QR Codes 101

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Quick Response codes (QR codes) are gaining popularity because consumers want immediate access to what’s relevant and QR codes are being used to make that possible.

If you’re not yet familiar with QR codes, they’re similar to the barcodes used by retailers to track inventory and price products at the point of sale. The key difference between the two is the amount of data they can hold or share.

Bar codes are linear one-dimensional codes and can only hold up to 20 numerical digits, whereas QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodes that can hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. Their ability to hold more information and their ease of use makes them practical for small businesses.

When you scan or read a QR code with your iPhone, Android or other camera-enabled Smartphone, you can link to digital content on the web; activate a number of phone functions including email, IM and SMS; or connect the mobile device to a web browser.

Any of these functions are easily achieved by us properly creating your QR code for you.

The ability of QR codes to connect people with each other and to multimedia digital content is very useful for businesses and consumers alike.

Half of smartphone owners have scanned QR codes and 18 percent of them made a purchase after scanning, according to a new survey from Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies (source: http://blog.cmbinfo.com/qr-codes). In addition to using QR codes as part of the purchase process, 21 percent of those who scanned a QR code shared the information with someone. Despite their prevalence, only 21 percent of smartphone owners know QR codes by name, according to the report. However, nearly all respondents reported having seen QR codes.

Practical Uses of QR Codes

Here are some of the ways QR codes are used now, as well as a few that we believe we will be seeing in the very near future.

Where QR Codes could be used:

• The back (or front and back) of your business card.
• Your brochures and other marketing materials.
• The sides of trucks and trailers.
• Product tags and packaging
• Convention and event nametags
• Restaurant menus
• Event ticket stubs
• Point-of-sale receipts

What QR Codes could link to:

• Your website
• Your facebook or Twitter page
• Directions to your business
• The process for hiring your professional services
• Valuable coupons and special offers
• A restaurant’s menu
• Recommendations for complementary products and services
• Free mp3 downloads
• Customer feedback forms

The Future of QR Codes and Tags

The potential for QR Codes is limitless.  What’s most exciting is how they take what social media is doing well now, bringing people together with technology, and extending it to enhance the experience.

We are sure that the next generation of barcodes will hold even more information – so much that an Internet connection may not even be necessary.  The content will be effectively embedded in the code. It’s amazing to consider where this can go.