To QR or not to QR – that is the question...

Tuesday, 16 August 2011 13:25

QR stands for Quick Response and if you haven’t already seen these techno looking boxes being used by organisations for all sorts of reasons – you very soon will.

The QR code originated in Japan and was originally used in a similar way to barcodes, carrying information about a given part for manufacturing environments that could be easily catalogued and instantly accessed in online environments.

More recently we have seen these little devils spring up in towns and cities across the UK to assist the general public with information on the move. Norwich is one such example where a local council has adopted QR technology to provide navigation assistance and tourist information to users.

With an increasingly mobile population and accompanying mass explosion in the use of smartphone technologies (and it is estimated that a staggering 85% of mobile users will be have smart phones by 2015), advertisers and marketers have now also latched on the possibilities of the QR code for engagement of their target audience and recognise how powerful this medium can be in offering a further “touch point” with an audience. With the right strategy and approach QR could drive conversions like never before for you.

So how does QR work?

Smartphone users can download free QR readers as application software to their smart phones (these are web enabled phones) and once installed are able to point this device at the code. Once read, the code will take the user to a given web destination to view, redeem or purchase.

For marketing and advertising purposes at SME level – we are finding that currently, QR is primarily being used to drive traffic to web pages for further information often from direct marketing, although there are many other ways in which this can be used - including V Cards and SMS messages.

As an organisation, you can generate a QR code really easily using anyone of a number of generators online although our favourite is this one that covers all possibilities - http://www.qrstuff.com/

However, before you rush off to “get with it” and create your QR code, a word of warning - QR is not for everyone - like all good marketing concepts – you need to decide if it right for your target audience...

Five key Factors you should consider for before you start a QR campaign:-

  • Is your target audience the right age? Research shows that the early adopters of this technology are aged between 25 and 45
  • Does your target audience use smart phone technology in their everyday lives and will they understand the purpose of QR?
  • Do you have a specific goal or aim for the user once they reach the page – is there true value in it for them?
  • Is the page you are sending the visitor friendly for mobile itself?
  • If the code is static (ie on a lamppost or in a similar fixed position), is it in a place where there is a strong data signal?

So, QR is right for us – what next?

Once you have decided that a QR code is right for you and created it (see our link above), it is essential that you:-

USE it at a sensible size! Not so small it cannot be read by the software but not so large that it detracts from your main marketing messages

Location, location, location - Put it in the right place and use it sparingly on literature – one QR code per marketing piece will be enough – creatively, there are limitations on how pretty these can look for most people (although you can create bespoke codes at a cost too!)

TEST it – make sure that the page is accessible from the code you have produced and don’t just test it on one phone or reader – make sure you have covered all technologies to ensure you don’t upset your target audience before you have even engaged them!

To find out more information on how Elan can help you to integrate QR technology into your marketing strategy, contact us for a free no obligation discovery meeting.