Contemporary technology is all about accessibility and efficiency. The influx of smartphones in the past decade has people relying on faster communication and accessing information at their fingertips in minimum time. The QR code response system is one such technology gaining rapid momentum in digital marketing.
QR codes have become increasingly popular in marketing strategies to increase user engagement, obtain marketing analytics, and user demographics and optimize the performance of a marketing campaign. Since QR codes are optical labels, they can be slapped onto any surface or item. This feature when integrated with the widespread usage of mobile phones, allows users to instantly obtain information about a product or a service without having to do a lot.
Here are ten advantages of using QR codes in your digital marketing strategy:
- Increasing the Conversion Rate: QR codes have become central in advertising strategies for brands. A mobile phone scans the QR code that leads to a brand’s or a company’s website, which otherwise a consumer would have to input manually. This is a convenient way to increase the likelihood of converting this interaction with the advertisement into a sale. Long and detailed sales pitches are no longer enough to engage consumers or hold their attention. [insert image here]
- Real-Time Analytics: QR code response systems allow businesses to view data in real-time to make informed decisions about their marketing campaigns without any delays. Via these marketing insights, brands or companies can evaluate the performance of their marketing strategies. Insights offer data about website traffic, social media engagement, and information about the users. Their age, geographical location, gender, income, etc. Real-time analytics help companies understand customer behaviour and modify the outcomes of their marketing strategy based on past data.
- Direct Users to URLs: Scanning QR codes remove the nuisance of manually searching a brand’s website or the target webpage associated with a product or service. Often customers find themselves at dead ends when trying to obtain information about a product they saw on a billboard, tv advertisement, or a social media platform.
- Direct Users to Web Apps: Businesses can get creative when trying to boost engagement with their services using mobile phone applications. For example, McDonald’s uses QR codes in their restaurant app to offer customers discounts. Consumers who are not likely to buy regular-priced food are often attracted to offers that provide value for money. They scan the QR code of the deal and get rewarded with points that increment with each scan.
- vCards (Electronic Business Cards): A vCard is a digital replica of a traditional business card. Physical business cards tend to be cluttered with details and are easily lost. Incorporating QR codes into your business cards makes them more reliable and easier to store business information without doing much. Scanning a QR code directs a user to a digital business card packed with the company’s contact information with links to all social media platforms. An extended functionality allows users to save contact numbers, emails, etc. by importing this information automatically without having to type things in one by one.
- One-Click Calls: Instead of having to search the internet exhaustively to find a customer care number, consumers can just scan the QR code on a product packaging that triggers a phone call to the help desk or the customer care service that addresses the issue at hand. Companies can use this technique to improve their customer services and make them more accessible. [insert image here]
- Market Research Surveys: An excellent way to test a potential product or a service before launching it to the public, is to test the waters using marketing surveys. Surveys are a success when they reach an enormous amount of people. The more participants they attract, the better data they generate. Placing a QR code on the prototype of a product and linking it with a survey that asks the test audience to give honest reviews can help enhance the product features and make your advertising strategy a hit. [insert image here]
- Geolocation: Geotags and QR codes are joined to make the location of a company or an organization easily accessible. Through geotagging, geographical coordinates get added to any form of media including QR codes. So instead of searching the location of a company office, outlet or factory on google maps, users can scan the QR codes on a company website to be directed to the specific address.
Finally, there are numerous media, platforms, items, and locations where QR codes can be placed. It is essential to verify that the URLs connected to a QR code are accurately matched to your target webpages. It is also important to note that QR code technology is internet-dependent, and connectivity to the internet can limit or encourage users to interact with your digital marketing campaign.