Grand Junction, a city in Colorado, has announced that it will now be using QR code technology to help to provide residents and visitors with information through the use of their smartphones and tablets.
These barcodes are now being posted on everything from real estate ads, to beverages, and poster advertisements. They are being used as an engaging tool to assist in the promotion of the city’s Activity Guide, which is provided by its Parks and Recreation Department.
According to Karen Peterson, from the department, and who was a designer for the Activity Guide, whenever they want to promote a special event in the city, or when they wish to share a website with residents and visitors to Grand Junction, “we just put a QR Code right next to the website that way if they do have a smart phone it’s just easier for them to get.”
Peterson explained that it is much easier for people to simply scan the QR code to obtain the information they want than it is to have to enter the URL of the website into a smartphone when the user is already on the go and likely quite busy. She said that the speed, ease, and convenience of the barcodes will make obtaining information much more appealing for mobile device users.
The use of the QR codes themselves is free, and they offer users a significant of information without having to use a lot of space. Furthermore, it is easier for users to register for information and events when they are redirected automatically through the barcode.
Peterson added that the city is only just getting started by using the codes for the Activity Guide, and that as they have intentions to add a new Lincoln Park arboretum in the city, QR codes will play a central role in providing visitors with information about the various trees, as they will be redirected to informational videos with every code they scan.
