Sometimes barcodes are assimilated, with QR codes differentiated by various square-shaped patterns. It has been used for some years in marketing to make the brand better known, used in magazines, advertisements or even on the packaging of certain products to combine paper and digital media and attract more customers. is affixed to. So how to use QR codes well in your digital marketing strategy?
What is a QR code?
QR, literally Quick response Or Quick Response, is a code that appears on paper format to get different data instantly when you scan it with your phone. Invented in 1994 by the Japanese company Denso Wave, this code system was used to track the manufacture of parts and vehicles.
Barcodes designed during this period made it possible to encode alphanumeric characters in Japanese scripts, particularly kana, kanji, as well as. The square shape was specifically chosen by the system’s team of designers to make it scan and read more easily.
Quickly adopted in the automotive industry, QR codes are now essential to better know the origins of products purchased by consumers. With the passage of time, this transparency is also necessary for pharmaceutical and food products.
In order not to exercise its patent rights and to make QR codes available to the public, Denso Wave Company allows each company to independently create its own QR code. However, drives for this system were not yet publicly available. It was not until 2002 that the first readers appeared with the creation of the first mobile phones. The first micro QR codes were created in 2004 with rectangular shaped modules preceded by IQR codes.
During this time, the first iPhone appeared and the system became known internationally. Considering the effectiveness of this system in the field of marketing and promotion, organizations and brands are now resorting to its use. Having been awarded the Good Design Award in the field of industrial design, QR codes are now widespread across the globe. It is present on brochures, magazines, billboards and is also used to transfer payments.
Why Use QR Codes in Digital Marketing?
QR codes make it easy to switch from paper to digital. To perform this operation, the user needs to install a QR code reader application on his smartphone through the Google Play Store or iTunes Store. Then simply open the application and then point the smartphone’s camera at the code to achieve almost instantaneous decoding with the presence of all the data inside.
Estimate your return on investment
You can trace your QR code to know your ROI. By checking usage statistics, you are likely to reach in real time the number of visitors who have interacted with your content. Thanks to this system, you will improve your advertising campaign if you are not effective, explore effective communication techniques and learn how to make the right decisions at the right time.
improve user experience
QR Code simplifies the task of the user who no longer has to type the URL or remember the contents of the poster. The user experience is improved as he can summarize a lot of data in a short period of time.
Use QR Codes Effectively for Your Marketing Strategy
Before using a QR code, keep these elements in mind related to your goal and your objectives.
make a strategic plan
Take the time to get to know your goal along with your needs and expectations. Make sure your personality knows how to use it, especially using your smartphone.
To effectively measure your ad campaign later, define your objectives as follows:
- encourage you to install your mobile application;
- Grow your email list;
- Increase the number of likes and subscribers on your Facebook page…
After clearly defining your objectives, consider creating content that meets the needs of your consumers. By integrating this method into your marketing strategy, you can:
- Provide a simple payment method;
- Promote your products through video or photos;
- Increase engagement on your publications;
- Get more leads.
To encourage them to scan your QR code, create engaging content, such as:
- participation in a competition;
- VIP access;
- promotional offers;
- free download of an e-book;
- Virtual tour of your site.
Generate an effective QR code
To stand out from the competition, bet on a quality QR code with your logo and different colors to better personalize it. You will find various websites that allow you to perform this operation easily.
Its reading should be simplified with a minimum of relevant information. In fact, reading the image on the phone will be complicated if you put a lot of data inside it, as it will be made up of many dots that are difficult to decode.
Test it through different applications and on a variety of mobile devices to make sure everyone can read it.
Analyze the performance of your campaigns
Analyze the performance of your advertising campaign to determine whether you were able to achieve your goals. It is important to take stock of this step:
- Your goals: If you haven’t achieved them, they may not be achievable;
- Your goal: If your campaign wasn’t performing well, it means you may not have addressed the right audience;
- Your way to encourage scanning: For your next campaign, you can try another approach.
Why adopt QR codes in your marketing strategy?
When you scan a QR code found on a physical medium using a smartphone, you have instant access to digital content. If this system is forgotten for a few years, it has proved necessary with the change in consumer behavior in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to respecting social distancing measures, this solution makes it possible to limit physical interactions as much as possible. It is also ideal for simplifying contacts and encouraging contactless payments.
face-to-face customer experience
QR codes provide additional data online than the information available at physical points of sale. There are many advantages to offering some of the content in the digital version.
support to optimize
Paper Medium does not provide all detailed information on a specific product or service. The data provided should be both clear and concise to avoid overload and disinterest on the part of the reader.
It is better to give additional information in the digital version to calmly explain the description of the product or service. For example, if you sell food, you can provide a detailed presentation using the QR codes of local producers that are your affiliates. On the packaging of this product, you also have the possibility to propose the recipe available on your blog through this system.
By choosing this solution, you do:
- Increase traffic to your website;
- Savings, because you can update your content at any time. In addition, you lower your printing costs;
for health reasons
Although the social distancing measures taken during the COVID-19 crisis are no longer mandatory, it is interesting and safe for a trader to maintain them. Such an option makes it possible to minimize the various physical exchanges of presentation media for your products. Thus, the risks of transmission of viruses or potential diseases are limited.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, some restaurants adopted QR codes to avoid passing cards by hand. Thus code is pasted on each table to present the daily menu to the customers.
encourage contactless payments
Contactless payments were strongly encouraged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical and safe, this system is being developed for health reasons. It also costs less for your business. To use it, you can ask the customer to scan his merchant code or scan the customer’s QR code himself.
conclusion
QR code is used to complete the information given on the physical medium. Abandoned for a certain period, the system made a comeback during the Covid-19 pandemic. To use it effectively in your marketing strategy, you must first clearly define your goals and your objectives. For ease of reading, the code should include a minimum of relevant information. Once your advertising campaign is finished, it is essential to go through an analysis of its performance to improve it if necessary.