It’s All About the (QR) Code

October 19th, 2011 by Tony Trego

Are you taking advantage of QR (quick response) codes as part of your marketing efforts? By creating a direct link from print to the Web, QR codes give you an immediate response mechanism and allow consumers to interact with you the way they increasingly want to interact—using their mobile phones.

But in the world of marketing, this technology is fairly new. Are consumers familiar with these codes? If you put QR codes on your print pieces, will your audience actually scan them?

First, it’s important not to use QR codes as your only response mechanism. Marketing campaigns should offer several ways for people to respond so they can pick which is most convenient for them. This isn’t just for QR codes. It’s for any marketing campaign. It’s just good marketing.

Second, people are scanning QR codes. They are doing it more and more each day. ScanLife, which is one of the many providers of software for generating QR codes, has reported that in Q2 2010, users of its system were scanning 10 scans per minute. One year later— Q2 2011—they were scanning 60 scans per minute.

How are people most likely to be using QR codes?

•61% are scanning them to get online pricing

•17% are scanning them to access coupons

•16% are scanning them to get product details

•4% are scanning them to access local prices

•3% are scanning them to access customer reviews
What does this mean for you? Do any of your campaigns encourage customers to access online pricing? Coupons? Get product details or customer reviews? If so, QR codes are something you should be actively investigating.

Likewise, if you’re marketing into the 25-44 age demographic, you should wait no longer. According to ScanLife, growth in its 2D barcode scanning is up 30% and 34%, respectively, in those age groups, regardless of the vertical they are shopping in or how those codes are being used.

This is data from a single company, but other QR code generators are reporting similar results. If you’re not at least considering QR codes as a response mechanism for your next campaign, we encourage you to talk to us. We have lots more reasons why you should.