Quickness of Response is a key element in any successful marketing campaign and so is a QR code which stands for Quick Response Code. 86.29% of the world’s population owns at least one smartphone – that’s 6.92 billion people who are capable of scanning a QR code. And you are just one QR code creator away from designing one.
The real question is, why should you bother? What is the importance of a QR code which people may or may not scan from an offline source, when 55% of all marketing is already digital and a large part of the audience doesn’t even look at billboards and posters any more?
In this article we’ll help you understand the importance of QR codes and QR code generators from a digital marketing perspective. We’ll settle some debates and resolve some doubts.
What is the scope of a QR code?
A QR code goes far beyond enabling online payments at offline stores. It can use the same principle used for guiding a scanner to a payment gateway to direct your customer to a website, a landing page, a social media profile, or a promotional video. Its scope is virtually infinite. You can direct a customer anywhere on the internet with the help of a QR code. It bridges the gap between your online and offline presence quickly.
3 reasons why you should make QR codes a part of your marketing campaigns
Marketing has changed a lot over the last couple of decades. There has been an increasing tilt towards digital mediums of marketing with businesses now ready to pay big money to influencers to promote their brands on social media. At this point it is easy to be adaptive and innovative.
1. Connect online and offline presence
If your business has both online and offline storefronts, it is important that you connect them. What’s the value in that? Imagine, a customer arrives at your offline outlet and buys a product. You encourage them to scan a QR code which takes them to a landing page where they can share a review or create a profile with their credentials. Now, that offline customer also becomes an online lead – an addition to your email list, a target for your discounts and offers and special marketing content.
This is how a simple QR code can help you create a flow of transactions between your online and offline fronts.
2. Instant access to vital information
The best part about QR codes is that it is quick. Let’s say you run a restaurant which has a pretty diverse menu – we’re talking 10 pages of multi cuisine extravaganza – and a big crowd. It becomes so much easier for your customers to learn. What you have and order the right thing if they can simply scan a QR code to access your menu. It gets even better if your landing page lets the customer order directly. You can apply this pattern to any kind of business across industries. With a QR code, your customer has easy and sustained access to information. And remember, creating a QR code comes cheaper than printing large-font prints.
3. Track your campaigns
So, you’ve decided to start an offline marketing campaign on top of your regular digital marketing drills to reach more customers with your brand. You put up a few posters across the city with the advertising material, contact details, and a discount for quick responders. As a marketer habituated with accessing regular analytical data, you’d be frustrated by how intangible offline campaigns can be. A QR code with a tracking parameter can end your woes. You can use QR code trackers to learn when a code is being scanned, where and by how many. You’ll also learn how many of the scans are resulting in actions like a purchase or at least a website visit.
These insights will go a long way in helping you modify and optimize your campaigns for specific physical locations.
Why customize?
You can use a QR code creator to create QR code for various data types – Facebook, Instagram, marketing website, landing pages, or a payment gateway. But why would you miss out on a branding opportunity provided by the QR code frame itself. Recognition and recall are two pillars of branding. A QR code that carries a semblance of your logo or has a small message that makes an impression can help you build both recognition and recall. A customized QR code generator can help you create a QR code that speaks for you and creates an impression.
Active Noon Media is the largest local to national digital media website that represents the voice of the entire nation.