Digitally connecting consumers of your paper-based content to the internet is an incredibly powerful tool. QR Code technology is the Top 5 trends for 2011.
QR Codes quickly spread from Japan through Asia and there QR reader technology is
shipped with most cell phones. People are familiar with technology and QR Codes are used all over the place. Now they are becoming very popular in the western world (USA & Europe, South Africa) and they’re continually becoming more common and more popular as marketers and smartphone users alike reap their benefits.
Increasing adoption of mobile phones combined with a need for marketers to reach
customers in new and innovative ways are pushing the QR Code trend skywards.
Making printed advertising campaigns more interactive is one of the main benefits that marketers are
embracing with this new technology, but this technology has staggering potential to very quickly become common in almost every industry - not just advertising.
We believe that today we are seeing just a fraction of what this technology can do. Scroll down to see the world statistics and innovative use of QR Code technology.
QR Code campaign tools
Who, when and how people are scanning QR Codes is vitally important for marketers and
everyone dealing with sales in today's market.
Create QR Code
You can create QR Code from text, link, video, Contact info, Geolocation, E-mail,
twitter message, foursquare venue, iTunes app, Android market, phone number, Paypal
and more.
Tracking & analytics
Get your data from scans to study, to measure response, to analyze them. It is vitally important
how QR Codes perform out there. With Dynamic QR Codes you can optimize your campaigns today and in the future
campaigns. Read more
Mobile apps
Web content that’s connected to QR Code should be mobile friendly and simple so
it can load quickly. Be aware that smartphone owners expect mobile-friendly page
when scanning QR Codes. Read more
Scanning QR Code
Step 1
Open QR Code
reader app
Step 2
Point your camera phone at
the QR Code and scan it
Step 3
Wait for app
to decode QR Code
Step 4
Content revealed
(URL, vCard, Coupone...)
Explosive growth in 2011
Increasing adoption of mobile phones combined with a need for marketers to reach
customers in new and innovative ways is pushing QR Code trends skywards.
1600% growth
Rapidly growing popularity of scanning QR Codes in 2010 continuing in 2011. Take
a look at Google trend chart
Future is Mobile
By 2014 Mobile internet will take over desktop internet usage.
Market share today
Of the world’s 4 billion mobile phones in use, 1.08 billion are smartphones.
Search is transforming
In the USA already one half of all local searches are performed on mobile devices. Mobile
friendly content is a must.
Adoption of QR Codes
52% of people have seen or heard of QR Codes in marketing campaigns (ads, poster,
magazine)
QR Readers
30-40% smartphone users have downloaded QR reader app. Some phones have it by default.
Innovative QR Code campaigns
QR Codes make communication more effective by connecting the real world & the virtual
world.
They have been built to help us with real life challenges and new business not just for advertising!
People love to share! Diesel had a great idea and included “like” button in a dynamic
QR Code. With proper Mobile content delivery, the effects are awesome!
In this print ad you need to scan a QR Code to get to the Mobile App that allows
users to take a test drive. QR Code campaigns promote your business with numerous
different possibilities!
Great examples of how a QR Code campaign turned New York City’s Central Park into an interactive board game. It's genius how this technology is used in the real-world.
Asia innovative use of QR Code. Imagine yourself as a walking QR ad! These guys went even further… They invented a stylish QR Code for hairdressers.
The best video if you are in commercial business and want to offer your customers
something new. QR Code, e - commerce and Mobile Apps: an elegant and successful combination.
Who says that printed media is static? With QR Codes and great Mobile Apps even
classical news can come to life.
12 Steps to successful QR Code Campaign
For all small and big business who are unfamiliar with QR Codes... How to get it right? Here we need to talk about things you should know to create successful QR Code campaign. So, let’s talk business.
Step 1 - Define your objective The first task is to set an objective business goal or campaign. Define your interests
or your priority in this marketing step. You can offer customer services, information,
brand awareness or public relations. It can’t be everything because it can produce
unfocused results.
Step 2 - engage customers in a new way A very important task is to define what your customers will get from this campaign. It is smart to give them something new, something special to engage them and most importantly to have a trigger "Call to action" and then your customers become yours allies by recommending you.
Step 3 - How a QR Code works? Learn everything about it. Get familiar with QR Codes and all their capabilities. Read more about QR Code.
Step 4 - Research Select an appropriate QR Code type (factors to consider: size surface, tracking, scanning ease, reader audience). In this step it is also useful to get information about the
mobile audience in your area (how many smartphone users are there, check Internet
access (free WIFI) in campaign area etc.)
Step 5 - Optimize Mobile site Having a mobile site that your QR Code refers to is rule No.1 to attract users at the entry point! Never point the URL to your desktop site. There is so much irrelevant information there that your audience is likely to be disappointed. Read more about Mobile Apps.
Step 6 - Be creative You can put a logo or change the background colour with your QR Code. But, don’t be too creative. Another way to be more professional is to create a customized QR Code for your brand. This can be very effective as people can trust your code more. Keep in mind that your code must be readable in the first place and it can handle only 30% of deviation. Before creating your code you should consider the size of data stored. Use short links to have a more readable, less dense code. Focus on a special offer not all of your services.
Step 7 - Specify dates When you are using a special offer and after the date expires it is wise to redirect QR Code to another URL path. For example if you are having a special
discount till the end of month. When you close your promotion your QR Code can be diverted
to other content like a mobile presentation of your latest products. Always have a backup
plan for your QR Codes!
Step 8 - Tracking campaign Analytics are crucial so that you can monitor your campaign! With our generator you can also track scans of all sorts of QR Codes. It is a very important step, because you can adjust your campaign with dynamic QR Codes along the way. Read more about Tracking.
Step 9 - Give basic instructions Give basic instructions of what happens upon scanning. QR Codes are still a new thing for a lot of people and you need to educate them how to use it. According to the latest research in the USA more than 50% of people have never used a QR Code. So, if you want to attract new customers you should consider providing some explanation alongside your QR Code. Just leave a sentence or two for scanning steps.
Step 10 - Test Your QR Codes To ensure scanability (different smart phones, cameras, readers, lighting, speed, etc.). This is one of the most crucial steps. Try with different smartphones,
readers or cameras. Test, test and again test before you launch your campaign.
Step 11 - Launch Your campaign is now a “living object” and you can follow all the activity with your chosen analytics.
Step 12 - QR Code life QR Codes will remain alive much longer then your campaign. Think about that too! How you will manage your codes after one year or two and how this can affect your brand.