{"id":880,"date":"2013-07-11T22:59:08","date_gmt":"2013-07-11T22:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/?p=880"},"modified":"2013-10-27T02:53:26","modified_gmt":"2013-10-27T02:53:26","slug":"how-to-use-qr-codes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/how-to-use-qr-codes\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use QR Codes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/blog-video-youtube-capture.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-362\" alt=\"blog-video-youtube-capture\" src=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/blog-video-youtube-capture-158x300.jpg\" width=\"158\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/blog-video-youtube-capture-158x300.jpg 158w, https:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/blog-video-youtube-capture.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 158px) 100vw, 158px\" \/><\/a>I have encountered hundreds, if not thousands of QR codes over the past few years and <strong>out of these thousands of codes I have seen and scanned myself only a very small minority\u2014perhaps under 10%\u2014have been used correctly in both the technical and creative realms<\/strong>.\u00a0 Often times I find a QR code campaign that appears as if little to no thought went into it, and that someone just threw it on as an afterthought.\u00a0 Quite often I find codes that are technically sound but\u00a0<strong style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\">lack creativity and provide the customer with no added value or good reason to scan the code in the first place<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\">.\u00a0 It is a rare sight when I find a code that is both technically sound and gives the consumer an interesting reason to scan the code and be engaged.\u00a0 Before your QR code campaign ends up like one of these thousands of failures here are some pointers you should follow:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Get the Technical Basics Down<\/h2>\n<p>What this means is ensuring your <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/learning\/qr-code-best-practices\">QR code density is low for quick and easy scanning<\/a> (you can do this by using a link shortening program like qfuse.it or bit.ly).\u00a0 Make sure there is a nice white border around your code, again to ensure quick and easy scanning.\u00a0 Make sure your <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/developing-a-call-to-action-for-your-qr-code\/\">QR code is clearly visible and has a call to action<\/a>.\u00a0 Make sure your <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/features\/qr-code-analytics\">QR codes have analytics so you can analyze the scanning data<\/a> and make changes as needed based on this information.\u00a0 And lastly, MAKE SURE YOU <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/learning\/advantages-of-a-mobile-website\">HAVE A MOBILE OPTIMIZED SITE<\/a>!!!\u00a0 This cannot be stressed enough.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have a mobile optimized site, don\u2019t even bother using QR codes, it isn\u2019t worth it.\u00a0 Anyone who scans your code and <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/learning\/mobile-content-vs-desktop-content\">goes to your desktop site on their small mobile phone<\/a> will quickly be exiting your site and you will have lost them forever.<\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/salvation_army_qr_code.jpg.728x520_q85.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-617\" alt=\"salvation_army_qr_code.jpg.728x520_q85\" src=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/salvation_army_qr_code.jpg.728x520_q85-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/salvation_army_qr_code.jpg.728x520_q85-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/salvation_army_qr_code.jpg.728x520_q85.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Creativity and Usefulness<\/h2>\n<p>Don\u2019t just connect QR code to your website and call it a day, this serves no purpose and will again ensure the consumer quickly exits your site.\u00a0 A QR code should serve a purpose and <strong>give the consumer a reason to scan your QR code<\/strong>.\u00a0 Don\u2019t waste their time.\u00a0 This means only use a QR code if you are going to <strong>offer them something useful like coupons, discounts, interesting information, or entertainment<\/strong>.\u00a0 And when you do offer something interesting make sure you clearly state what they will get upon scanning the code; convince the consumer it is worth their time to scan your code.\u00a0 BE CREATIVE.\u00a0 This might mean being creative with the code itself, its location, its size, or it might mean being creative with where the code takes the consumer or what the consumer will receive from scanning the code.\u00a0 Perhaps it takes them to an <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/learn-more\/link-qr-codes-and-nfc-to-apps\">online game or app<\/a>, or maybe it takes them to a video or song.\u00a0 Think outside the box.<\/p>\n<p>Engage the consumer and keep them interested, provide them with added value and great content, ensure the technicals are perfect and you will see your QR code campaign bring back a fantastic ROI.\u00a0 Use codes poorly like everyone else and your ROI will be lackluster at best.<\/p>\n<p>Of course it helps to adhere to <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/index.php?\/learning\/qr-code-best-practices\">best practices<\/a> as well as using a <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/features\">platform<\/a> that helps manage all of your codes, mobile sites, and <a href=\"http:\/\/qfuse.com\/features\/qr-code-analytics\">analytics<\/a> in one place.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have encountered hundreds, if not thousands of QR codes over the past few years and out of these thousands of codes I have seen and scanned myself only a very small minority\u2014perhaps under 10%\u2014have been used correctly in both the technical and creative realms.\u00a0 Often times I find a QR code campaign that appears [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-best-practices","category-qr"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Use QR Codes | Qfuse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/qfuse.com\/blog\/how-to-use-qr-codes\/\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" 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