Publishing Companies, Magazines, Newspapers and QR Codes
Posted on by Timothy Boyle
I wrote the other day about why publishing companies should use QR codes in books, particularly non-fiction books, as a way to engage readers with the material. But in retrospect I don’t want this use to be seen as limited to just books, but instead should be used in all print, including magazines and newspapers.
Though you are starting to see some QR code use in these mediums, it is still rare and shouldn’t be. For any of you out there in the publishing industry, here are some ways you could use this technology to improve your product:
Enhancing Static Content with Videos
Let’s say you are a magazine like Mens Health, or Fitness. Often times you might have articles about different work outs, techniques, proper form etc. Well traditionally you could only try and verbally describe what it is you are talking about, or at best show a picture or two. With QR codes though this changes. Now you might have a full work out guide and for each exercise have a QR code that directs the reader to a video on a mobile landing page showing the exercise in action, or the proper way to do a particular lift, or whatever else might prove enlightening to your reader. This allows you to save space, engage your readers, and make everything far more clear and easy to understand.
Providing Additional Information and Sales Opportunities
Now let’s say you are a cooking magazine, in this situation you could connect your readers to videos of a particular recipe being prepared, or learn more about a particular chef or restaurant being discussed, or provide lists of ingredients or cooking instructions, or even advertise online deals of certain cooking products etc. This can help to provide additional value to the reader and even help drive sales.
Show Expert Interviews on Mobile Devices
If you are a newspaper and run a story about some citizen revolt in some foreign country, you could include a QR code that sends the reader to interviews with citizens said revolt, or a video about the country being discussed, or a past article about the same topic highlighting some important facts specific to the current situation.
Newspapers in particular can really benefit from this technology since they cover so many different issues, ideas, and places. Whether it is an article about a movie (QR code could take the reader to the trailer or review), the current state of the economy (QR code could take the reader to graphs, interviews, or debates), or even fashion (the QR code could take you to someone walking down the runway in the suit or dress, or a coupon or sale), the uses are expansive.
Magazines and newspapers are seeing drops in readership for many reasons, but one way to bring readers back in the fold is to give them more value. QR Codes do that. But along with this, QR codes can help connect the reader with the convenience of their smartphone or tablet and allow them to take some part of the magazine or newspaper with them anywhere they go, or simply by allowing them to feel like they are still in the 21st century,
Revenue streams can even open up by having all connected content run ads, weather on the mobile landing pages, or even on the connected video.
If you are someone who works for a newspaper or magazine, it is time to take full advantage of this technology and it is time to use it, and use QR codes properly, to bring readership back and increase revenue. Just make sure you find a QR code analytics and management platform that does almost all of the work for you and for a reasonable cost. You know, like Qfuse.
