QR codes, or Quick Response codes, were originally used in the automotive industry to track vehicles during the manufacturing process. While they were invented in 1994, their use cases have evolved, especially in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
QR codes are now everywhere you look. Restaurants are now using QR codes so that customers can scan the code to pull up the menu or pay their bill on their phones in an effort to reduce the spread of germs on physical menus and check holders. Stores have also turned to QR codes to offer touchless payment.
Brands are leaning more on “phygitial” customer experiences — combining the physical world with the digital — to create safer, more convenient interactions for their customers and employees.
The use cases for QR codes are endless. And BL.INK makes using QR codes in your marketing a breeze.
QR codes can be a handy tool if used correctly. They can help boost your audience’s engagement with your brand, connect a user with the right content, and even provide a better, more convenient customer experience.
Prompt your customers to complete payment, sign up for your newsletter, link them to instructional articles or videos, or simply direct them to a landing page on your site.
QR codes can be used both pre-show and post-show and can be a great addition to your printed materials in or at your booth. Use QR codes for lead generation, meeting booking, thank you notes, or in your print marketing to boost brand awareness and increase engagement with your brand.
Brands can use QR codes to drive online purchases or sign up for a newsletter while offering coupons or discounts. Printing QR codes on banners, flyers, business cards, postcards, letters, catalogs, etc. can help drive customers to your website for more information on an item or to download the brand’s app.
QR codes fuse the physical and digital world to give your audience a direct path to your website without needing to remember a link and type it in. A QR code allows your audience to simply scan and then browse without fumbling with the keyboard, or memorizing the URL.
They simplify the process for your audience, increase the chances they’ll connect with you, and keep your customers safe.
BL.INK makes tracking scans and clicks a breeze — both for QR codes and short links. Each scan of a QR code is tracked so you can better understand your audience, just like you would with a branded short link. With BL.INK, you can gain real-time insight into a QR code scan’s location, device, time of day, etc. – all within BL.INK’s analytics.
When you manage your QR codes with BL.INK, you can also change the destination used in the QR code at any time without changing the QR code itself. This allows users to update the destination of their QR code without needing to re-print marketing materials or worry about users running into a dead-end.
When combining BL.INK Dynamic Links with a QR code, a single scan of a code can be dynamically routed to any destination based on day, date, time, language, geography, or device type. The possibilities for QR codes are truly endless and BL.INK brings it all to your fingertips.
BL.INK creates a QR code for every short link you create. Visit the Link Detail page for any link, then look in the right column for the option to download the QR code in PNG, SVG, or EPS formats.
If you need to change the destination of a QR code in the future, you do not need to worry about updating the actual QR code itself. Since the short link is the same, the QR code will always remain the same as well. Update the destination of your short link as much as you wish and your customers will always see the right destination when they scan.
Similar to a branded domain name, utilizing branded QR codes also elevates visibility, confidence, and engagement. Enterprise clients may use BL.INK’s custom QR code options to create a QR code that feels like your brand including colors, logos, and styles to bring your brand to life with each engagement.
Want to learn more? Connect with BL.INK today.