that people can instantly connect to your content without having to search for your company through Google. It’s quick and easy.
Don’t: Release your code without testing it on multiple platforms. It is important to make sure it will take people to the right link before printing it on a thousand flyers. Otherwise, if the code does not work, you may lose some validity as a company.
Do: Use it on your business cards. This is a great way to get people to visit your website, Facebook, Twitter, or anything else linked with your brand. You can also use it to offer a download such as contact information directly to a client’s smart phone.
Don’t: Put a QR code on a billboard or other material that the audience will only have a few seconds to try to scan. When people are driving down a highway or watching a short commercial, they will not have time to open the scanning app and scan the code thus making it worthless.
Do: Include some sort of instructions with your code. Since the technology is still somewhat unknown (though becoming increasingly popular) many people still do not know how it works. Including instructions eliminates this barrier.
Overall, QR codes are a great way to generate more awareness for your brand. They allow for quick and simple access to your content and downloads and provide for a more immediate call to action. What will they think of next?
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