The Do’s and Dont’s of QR Codes
DO- Optimize for mobile use- code reader apps are used on smart phones
DO- Use a link shortener- A long link and the code will appear dense and dark
DO- Provide some sort of instructions on how to download a QR code scanner
and how to scan the code. You could even go so far as to explain what will
happen once the code has been scanned.
DO- Consider using designer QR codes. The extra design effort will make the
code more appealing, thus more likely to be scanned.
DO- Consider the multitude of uses for QR codes. They can be used to make
direct phone calls, send text messages, link to landing pages designed to
generate “likes” and followers, and make purchases directly from your mobile
phone.
DO- Make the link worthwhile. Remember people have taken the time to
download a reader and scan the code. Also, make sure the code is fitting with the
overall campaign and that you aren’t just using a QR code to use one.
DON’T- Place a QR code on a web page. Most of the time, QR codes are used
to link to the web. You could use a regular link on the web avoiding the extra
steps of a QR code.
DON’T- Forget measurement and tracking. As always, it is important to measure
the use of the codes to make sure that the campaign was successful. With
the proper analytics, you can figure out how many scans the code received,
what type of device scanned the code and even what time of day the code was
scanned.
DON’T- Shrink the QR code in order to save space. Users might not notice the
code, defeating the purpose.
DON’T- Forget to TEST, TEST, TEST
Here are a few fun examples of great QR code use…
Here is one odd, creative way to use QR codes…
**A big thanks to Ryan Freebing of White | Thompson in Nashville and everyone
else who participated in our “Write our next blog” contest on Facebook!