{"id":117114,"date":"2011-10-14T02:07:00","date_gmt":"2011-10-14T07:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/using-qr-codes-more-effectively-to-optimize-conversion\/"},"modified":"2024-12-19T16:40:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T21:40:12","slug":"using-qr-codes-more-effectively-to-optimize-conversion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/en-ca\/insights\/blog\/strategy\/using-qr-codes-more-effectively-to-optimize-conversion\/","title":{"rendered":"Using QR codes more effectively to optimize conversion"},"content":{"rendered":"

QR codes have generated a lot of buzz, but are they still a valid tool to use in marketing planning? Many marketers likely wonder what QR codes are and how can they be used to make money. A QR code is a bar code that can be scanned and read by a smartphone. One can be placed on a print ad, on a website, or on a bus shelter ad, etc. People can then load a reader application on their smartphone, which scans the code, prompting the code to perform some sort of predetermined action. For instance, a QR code can link to a mobile website, dial a phone number, load a video…<\/p>\n

There have been some very good examples of companies using QR codes in innovative ways to tell a story or interest an audience. But there have also been some cringe-worthy failures, too. As the tactic has moved firmly out of the \u201cnew\u201d and into the \u201cmainstream\u201d, it\u2019s no longer enough to simply add one and look innovative by extension. People are more accustomed to seeing \u2013 and therefore ignoring \u2013 QR codes in ads. QR code campaign needs to work a lot harder to deliver results. If you\u2019re thinking about integrating QR codes into your next campaign, where should you start? Here are some things to think about:<\/p>\n

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  1. Don\u2019t ask \u201cwhat?\u201d, ask \u201cwhy?\u201d<\/strong> QR codes have been deemed by some as a fad- fads appear quickly and disappear even quicker. Rather than focusing on the \u201cwhat\u201d of a QR code, a successful campaign should begin by asking \u201cwhy?\u201d What are your objectives? Is there perhaps a better way to accomplish those goals? This mitigates the risk of using a flash-in-the-pan tactic. And here\u2019s a hint: If the answer to the \u201cwhy?\u201d question is \u201cbecause it will make us look cool and trendy?\u201d, then you\u2019ve probably already missed the boat on QR codes. It\u2019s kind of like a company that\u2019s basing its 2012 digital planning on MySpace.<\/li>\n
  2. Speak to the right audience<\/strong>. Reading a QR code requires two things at minimum: A smartphone with data access, and a reader application. This automatically reduces your potential target audience to a specific group. The good news is that this group is growing rapidly, and is highly sought after as a target for many marketers \u2013 63% have a university degree, 71% have a household income of over $50k, and 48% are in that critical 35-54 age segment[1]<\/a>.\u00a0 The bad news is that this may not be the right audience for your marketing initiative.<\/li>\n
  3. Provide an incentive.<\/strong> Gone are the days when simply placing a code in an ad was enough to intrigue people into scanning it. Codes will be ignored unless there\u2019s a clear incentive to scan. In a survey of QR code early adopters,\u00a0 the top reasons why people said they would scan a code included:\n