written by Sean Smith | October 25th, 2012
You have seen them popping up all over the place. QR Codes. Those little squares that look like the print version of television interference. More and more businesses are starting to use them, but are they using them well… or even properly?
There is only ONE thing that you need to know about a QR Code. It’s a link that you use with a MOBILE device. I say this because I see QR Codes being used in the wrong places and connecting to the wrong content.
If you have a QR Code on an ad in a place that has no cellular or Wi-Fi signal, guess what? It’s just a square with a lot of nonsensical dots. Planes, subways, all places where your QR scanner will go “bleep” and then goes nowhere.
Some businesses have been putting them on their Websites. Why? Have you ever tried to scan a QR Code with the smartphone you are currently surfing on? It’s REALLY hard!
QR Codes are Awesome, When Used Properly
A QR Code as part of a print ad in the newspaper has all kinds of potential in creating a consumer connection. A QR Code on a restaurant menu that takes the dining patron to a video of how the meal is made, engages the customer while they wait for that meal. A QR Code on a realtor sign gives a potential buyer a virtual tour right outside the home, and a virtual business card of the realtor right on that mobile device.
Most important is that the content you are connecting to is mobile ready, because your website on a smart phone looks like the small print on a legal contract that no one ever reads.
If Leonardo had Googled “QR Code Generator”, his might not have been so hard to find!
Sean Smith
Sean is Managing Partner in ThatSocialMediaGuy.com, a Social Media consulting company based in Campbell River, BC. Sean has over 15 years of experience in the IT industry, from a HelpDesk Manager to business owner. In 2009, Sean started focusing on the world of Social Media, something he had been learning about since jumping into Facebook in 2006 and Twitter in 2008. Since then he has consulted on the development of Social Media strategies for a wide variety of businesses, from retail to tourism, and has been guest speaker for numerous business events.
Follow Me:
