Codes have been important vehicles of communication. Come to think of it, development of language started as codes: to denote food, habitat, enemy and later to keep track of money.
Codes are exciting too. Sherlock Holmes cracked the codes of Dancing Men. Shibboleth has been used by children and tribes alike to keep outsiders at bay.
Some of this excitement came by the way of marketers when they discovered QR Codes. Verily they stand for Quick Response Codes.
Internet and Smartphones opened new channels for marketers, channels which were unbeknownst to them. These channels also opened up a divide between digital and print. Advertisers could have a great visual and bang on copy on hoardings, magazines and brochures, but to expect that the audience will go to a browser and type in url was a shot at the moon.
Enter QR codes. In the aforementioned ad, a QR code lets a reader do multiple actions, such as:
i) It can take user to a web page, online video, document or discount coupons
ii) It can send sms or call to a predefined number
iii) It can launch a mail
iv) It can schedule meetings
The above list is not comprehensive but illustrative.
Friends having a rendezvous over beer can scan the code on the bottle and share the photographs over their social media. A motorist can scan the code and be delivered discount coupons for that fantastic tyre sale. Governments can use these codes to increase transparency in citizen services. Food companies can use these codes to inform the consumers about nutritional values of the food, its traceability and carbon footprints.
Before the post threaten to become too long, here are two FAQs:
1. How do i generate a QR Code?
Ans: You can use Microsoft Tag or Google Analytics or any of the several QR code generators. Normally its a simple process, like enter the url you want QR code for, press enter and Bob's your uncle.
2. OK, so I generated a QR code, printed it on my brochures and distributed to my prospects. How do I know who visited my website by scanning the QR Code?
Ans: Hmm. This is a worried marketer speaking, isn't it? Don't let worry gnaw at your damask cheek.
You can do it through the google analytics account. Generate a unique url, use it in QR code and check the dashboard once the brochures have been in town. Microsoft Tag has inbuilt capability of tracking.
What have you scanned today?
Codes are exciting too. Sherlock Holmes cracked the codes of Dancing Men. Shibboleth has been used by children and tribes alike to keep outsiders at bay.
Some of this excitement came by the way of marketers when they discovered QR Codes. Verily they stand for Quick Response Codes.
Internet and Smartphones opened new channels for marketers, channels which were unbeknownst to them. These channels also opened up a divide between digital and print. Advertisers could have a great visual and bang on copy on hoardings, magazines and brochures, but to expect that the audience will go to a browser and type in url was a shot at the moon.
Enter QR codes. In the aforementioned ad, a QR code lets a reader do multiple actions, such as:
i) It can take user to a web page, online video, document or discount coupons
ii) It can send sms or call to a predefined number
iii) It can launch a mail
iv) It can schedule meetings
The above list is not comprehensive but illustrative.
Friends having a rendezvous over beer can scan the code on the bottle and share the photographs over their social media. A motorist can scan the code and be delivered discount coupons for that fantastic tyre sale. Governments can use these codes to increase transparency in citizen services. Food companies can use these codes to inform the consumers about nutritional values of the food, its traceability and carbon footprints.
Before the post threaten to become too long, here are two FAQs:
1. How do i generate a QR Code?
Ans: You can use Microsoft Tag or Google Analytics or any of the several QR code generators. Normally its a simple process, like enter the url you want QR code for, press enter and Bob's your uncle.
2. OK, so I generated a QR code, printed it on my brochures and distributed to my prospects. How do I know who visited my website by scanning the QR Code?
Ans: Hmm. This is a worried marketer speaking, isn't it? Don't let worry gnaw at your damask cheek.
You can do it through the google analytics account. Generate a unique url, use it in QR code and check the dashboard once the brochures have been in town. Microsoft Tag has inbuilt capability of tracking.
What have you scanned today?
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