I'll never forget the first time dining at a restaurant after my pandemic-induced hibernation. Before I could ask for a menu, the waitress nodded towards a piece of paper with a barcode on it. "Open your phone camera and scan it. The menu should pop up."

QR codes have become a common sight almost overnight — from cereal boxes and billboards to even员工制服. With a94% increase在2018年至2020年的互动中,无可否认的QR码在新的无触摸世界中看到了史诗般的复兴。

Free Download: How to Build and Use QR Codes for Business & Marketing 

Let's explore the origins of the QR code, learn how it works, and discuss ways it can refresh your marketing strategy.

目录

什么是QR码?

Static vs. Dynamic QR Codes

How do QR codes work?

The Origins of the QR Code [+ Its 2020 Revival]

QR Codes for Marketing

什么是QR码?

Short for quick response, QR codes are scannable barcodes that store data. In the marketing sphere, they're commonly used to redirect users to landing pages, websites, social media profiles, or store coupons.

例如,有人可以将QR码放在其名片的背面,以将您引向他们的LinkedIn个人资料。广告牌上的QR码可以将您发送到着陆页。

QR codes vary in design and function, and primarily fall into one of the following categories — static or dynamic.

Static vs. Dynamic QR Codes

静态QR码包含一旦实时就无法修改的信息。这意味着任何错字或失误都会要求您创建一个全新的。好消息是静态代码不bob官网官方网站会过期 - 因此,一旦设置了内容,就完成了工作。

静态QR码是存储固定或敏感信息的理想选择 - 想想Wi-Fi密码,员工ID号或访问代码。但是,如果您需要定期更新数据,它们就不会有帮助。

Dynamic QR codesallow you to change your info as many times as you want. This is because the information isn't ingrained into the code itself. Instead, it redirects users to a specific URL that can be changed at any time. For example, a restaurant can redirect users to a menu on their website.

动态QR码的主要好处是能够收集扫描指标。虽然您无法从用户访问个人信息,但您可以看到每次扫描使用的时间,位置和设备。作为营销人员,我们知道这些指标对于衡量竞选活动的有效性至关重要。

How do QR codes work?

QR码的工作原理与超市的条形码类似。每个QR码组成的黑色正方形和点代表不同的信息。扫描时,条形码上的独特模式转化为可读的数据。此交易发生在几秒钟内。

Users must scan the code with a QR reader or scanner, although nowadays most people scan QR codes with smartphones. On the off chance your phone doesn't have the capability, there are plenty of free apps for QR scanning likeNeoReaderand快速标记条形码扫描仪.

The Origins of the QR Code [+ Its 2020 Revival]

Invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara, chief engineer ofDenso Wave, the original purpose of the QR code was to track vehicles and parts moving through the assembly line.

Despite being a mid-90s invention, the QR code didn't gain any substantial momentum until the era of smartphones. But even then, users had to download a third-party app to scan the codes. A real breakthrough came in 2017 when Apple integrated a QR reader into its phones, and other manufacturers quickly followed suit.

得益于可及性,随后进行了新的炒作,然后随着营销人员的兴趣落在了路边,很快就消失了。也就是说,直到2020年。您可能可以猜测我要去哪里。

In the US alone,11 millionhouseholds scanned a QR code in 2020 — a significant jump from 9 million in 2018.

With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the QR code gave businesses a new way to communicate with customers in a suddenly touchless society. From hospitality and food to retail and manufacturing, a variety of companies used them for the first time.

对于营销人员而言,QR码可以从战略上弥合离线和在线媒体之间的差距。他们很快就变成了动态的二维召唤按钮 - 作为工具运行以吸引客户,激发行动,推动流量并分享信息而无需投资大量资金。

那么,QR码是否要留下来?他们是否在大流行世界中赢得了永久席位仍在进行辩论,但是自从其在大会上首次亮相以来,它就不可否认的是令人难以置信的旅程。

这里有几种使用QR码来刷新营销策略的方法。

QR Codes for Marketing

1. QR codes can help you stand out from the crowd.

Differentiating your business from your competitors is definitely a marketing 101 lesson. If used correctly, QR codes can spike the curiosity of your customers and prospects alike. Use this opportunity to link QR codes to exclusive offers or valuable content to carry that curiosity through to a sale.

For example, check outSparkPlug Coffeewho ran a giveaway where users could enter by scanning a QR code.

2.QR码让你焦油get consumers on the go.

零售商,您不希望有一种与客户互动的方法吗?将QR码集成到您的商店标牌和其他印刷广告中。无论您是提供店内购物的优惠券,还是提供新闻通讯的简便方法,QR码都使客户和潜在客户非常容易在手机上快速访问您的信息。bob官网官方网站

REI, an outdoor sports apparel retailer, had this signage on the front door of one of their stores to pique interest about their frequent shopper program. Instead of calling out the program, they focused on the benefit (dividends) and provided a QR code linked to a list of products people could purchase with their dividends.

3. QR codes make real life interactive like the web.

Many businesses are shifting their time and budgets to digital advertising, which is more interactive and easier to track than traditional advertising.

QR码通过将静态内容转换为动态的呼叫功能按钮来添加交互式组件。从要求客户留下Google评论到将其重定向到品牌的Facebook页面,您可以选择吸引客户。

Even museums, libraries, and parks are leveraging QR codes to breathe life into displays and park benches. Check out this example from the惠特尼美国艺术博物馆在纽约市:

4.QR代码是免费的,易于设置。

企业可以访问多种资源,可以使他们插入着bob体育苹果系统下载安装陆页URL并创建QR码,该QR代码将通过单击按钮将用户引导到该URL。

网站喜欢QRCODE猴子andFlowcode允许您在几分钟之内设置QR码,并为您提供适当的图像格式以在设计中使用。

QR codes are certainly having a moment in the marketing sphere. If you're thinking about adding them to your strategy, remember that the best practice is to create value. Make sure each code leads to a source of value — such as a coupon or promotion — and requires as few clicks as possible.

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Originally published Dec 23, 2021 7:00:00 AM, updated March 22 2022

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