So many internet fads have come and gone, but the only one that has stuck around in time is the QR Code (Quick Response Code). You must have seen the codes plenty of times in your everyday dealings. The day is not far away when QR Codes will dominate mobile marketing. If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur, you can (and must) use the power of QR codes for marketing to target and connect with a broader range of audiences quickly, no matter where and how you wish to advertise your products and services.
What is QR Code?
We all have heard about barcodes. Just look around the back of any product package; you will find it. Since 1970, they have been utilized in many places, from supermarket groceries to large cargo. Now essentially, QR codes are the modern extensions of barcodes.
This is what a QR Code looks like:
Those usually black and white squares in blocks have a colorful reputation. Although they gained immense popularity in 2010 across the US and Europe, they faded away due to poor implementation. QR codes are since then stubbornly finding their way to the top because of their simplistic, un-technical nature and easy development.
The Japanese, Chinese, and the rest of Southeast Asia are increasingly using QR codes to connect the online world seamlessly with the offline world.
Consumers are now using their devices more than ever. Smartphones have made it easy to access everything in the blink of an eye. Compared to 2013, mobile usage for internet and web views has increased from 14% to 51% in 2019. QR codes make everything accessible in a snap of a finger, including getting information from business to consumer and vice-versa.
Why should you use QR Codes for Marketing?
Modern-day marketers have been using QR codes on web pages, apps, magazines, or any virtual campaign to promote communication and engagement through smartphones.
It is a versatile marketing tool
QR Codes act as a direct link to the online realm. You can use them to accomplish just about any digital marketing task, be it product packaging, on labels, and TV advertising to magazine pages, billboards, and of course, web and mobile applications.
It also means you can use QR codes to offer virtually anything to your users, including contact details, money transactions, product descriptions, tracking a shipment, composing mail, offering coupons, voting, and special promotions and discounts.
Easy trackability helps marketers gain valuable information
QR Codes and web analytics together can bring remarkable improvements to your business. You can use them together as a measuring tool to manage campaigns. For instance, you can employ them for placements and gain valuable information, such as campaign progress, performance, and what is working and what is not.
For instance, you can know when, where, and what device the consumer scanned your QR code exactly. The tracking and traceability are transparent and happen in real-time, making your efforts long-lasting and effective.
Boost, and at the same time, streamline customer engagement
Consumers can scan QR codes and instantly engage themselves with your marketing message. For instance, to know more about your brand or product, your consumer scans the QR code on the label. And the information you provide will hold their memory for a more extended period, making consumers more involved.
Consumers usually are the target of hundreds of advertisements each day. By scanning the QR code, your customer voluntarily chooses to learn more about you, which is a significant achievement in customer retention strategy.
Achieve direct connection between you and the consumer
If you want your customers to actively and directly communicate with you, you must leverage the power of QR codes. QR codes, coupled with AI, can establish a direct link between you and your products and your consumers.
For instance, your consumers can offer their feedback on your products and services through QR codes. You can use the data from this initial interaction, be it an email id or contact number, to establish further rapport and provide a customized experience.
Integrate the online and offline world seamlessly
QR Codes also can seamlessly integrate the online world with the offline world. They allow you to drive offline sales and promotions to boost an app or any digital product.
By leveraging modern technologies, along with QR codes, you can identify the exact point where your consumer has shown interest in your marketing campaign and use the data to tempt consumers to make a solid purchase or engage furthermore.
QR Codes are simple, cost-efficient, and visually attractive
This probably should be the number one reason marketers today must use QR codes. QR codes are simple, universally accepting, and cost-effective.
Apart from a smartphone, which every person owns today, no other equipment is required. QR codes can reach your niche consumers anytime and anywhere with a phone.
Unlike traditional holograms and barcodes, QR codes can change their size and color. They don’t need to be black and white. You can also add images, logos, and other graphical enhancements with the help of an expert QR designer.
Conclusion
Ultimately, QR codes are here to stay, thanks to the massive distribution of mobile devices and the substantial need for mobile marketing. If you are not into mobile marketing, 2019 is perhaps the best year to implement it in your business. Introduction of 5G, larger smartphone displays, unlimited network usability from cellular companies, and of course, the number of smartphones and tablets having the ability to detect QR codes with cameras are the reasons why QR codes are going to dominate the marketing world and boost brand recognition and customer engagement.
You can use QRcodeChimp to create exciting QR codes for your marketing needs.
