QR Codes, short for "quick response" codes, are little black and white squiggly barcodes that usually look something like this:
(I say "usually" because they can be different colors and shapes, but you get the picture.) You'll often find them on direct mail, signage, billboards, maybe even in commercials. Originally designed in Japan for the automotive industry, marketers adopted the barcodes because of their large storage capacity and ability to translate additional information to consumers beyond what creative and/or packaging could convey. If a consumer sees a QR code somewhere, they can take out their mobile device, open up a QR code scanner, and "scan" the barcode to gain access to additional information, like so:
So if you wanted to promote, say, a podcast series on an advertisement at a bus stop, you could create a QR code that sends scanners to your iTunes page. Make sense? Cool. How to Create a QR Code The QR code creation process is pretty straightforward. Here's how to get started. 1) Select a QR code generator. There are tons of QR code generators out there, but a few of the post popular include Kaywa, GOQR.me, Visualead, and QR Stuff. Some things to look for when choosing a QR code generator are whether you can track and analyze performance, if it allows you to design a code that's unique to your brand, and if it is compatible with common QR code readers. 2) Design and link it up.
The fun part of creating QR codes is customizing the design of the codes to your brand. Want your code to look like your logo? Go for it. Want it to reflect your website's design scheme? Should be no problem. To demonstrate how easy it is, let's select one of the QR code generators above and do a walkthrough together. I'll select GOQR.me. Step 1: Select what type of content you want your QR code to send the consumer to -- we'll choose a URL for this example.
Step 2: Insert the content (in this case, a URL).
Step 3: Check out the preview, customize as desired, then download and/or embed where needed.
Quite simple, right? Of course, you can customize your QR code further -- adjusting the colors, adding a logo, creating social options, and more. 3) Test the QR code. In all the excitement of creating your first QR code, don't forget to check to see if the QR code “reads” correctly, and be sure to try more than just one reader. A good place to start is the free tool Google Goggles, which takes a picture and then tells you what link or item it “reads to.” Another great free tool isQR Code Reader, which automatically takes you to whatever it “reads.” Apple's Passbookalso offers a built-in QR code reader on iOS 7, so you should test to make sure your code is readable there, as well.
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