Consumers are more familiar with QR codes than ever, so is it time to put one to work for your brand? Here are five ideas to consider.

Even though they’ve been in circulation since the late 1990s, QR codes have become a part of everyday life. Short for ‘Quick Response’, QR codes’ ability to store information and combine with smartphones make them ideal to check into everything from health-food stores to gyms and cafes.

On the back of QR codes’ resurgence, experts believe they could be a handy re-addition to the savvy marketer’s toolbox. While the future will see more clever and sophisticated uses of QR codes, here’s a handful of ways to consider using them right now.

1. To direct people to your website.

QR codes can be used strategically to hook your consumers up with specific and targeted pages on your website. They might learn more about your brand, find similar or complementary items to something they’ve already purchased from you, or delve deeper into product-related info.

2. To boost your brand’s social media following.

Generate a code that links directly to your social media pages. Once scanned, a consumer can then follow you on whatever platform suits them best with a single click rather than having to consciously hunt down your brand’s profile.

3. To encourage customers to leave a review.

Product reviews have great sway, with eight out of 10 consumers saying they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family. But ensuring your brand’s reviews are up to date is important, with about 70 per cent of consumers saying they only pay attention to those written or posted recently. One way to make writing or leaving a review simpler post purchase, is to include a QR code on your product or packaging that sends consumers straight to the ‘write a review’ page of your website.

4. To make buying again, easy.

There are a variety of ways QR codes can be used to drive repeat purchases. Loyal customers, for instance, may use them to reorder frequently bought items quickly or take advantage of products with discounted prices.

5. To help people shop even when your store’s closed.

For stores with an online and offline presence, a QR code is a simple way to convert window shoppers into online ones with a simple scan.

Golden rules when using QR codes

Regardless of how you choose to use QR codes, there are a few points to remember. Make sure the purpose of any and every QR code is really clear so shoppers know why they’re being prompted to scan and where they’ll land once they do. There has to be a genuine benefit for your customer when they engage, too, whether that’s convenience or access to helpful or exclusive information.

And choose ‘dynamic’ QR codes rather than static ones. This allows you to track consumer scanning behaviour to assess the impact and effectiveness of your QR-code marketing.

Don’t miss this easy to implement marketing strategy, could this be the key to your growth?

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