Total Followers 132,503
Are you using QR codes to drive traffic to your mobile website? If not, you should be. QR codes are the latest marketing craze here in the States, but they’re old news over in Japan. For those not familiar with QR codes they look similar to bar codes. They are those little square barcode-looking things that you’re seeing everywhere you turn. Marketers are putting QR codes in creative places in order to deliver a message or drive readers to their website.
When you see a QR code on a product, TV commercial, business card, etc. you can whip out your smart phone, open your QR code reader, and snap an image of the QR code. You are then taken to a marketing message or website landing page from whoever created the QR code. As you can probably guess, QR codes are great tools for driving readers to websites from anywhere on the planet. In this article we are going to review the benefits of using QR codes, list some of the top QR code generators, provide tips for creating successful QR codes, and review the steps you need to take to create your very own QR codes.
Photo by ideum
QR codes are the latest craze. You see them everywhere now. The main reason that we are seeing the widespread use of QR codes is due to the overwhelming benefits QR codes provide both the creators and the consumers of QR codes. The following are some of the top benefits QR codes can provide website owners:
These are just a few of the many benefits QR codes can offer website owners. Now that you have a better understanding of how QR codes can benefit your website, let’s review some of the top QR code generators in case you want to start using them!
We have glossed over a few of the main things that QR codes are usually linked to, but there are quite a few different things that you can direct QR code consumers too. Obviously for website owners, linking consumers to your website is a good idea, but what if you have a YouTube Channel and want them to see a new video you produced? What if you’re hosting an event somewhere and want to provide a map to the event? These are a few of the many things that can be linked to QR codes. Let’s review a few others:
Even though the goal is to increase website traffic with QR codes there are definitely different ways of doing it. Using QR codes can be an effective marketing strategy, but they don’t just have to be used to drive direct website traffic. Sometimes it may be better to drive people to a YouTube video and then hope that the video is valuable enough that they want to click-through to your website from YouTube. It really depends on what you’re trying to achieve. Many of you will use QR codes to drive QR code consumers directly to your website, but I wanted to show you that there are more uses than just driving website traffic if your needs change.
By now you must be salivating at the opportunity the QR codes can provide you. Before we get into the steps you need to take to create a successful QR code campaign, let’s first go over a few tips that might help you ensure success. For the most part, creating QR codes is a very easy task. With that said, there are still things that you can do, and things that you can avoid, in order to ensure that your QR codes function properly. Here are a few tips that you should consider when creating a QR code:
OK, it’s FINALLY time to create your very own QR code. For this example, we are going to use Maestro, which was recommended above. Each QR code generator has different steps involved and, even within the same QR code generator sometimes the steps are different depending on what you’re linking to (ie. URL, text, email, etc). We will create a QR code linking to a URL since that probably what most of you will be using QR codes for. Follow the steps below to create your own QR code:
There are a ton a FREE QR code generators out there. Some are better than others. Here’s a few of our favorite QR code generators:
That’s it! Pretty easy, huh? Again, each QR code generator is slightly different, but for the most part, these are the main steps you need to take to create a QR code. Please be sure to scan our QR code to join 1st Web Design on Facebook! ;)
Is anyone currently using QR codes? How have they been working for you? Please leave your comments below.
Get The Only Freelancer crash course you will ever need to read!
Ryan Taft is a twenty-something entrepreneur with a passion for helping small businesses use online marketing tools to reach more customers and prospects, build relationships with those folks, and ultimately grow sales.
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 21:52
This is a really thorough and inclusive article for getting started with QR codes – well done! We have been doing QR code campaigns for clients since early 2010, including a bunch of interesting QR code projects for SoundRabbit, a band in Boulder, Co, including “Viral” music T-Shirts, where people can download songs from fan shirts. Fans can wear their favorite song, or a collection of songs to help share the music as they walk around town.
There are so many interesting applications of QR code technology that are out there, and I’m super excited to see what’s next as the technology and implementation advances! Thanks again!
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 17:06
This is a great and thorough article to get people thinking strategically about how to use QR Codes. The strategic part is what I continuously see people forget when people send me examples via the #QRCodeInTheWild twitter hashtag I started. Slapping a QR Code on something is unlikely to provide measurable gains. If I might also suggest, please make sure to test before you deploy! Having used QR Codes for over 5 years I know I have made some mistakes myself.
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 14:37
extremely usefull article ………i am using blackberry…………….so its useful for promote my latest web directory website
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 01:16
QR codes are fantastic and have become increasingly popular. As opposed to other versions of this technology, like Microsoft Tags, they are open sourced so they can be created by a multitude of different companies. You can now find them anywhere, especially on food products at your local grocery. If you have a business, big or small, QR code is the way to go.
Monday, December 19th, 2011 23:33
Thanks. Glad someone explained this process clearly.
Get The Only Freelancer crash course you will ever need!
If not, then it's time to learn how to:
You can trust 1stWebDesigner to help you become a better web designer!
- Jacob Cass | Just Creative
Just enter your name and email below and click Get Updates!
Chris
Monday, December 19th, 2011 23:33
Thanks. Glad someone explained this process clearly.
Greg
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 01:16
QR codes are fantastic and have become increasingly popular. As opposed to other versions of this technology, like Microsoft Tags, they are open sourced so they can be created by a multitude of different companies. You can now find them anywhere, especially on food products at your local grocery. If you have a business, big or small, QR code is the way to go.
Dan
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 14:37
extremely usefull article ………i am using blackberry…………….so its useful for promote my latest web directory website
Kevin Mullett
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 17:06
This is a great and thorough article to get people thinking strategically about how to use QR Codes. The strategic part is what I continuously see people forget when people send me examples via the #QRCodeInTheWild twitter hashtag I started. Slapping a QR Code on something is unlikely to provide measurable gains. If I might also suggest, please make sure to test before you deploy! Having used QR Codes for over 5 years I know I have made some mistakes myself.
Chris
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011 21:52
This is a really thorough and inclusive article for getting started with QR codes – well done! We have been doing QR code campaigns for clients since early 2010, including a bunch of interesting QR code projects for SoundRabbit, a band in Boulder, Co, including “Viral” music T-Shirts, where people can download songs from fan shirts. Fans can wear their favorite song, or a collection of songs to help share the music as they walk around town.
There are so many interesting applications of QR code technology that are out there, and I’m super excited to see what’s next as the technology and implementation advances! Thanks again!