During the COVID-19 pandemic, QR codes have proven vital in helping government authorities across Australia manage the spread of the virus, giving citizens a simple and effective way to ‘check-in’ to various locations using an online application. What this has also done, however, is increase the normalcy of private businesses to adopt QR codes in all facets of their business. We now see them throughout restaurants to direct diners to menus and specials, in medical facilities to help send visitors to online forms to complete, and even as part of walking tours to integrate with augmented reality experiences.
QR codes emerged onto the scene some years ago with little uptake, but this resurgence has rapidly placed them into our everyday lives. For that reason, the Clearwater team think it might be time to revisit QR codes in your wider digital marketing strategy. Here’s why:
What are QR Codes?
Quick Response codes – or QR codes, as they are more commonly known – have actually been in use since 1994, when they were first applied to help track vehicle manufacturing. Since then, the concept has rapidly developed to act similar to a product’s barcode in various applications – businesses simply generate a unique image (typically a jumble of squares, lines and symbols), and consumers and audiences can scan it with the cameras on their smartphones. A quick link will then pop up to take them directly to a pre-determined website to explore.
The best part? Most unique QR code campaigns can be set up for free.
How Can QR Codes Assist Your Marketing?
Direct Link to Landing Pages & Website
Anyone who has operated a digital marketing strategy over the years will know the difficulties of having to nurture audiences and site visitors to certain conversion pages; a mix of content marketing to grab their attention, clever SEO & remarketing tactics to recapture them, even social media advertising to maintain a following.
QR codes are a novel way to complement all of that. With the intrigue of what a QR code might hold, leveraging the innate curiosity within all of us, savvy placement in both online and physical materials will push your audiences directly to where you want them to go, rather than sending them through the hassle of searching online, navigating through your various pages, and so forth.
Real-Time Data on Campaigns
Thanks to the simple, yet effective technology behind QR codes, businesses who adopt these methods within their marketing will be able to collect real-time insights around the usage of their individual QR codes available. Paired with analytics platforms like Google Analytics, you can see the number of visits to landing pages, as well as the direct conversions related to these visits drawn by QR codes. This cost-effective method shows what avenues are working with your target market, and those that are not, to make accelerated pivots for a greater return on investment.
Discounts & Promotions
Qualified traffic is the lifeblood of digital marketing campaigns, and a terrific method of obtaining and holding the interest of your target market is through discounts and promotions. Both physical retail stores and eCommerce businesses across the world are adopting unique QR codes attached to digital receipts, physical marketing swag, and even through partner organisations & influencers, to not only increase conversions for new customers, but also brand loyalty and average purchase value of existing customers.
Digital Business Cards
With all of your contact details laid out on your website or social media profiles, it is a bit redundant to hand out physical business cards to simply get lost in someone’s wallet, isn’t it? Instead, you can offer QR codes as a handy alternative that sends visitors to various links and encourages them to follow you, introducing them not only to various methods of contacting you, but ensuring they see your ongoing content to filter them into the sales funnel.
Build a Better Digital Marketing Strategy with Clearwater
If you would like to learn more about how QR codes can benefit your wider digital marketing strategy, please book in for a free consultation with one of our friendly specialists at Clearwater today.
