Friday, April 29, 2011

QR Code 101

Ok So Do QR Codes Make Sense?

Forget about the question do they make sense – I think the more common question might be what is a QR code and should I care?

So here’s my quick QR 101 on what it is, where you might see one, what it can do and some best practices and some examples in use. Hopefully it helps you figure out if it makes sense for you to consider them in your marketing mix.

What is it?

QR (Quick Response) codes are those funny looking boxes that have started popping up all over the place that look like something that belongs in a PacMan game. Yes I’m dating myself with noting PacMan, but I digress. They are similar to barcodes used by retailers to track inventory and price products – the big difference though is the amount of data they can store or share. Bar codes are one dimensional and can hold up to 20 digits and QR codes are multi-dimensional matrix barcodes that can hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information.

So what does that mean? When you scan a QR code with your camera enabled smart phone (you need to download an app to do this like Scan Life or Red Laser) you can link to content on the web, activate a phone number, email, IM, SMS etc. immediately.

So where might you see a QR code:


  • T-shirt
  • On a shelf
  • Products
  • Print
  • Online
  • TV
  • On a Building
  • Receipts
  • Business Cards
  • On a Rock – really? Yes.

Ok I see the code and I scan it my phone... will it do my laundry? No.
What will it do?

  • Drive to a Coupon
  • Send a Text Message
  • Drive to a Personalized Website URL
  • Drive to a YouTube Video
  • Call a Telephone Number
  • Email Message
  • Send a Vcard
  • Drive to a Google Map
  • Drive to a PayPal Buy Now Link
  • Enable WiFi Login
  • Drive to Itunes
  • Drive to Social Media
and many many other things you might be able to come up with!

Ok so now you’re thinking perhaps you should investigate QR codes a little more and integrate into your marketing plan - What should you keep in mind?


  • Make sure the code is in a visible location – not buried in a brochure – billboards, posters, covers of brochures, walls are great places
  • Have QR content strategy in place – ie make sure the code links to a CTA or compelling content experience (liking a page, signing up for promotions, etc)
  • Make it clear near the QR code what the customer can expect if they scan it – if its not clear, folks won’t scan and those who do won’t know what exactly it is they are looking for and you will lose them
  • Make certain your site or landing page is optimized for mobile sites. Most of the folks scanning QR codes are coming through their smart phones – if your site is not optimized for mobile... Not cool!
  • Test away – this is one of those apps you want to test the hell out of to make sure it works on all smartphones and make sure you test on a number of different scanning programs (ie RedLaser, Scan Life)
  • Track the analytics so that you know which CTA’s are resonating the with your target – remember QR codes are relatively new so don’t get bummed if you see low numbers initially.

    Need some examples to understand this concept better?
    See how Polo, Brooks Brothers and TomTom used QR codes here!


    So that's my skinny on QR codes - now you go ahead and figure out if it is right for you!

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