The Future is Bright for QR codes. 20.1 million users is a respectable number but experts agree this number will grow significantly, in keeping with the aggressive growth trend in usage over the last few years. Interestingly enough, while usage is up, how these codes are being used is changing significantly.
Unlike a printed brochure or poster, the QR code is one marketing tactic that you can create for free! There are many free code generator services, all you need to do is run a search for these on Google. What makes the use of these codes so successful as one of your marketing tactics is the way in which you strategically use codes as part of your marketing plan.
For example, 10 years ago you might have placed an ad in a newspaper to promote your store or product. In that ad you may encouraged your market to visit the store or call for more information. Today you can actually sell your products or services online in addition to offline options and that online information can be included in the very same ad that you place in your local newspaper (print or online editions).
The big difference is today instead of including a long or difficult-to-remember URL or physical address in your ad, you can (also) include one of these codes. That way your prospective customers with smart phones can get all the information, they want, by using a special scanner on their phone. Understanding how your prospective customers use QR codes is very important to the success of your QR code strategy.
The QR code consists of square dots in a square pattern against a white background.
Businesses and organizations using QR codes place in them in “high recognition” places, like a magazine ad, a street poster, or dozens of other creative places where the intended buyer is likely to be.
QR Code Readers
Once your intended audience sees the QR code they need to scan it using a procedure that is identical to the process of taking a picture with the exception that they’ll require a special “application” or “QR Code Reader App” to scan the code successfully.
They will then be taken to your website or other destination for more information. The code reader application turns a Smartphone into a QR code reader. There are numerous free code reader applications for a variety of Smartphones, including the “QR App” for the iPhone and the “Barcode Scanner” for Androids.
There are some common features of these code readers that you’ll want to ensure the Reader creator you choose comes equipped with, including:
• Setting up system alerts
• Displaying text
• Adding events to calendars
• Opening URLs in a browser
• Collecting contact information (for things like contact databases)
• Sending email
• Sending text messages (SMS)
• Geo-location
• Connecting to WiFi
• Calling other phones
The fact that QR codes require the intended audience to have a Smartphone is in many respects a limiting factor you should take into consideration as you create your marketing strategy.
Not everyone owns a smart phone – yet. In fact, a recent 2012 report from Nielson Research indicates that only a little over half of all U.S. mobile subscribers are Smartphone owners. While that is still a large number of people, if your target market is in that half of the population NOT using smart phones you don’t want dedicate your valuable marketing time and resources to QR code efforts.
This leads us to an important point that needs to be made about market research. You can’t know how each of your customers might interact with your company via these codes but you can use current market research to make intelligent assumptions about who might be more inclined to buy your product.
- Post Time: 01-02-16 - By: http://www.rfidang.com