Technology places no limit on how or even how much information you can share about your business. Years ago we saw websites appearing in ads to market businesses, then MySpace sparked everyone’s attention, which eventually led to the use of Facebook pages and Twitter profiles as a tool to drive people back to their websites.
Now, QR codes are becoming the next big thing and can be found almost anywhere. You can spot them in ads, as avatars, on business cards and boarding passes, and even in Times Square. With nearly 20 percent of visits to company sites being prompted or directed by social media and less than 1% via direct links, according to a recent study, QR codes are a great way to enhance search engine and social media optimization.
So, what is a QR code and why is this something that you should care about? A QR code works similarly to a bar code and holds data that you can share with others. These codes are practical for businesses because it is an easy way to direct people to digital content to view a website, make a phone call, send an email or text and perform an array of other functions. Plus, it offers the entertainment of discovery to an audience, as well as the opportunity to connect with a brand.
You are probably thinking that this is way out of your technical ability, but the truth is QR codes are painless to create. All you need is:
– An audience with a smart phone and QR code reader
– An application to create QR codes, and
– A purpose and place for QR codes to be used that your target audience will recognize and be willing to scan.
The most difficult part is figuring out how to implement them. Here are a few places that you can consider incorporating QR codes to boost your branding:
* Business Cards – Direct your contacts and potential clients to your website or get your phones ringing by setting up QR codes to make a phone call. Scans have increased offline to online engagement for many businesses.
* Brochures/Posters – Link to a website to provide additional information about a campaign or an email list to build your subscriber list.
* Event ticket stubs – Use QR codes to give directions to the venue.
* Landing Pages –QR codes generate “Like” buttons that lead to Facebook sites and Twitter pages so that you can get a new fan or quick follow.
* Product tags and packaging – Link to a mp3 download or YouTube video with instructions to install a device or a web page thanking your customers for a purchase. Give reasons for people to continue using your product.
* Point-of-sale receipts – Let your customers/clients tell you how well you are performing by linking to a feedback form.
You’ll see that there are multiple ways to promote engagement and connect with your audience with QR codes. This might be the best tactic to support your next marketing strategy, and if it is, give us a call, we can help! In the meantime, pull out your smart phone and scan the barcode below to see how else we are fulfilling client needs: