One of the latest trends in mobile marketing and web design is the QR code.
A “Quick Response” code is a two-dimensional code that can be scanned and read by smartphones. We saw creative use of a QR code in a previous post about a tombstone. They’re more commonly used for marketing or brand advertisements in newspapers, magazines and product packaging.
Some Inspiring Statistics
This weekend, comScore released some interesting data on the usage of QR codes. According to their report, 14 million mobile users in the U.S. (6.2 % of the mobile market), scanned a QR code or bar code in June, 2011. It was also discovered that QR code scanners are likely to be male, between the ages of 18-34 and earning more than $100k per year.
Why Your Mobile Website Needs a QR Code
Based on the data above, it’s safe to conclude that QR codes are here to stay awhile. Linking a QR code to a mobile website can be a powerful marketing tool.
1) Novelty. People are growing more and more familiar with the concept, and stumbling across one in the daily paper still has a powerful sense of novelty. It’s like uncovering a secret chamber that you already have the key to.
2) Eye-catching. More than regular straightforward ad copy or text. With a QR code, advertisers save precious real estate with a placeholder.
3) Promotes a savvy brand image. A QR code makes a statement about the website and the company associated with it. It promotes you as an informed, tech-savvy, “in-the-know” brand.
All in all QR codes are cool sources of website traffic.
Apps for Scanning and Creating QR Codes
The following apps are great for scanning and even creating your very own customized QR codes.
1. QR Droid
2. QR Reader for iPhone
3. Qrafter
4. Qurify
5. Kaywa
