QR codes / Quick Response codes are is a two-dimensional barcodes. It is visually more appealing and has greater storage capacity than the barcodes. Businesses have tried to use this technology for marketing purposes. This has often met mixed reviews. Before you consider incorporating QR codes in your business, there are 4 key advantages and disadvantages.
QR Codes Advantages Vs Disadvantages
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Easy to generate | Needs QR code reader software |
| Doesn’t occupy large marketing space | Not Memorable |
| Quick information exchange | Needs physical presence |
| Cost Effective | Lack of Awareness |
4 QR Code Advantages
1. Easy to Generate
QR codes are quick and easy to generate. There are a lot of service providers available to generate these codes. The codes have moved on from stereotypical black and while imagery to colourful representations. A simple Google search brings up providers such as QR Code Generator
2. Marketing Space
If you are thinking of using QR codes in a marketing poster, they fit nicely near contact details. They don’t occupy a lot of space and are less conspicuous. It is usually more attractive and a snug fit in posters, business cards, marketing campaigns, etc
3. Quick information exchange
It is rather quick and efficient to use the code to visit a particular website. In situations where you want to target a customer to a particular product or a page on a website QR codes are handy. They prevent you from providing long keywords for a website. The information exchange is simple – user scans the code which directs your customer to a website.
4. Cost Effective
Most QR code generators are inexpensive. They have a large number of suppliers and are easy to generate. A lot of businesses provide free QR code generators for businesses even for enterprise versions. Key data lies in tracking how this code has been used by customers
4 QR Code Disadvantages
Although the advantages sound great, there are significant areas of concern before employing QR code in your marketing campaign.
1. QR Code Reader Software
Not all mobile phones support a QR code software. Most times, the user will need to download a QR code reader software. The user will need to go through a specific application to make sense of a QR code. Pain points in such a situation are
- Downloading a software
- Pointing physically to the QR code
- Maintaining close proximity to the code
etc
2. Not Memorable
It is impossible to make sense of a QR code. It appears like a square figure with unrecognisable patterns. A customer/user will not be able to make sense of this. Use QR codes for marketing campaigns only when you don’t mind whether a customer remembers the name of your website or not.
Using it to direct to a homepage is often not the smartest choice since it doesn’t create a memorable connection with the user. If a user types in a website address, he/she is more likely to remember the website for repeat visits.
3. Needs Physical Presence
If you want a user to try QR codes, they need to be in close proximity with the code. You cannot advertise a QR code on billboards or far off places. They can fit well in a business card/marketing take away. But the user needs to be close to a QR code to make use of it.
For overall marketing, it provides lesser usage spectrum.
4. Lack of Awareness
Not many users are familiar with QR codes. The technology adaptation hasn’t reached the wider public yet. It can work well for process improvements and cross verifying ledgers. QR codes find a great usage in supply chain management. For marketing, most consumers aren’t even aware of necessity of such a code.
Potential Uses
Considering the advantages and disadvantages of QR codes, it is imperative that you think through before using this to influence a marketing campaign. Sensible areas of QR code usage are
- Marketing Campaigns : If you are want to encourage the customer to visit a particular page/offer then QR codes are quite efficient.
- Vouchers: These are seen to be effective ways to lure a customer to use QR codes. They can replace the discount codes for customers to use and avail an offer.
- Security Verifications: QR codes can be used to replace security verifications / one time passwords. They are easier to scan. This was done well with WhatsApp when they introduced WhatsApp web.
- One-off Campaigns: No user develops a mental connection with a QR code. If you are using it for tracking, you can use it to identify number of first visits. QR codes rarely generate repeat visits.
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