Competitrack report shows QR codes’ rise to stardom in 2011

Competitrack, a full service advertising tracking firm, has released a new report concerning the performance of QR codes in 2011. Last year, QR codes exploded in popularity, appealing to a multitude of companies looking to connect with consumers with smart phones and other mobile devices. Though the codes had been around for years in Asian markets, they were still very new in the West, where consumers had little experience with such technology. Competitrack’s report suggests that that unfamiliarity is rapidly evaporating.

The firm analyzed some 7,300 advertisements using datamatrix barcodes, such as Microsoft Tags and, of course, QR codes. The report found that of all the 2D barcodes currently available, QR codes is the most popular, accounting for 87% of all marketing campaigns investigated by the firm. Microsoft tags were second, accounting for only 10% of campaigns. The retail industry used the codes most out of any other business sector, followed closely behind by the technology industry.

The report also found that 40% of the codes used by companies directed consumers either to the company’s homepage or a commerce-oriented website. QR codes are becoming more popular in the world of mobile commerce and they are expected to play a bigger role as more people turn to their mobile devices to make payments for goods and services. Competitrack notes that QR codes are likely to continue capturing the favor of businesses and consumers as they become more widespread throughout the world.