What is a QR code? Everything you need to know is here

Created on 4 August, 2022 • Learn • 6 minutes read

QR codes or quick response code allows access to specific information in an agile and straightforward way. So what is a QR code?

In this post, we will talk about what is a QR code, what are its characteristics, how they work, and how you can create your own.

Sounds interesting?

Keep reading; there is so much to learn about QR codes!

What is a QR code?

QR codes or quick response code allows access to specific information in an agile and straightforward way. In this post, we will talk about what is a QR code, what are its characteristics, how they work, and how you can create your own.

QR codes (also called “Quick Response”) are two-dimensional barcodes, which were developed by the Japanese company Denso Wave, in 1994.

Regarding the data they can handle, you will be interested to know that they can contain up to 4,200 alphanumeric characters, that is, letters, numbers, and characters.

Information to use in QR codes

Promotions and discounts

You can insert a link that directs the user to a discount coupon to use in the purchase of a specific product, or in any of your products. Another option is to attach a PDF or image to your QR code, in the Square QR, QR code generator you can find this option under “attach file”.

Click on this link to find some great examples to use QR codes with promotions and discounts.

Videos

You can share YouTube videos to explain the use of a product or provide helpful content.

Contact information

You can also add data like the location of your business on google maps, telephone, email, web page, social networks, etc.

WIFI access

A great way to use QR codes is to create one to access the wifi password of your business so that customers can use the laptop or smartphone while they are consuming at your establishment. Two in one the easier it is for them to get the password the happier they will get, and also the longer they will stay or more often will come back. This will increment their consumption of your business.

Where to use QR codes?

QR codes can be used in any marketing campaign in a company. Nevertheless, as in any other strategy is important to consider how, when, and where you will use it.

Here are some suggestions to use QR codes:

Products

Through the packaging, you have the opportunity to offer more information about the product or service such as nutritional tables for CPG, or to communicate marketing activations like contests and offer discounts for the next purchase.

Posters and Brochures

Here you can redirect the consumers to the Facebook page to give the “Like”, follow us on Instagram, or any other information that you may want them to access.

Public sites

You can take advantage of public places where many people pass by to insert your QR code, such as bus stops, at the entrance of museums or theatres, libraries, etc.

Business cards

If you want to add valuable information to your business card, you can include a QR code and even share a video presentation about your company.

Let us show you a fantastic example of using QR codes to attract and engage visitors like Ding Darling Refuge in Florida:

How to read QR codes?

The matrix of points in which the data is stored in a QR code is not readable by the human eye. It must be read with a mobile phone or with a device that has the corresponding application (a QR code reader). The reading of the code takes place in a matter of seconds. Besides, thanks to the error correction, the reading also works even if a piece is missing in the code.

The uses of QR codes

Logistics

The first QR codes were used by the Japanese automaker Toyota. They serve for the marking and registration of parts and all types of components.

Journals

Often in times, QR codes appear in magazines and newspapers. When scanning, the reader accesses easily and directly certain websites without any stress or frustration, for example, on the contrary to typing long and complex URLs. QR codes can enrich the physical world through different kinds of media and redirect to the online world. For example, an article in a magazine can have a QR code to show a video related to the topic and redirect your customers to your online magazine or website.

Marketing

The use of QR codes in marketing campaigns is increasing the use of QR codes, creating exponential growth among businesses, and decreasing advertisement costs.

Business card

Instead of writing names, addresses, and phone numbers, smartphone users can scan the business card (vCard) corresponding to a QR code, and add all that information to their calendar, email lists, etc.

The keys to using Dynamic QR codes

Dynamic QR codes allow you to change their content as many times as you like. On the contrary, Static QR codes encode the information after they are generated, so once you set their content, you will not be able to change it.

No reprints

One of the most significant advantages of Dynamic QR codes is that you can change the destination of the URL without changing the code. Eliminating the costs, time, and extra effort of reproducing all the promotional material with a new web address or a unique QR code.

When customers scan the QR code, they are automatically redirected to your website, your email, etc., saving the company the cost of printing and distributing new marketing materials. While the website is still active, it does not matter if the client scans the code years after its initial distribution.

Smartphones are not going anywhere

The more smartphones there are, the higher the accessibility. The growth of advertising in digital media is evolving every year. Every day, more and more people are buying and using smartphones, so it is interesting to combine instant access to the Internet with the ability to scan QR codes.

QR codes can also direct customers to the company’s social networks. Social media is one of the fastest-growing viral marketing methods, and typically provides a significant return on a relatively small investment.

Relevant information: Companies have always been interested in tracking the preferences of customers and the response of consumers to advertising campaigns. Traditional marketing tools such as flyers, print ads, billboards, and television ads can only offer estimates of their circulation figures. With QR codes, companies can generate and track customer responses to their advertising campaigns in real-time because they can tag their links within the QR code with UTM parameters. This allows increasingly specific marketing campaigns.

Creating a QR code

QR codes can be created and saved as graphics files or images. They can then be placed on a business card, website, or product, sent by email, or via instant messaging.

In a previous post, we talked about the ultimate QR code generator for your business to help you understand how a QR code generator works and why you should use them for your business.

Creating a QR code can be effortless and fast thanks to our QR code generator which will help you create dynamic QR codes to use repeatedly in your QR code campaigns. Take a look and try our QR code generator today!

To sum up

What is a QR code?

QR codes or quick response codes allow access to specific information in an agile and straightforward way.

There are infinite uses of QR codes. Here are some examples:

• Events
• Commercial premises
• Products
• Posters and Brochures
• Public Sites
• Business Cards
• And many more use-cases

QR codes can be read by the newest smartphones and QR code readers.

Some key points of QR codes are:

• No need to reprint (dynamic QR codes)
• Can be read on smartphones
• Track customers' responses in real-time