Quick Response codes can enhance your marketing campaign in multiple ways — from increased engagement with your brand’s message to collecting consumer data such as their specific likes and interests — QR codes allow your consumers easy access to your brand’s message.

QR codes, like other marketing tools, not only need to be well thought out and strategically placed on product packaging, direct mail pieces, Point-of-Purchase displays and print ads, but they also need to have valuable content in order for them to be beneficial to your brand’s marketing mix.

A QR code is only as valuable as its landing page.  If the landing page of a 2D code takes too long to load, isn’t relevant or isn’t what was promised to the person scanning the code on the printed message, they’re most likely not going to spend any additional time with that landing page and your brand’s message.

QR codes increase engagement as long as the landing page content is valuable. In fact, a ScanLife study showed that the proportion of individuals interacting with QR Codes was 36% higher than with Foursquare throughout 2012.  Additionally, the study revealed, that in the U.S. 38 percent of people between the ages 18 and 34 scanned a QR code that was sent to them on a direct mailing and about 32 percent of people between 18 and 34 scanned a code that was on a Point-of-Purchase display or a product’s packaging.

QR codes help to increase engagement between your brand and its target audience.  They add an additional touch point with your consumer and allow you to better track your consumer’s behavior with your message by gaining a better understanding of what content they click on and how long they engage with your landing page’s content.

Timothy Freeman
President
Print & Graphic Communications Association