QR Code Detective: Ultimate do’s and don’ts of marketing with 2D barcodes

QR Code Detective - Bank of America App

Brands and marketers need to discover the yeses and the no-nos of connecting with consumers over smartphones.

A growing number of highly successful campaigns that have incorporated a QR code have eliminated any doubt that it is possible to use these barcodes for tremendous achievements, but at the same time, there is a right way and a wrong way to getting the most out of what they have to offer a mobile marketing strategy.

Learn the do’s and don’ts of using quick response codes in order to skyrocket the potential of a campaign.

Our investigators have been seeing some fantastic campaigns with a QR code, but there have also been some clear failures that have been spotted over the weeks. Mobile marketers that are seeking to use these barcodes for an inexpensive strategy that really pays off will need to pay attention to what other firms have done successfully, and where they have let themselves down.

Our QR code investigators have compiled some of the best tips for ensuring mobile marketing success.

scan qr code

Among the do’s that our investigators recommend based on some of the leading campaigns that they have seen in the past are:

Do create a call to action. Tell smartphone carrying consumers to use their mobile devices to scan the QR codes in order to be able to obtain something they want, whether it is an app download or a digital coupon for incredible savings.
Do provide a mobile friendly experience. Even if you convince a consumer to scan, if all they see on their small screen is a website designed for a larger display, this will be a fast track to the end of the experience. By making the experience easy to see and navigate on a smartphone, consumers will be more willing and able to stick around and interact with what they find.
Do offer social media sharing options. The only thing that is better than engaging one consumer is engaging many more. Give people who scan the QRcode the chance to share what they discover and like.

On the other hand, there are some don’ts that are important to avoid but that are still found all too frequently in campaigns featuring quick response codes.

Don’t place the barcode in a location that is hard to scan. Regardless of the offer and the great call to action, if your barcode requires too much effort to read – or if it is likely to drive off before a scan can be completed – then even the best campaigns will fail.
Don’t forget to use multimedia features. Remember that the whole point of QR codes is to reach consumers on their smartphones. In this type of situation, a video can provide a much friendlier experience than a lengthy written document. It is also much more likely to be shared over social media.
Don’t forget to check the function of the QR code. If you come up with a stunning campaign, but the barcode doesn’t actually work due to some kind of error, then you have placed all of your eggs in a basket with a hole in the bottom.

QR Code Detective - Bank of America App

This week, our investigators saw a QR code campaign that was close to perfect at Bank of America. The barcode was positioned so that customers waiting in line (and who therefore had nothing better to do than view the ad and read the barcode) could scan and download the mobile banking app. There was a call to action that explained exactly what the customer had to do and why, but it also took the additional step of telling the consumer that they can have the application demoed by a bank employee. This additional effort including employee support was exactly what was missed at the Venetian Hotel in Vegas, as pointed out by our investigators a few weeks ago.

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