Smart QR Codes
QR (quick response) codes have been around for nearly 30 years. Developed in 1994 by a Japanese engineer for the purpose of tracking components in car factories, they have evolved into a highly effective marketing tool.
Although QR codes have been around for some time, we saw an increase in their usage during the Covid-19 pandemic. Restaurants used them as an easy method of creating contactless menus during a time in which we were all so reluctant to get close to one another.
The hype hasn’t died out yet, though; QR codes are continuing to take off. While prior to the pandemic it seemed like they were on their way out, 75.8 million U.S. smartphone users scanned a QR code last year, up by 15.3% compared to 2020. And it’s been predicted that 99.5 million people in the U.S. will use QR codes by 2025.
Why Use QR Codes In Your Marketing?
The benefits of QR codes may be obvious: They are a simple way to cut out some of the steps in the consumer journey and bring potential customers to the exact online place you want them to be. This can be a website, a landing page for giveaways and promotions, or even a page where you offer a free download that will increase engagement and build a returning audience. Even further than that, you can use QR codes to offer tutorials or informational how-to videos and even exclusive event-only content.
QR codes allow you to easily measure the effectiveness of a campaign or a particular ad, such as a magazine ad. They also can help you collect first-party data, something that is extremely important as marketing giants like Google move away from third-party data.
Long gone are the days of black and white QR codes, as now you are able to add your brand colors and logo. Just be careful not to overdo the customization. The more you customize your QR code, the harder it can be for phones, especially older ones, to scan it.
QR codes are a simple yet serviceable method of advertising your company. Although it’s taken years for them to shoot into the spotlight, they have become part of the future of technology and marketing. Not quite inevitable, as it took a pandemic for many people to truly engage with them, QR codes have become a staple in smooth business operations, going hand in hand with the goal of every company: drawing in potential customers.
We’ve helped hundreds of brands and small businesses since 2011.
Data from Forbes Marketing with QR Code
