8 Tips for Using QR Codes in Marketing

QR codes are a good way to get consumers involved, to keep them engaged and interested in what you have to offer.

Here are 8 tips for using QR codes in your marketing campaign.

1. Use QR Codes for Contact Information

Use a QR code on business cards or on your website so that individuals scanning the code can instantly download your contact information to their phone – for example, if you own a plumbing company, enabling consumers to instantly download your contact details to their phone as ‘ABC Plumbing Company’ means that your company will be top of the list when/if they need your services in the future.

2. Always Provide Quality Content

Many companies using QR codes for the first time make the mistake of directing consumers straight to their desktop website without offering an incentive or interesting content. Always make sure your site is mobile-friendly and that you are offering consumers something more entertaining or educational than a basic website as you’ll quickly lose interest otherwise.

3. Know Your Target Market

Targeting QR codes to anyone and everyone may seem like a good idea, but if you’re targeting them to people without smartphones you run the risk of alienating part of your audience. Use QR codes only where you know they will work.

4. Make it Natural

Just putting the QR code anywhere or making it especially large will seem a little obnoxious – instead, make it seem natural by incorporating it into the design of your packaging or advertising or keep it small and use it at the end of your final sentence, as this is a natural place for consumers to want to go on to seek more information about your product or brand.

5. Use QR Codes to Direct-Dial

If you want to encourage people to phone your sales center, encode the QR code so that scanning it will automatically dial your phone number. This is a superb call to action and an easy way to connect consumers directly to your customer support or helpline.

6. Make Your QR Code Accessible to As Many People As Possible

Some QR codes cannot be scanned by older smartphones or by phones with poor quality cameras. Try to make your QR codes accessible by making them easy to scan by as many different smartphones and applications as possible.

7. Use QR Codes to Offer Discounts and Coupons

All consumers like special offers so give them an incentive to scan your code and interact with your product or brand by offering a discount or coupon after scanning.

8. Make it Interesting

Older QR codes were only available in a black and white checkered design, but with newer QR codes you can experiment with colors, styles and even by adding your own logo – just make sure that your codes stand out enough from your branding so that the consumer spots them.

About the Author

Johannes Ahrenfelt is co-founder of the 99SQUARED LTD. Their first product SQUARE:CODE offers a unique QR Code management system for QR Codes, giving you complete and flexible control of how you communicate with customers.