The truth is, these tools are already out there — and chances are, you’ve walked right on by one today. While it may seem unassuming at first glance, integrating a QR code generator into your marketing campaign can help customers connect with brands in powerful ways. From product packaging to billboards, these monochrome squares are changing the ways in which businesses and consumers interact.
For a while, QR codes were seen as a way to make things faster (or, rather, enable people to reach their desired webpage in a more and increasingly complex way). But smart marketers have been using them for more interesting functions. Today, it’s an easy ask to present a QR code that serves as a stepping-stone for a story. That is, after scanning the code on your paper coffee cup, you’re taken to a video describing the farm in Nicaragua where the beans are sourced. Or you scan the code on a hang tag attached to your clothing item, and you can learn more about the circular economy through an exploration of your purchase’s story. This creates an emotional bond between a shopper and their transaction.
Advertising was traditionally a one-way street; brands gave and the consumer got. But QR codes ask the consumer to give (a scan) so they can get (a discount, a video, an app download, etc) in return. It’s an active, deliberate transaction. By encouraging interactivity, the consumer is involved in the process and is more likely to be interested and more likely to remember. When people’s attention spans are shorter than ever, this is no bad thing.
The number one strength of QR codes is their ability to connect the offline world to the online world. You could have a poster, flyer, or a receipt in your hand — and yet be immediately connected to an e-commerce website, loyalty program signup, or an exclusive offer. This closes the gap between the offline and online worlds. And it means that no touchpoint with a customer ever goes to waste. Because now, every offline opportunity is connected to a digital one. Not to mention the fact that QRs make marketing more trackable.
QR codes don’t just represent a connection; they serve organizations with rich data. With every scan, companies get a read on where, when, on what type of device, and with what frequency a customer responds. Consider it the raw material for any business operating in the quest for measurable, trackable performance. Are your campaigns working? Is better data-driven decision-making possible? Suppose you’re that fashion retailer, and by the summer, you discover the QR codes in your shop windows are getting a lot more foot traffic than the tags in your printed pages. You can shift resources to shore up marketing in areas providing the most return on your investments.
The relationship between brands and customers depends largely on mutual trust, which is difficult for brands to build when parts of their value chain are difficult to monitor. QR codes help establish this trust by offering customers all the information that they need for a purchasing decision. Customers concerned with the history of a food product can receive the nutritional facts and supply chain details, while customers buying cosmetics may want information on cruelty-free certifications. Brands have nothing to lose by offering this information; in fact, they will increase the likelihood that a customer will purchase the item.
QR codes are no longer exclusive to the retail or food sector. They are becoming more popular in a wider array of industries:
Since their functionality is so wide-ranging, businesses of any size or industry can afford this solution.
With all the evolution taking place with digital marketing strategies, QR codes are starting to see an update. Unlike static codes, dynamic QR codes can be changed after they’re printed. This allows more flexibility and less waste than their static counterparts. Augmented reality integration, gamification, personalized messaging, and deeper QR code analytics are just a few of the updates we’ll be seeing in the near future. If you weren’t already planning to include QR codes in your marketing strategy, these new features will probably change your tune.
