QR Codes and their role in marketing

QR Codes and their role in marketing

11 February 2021 |

Media and Advertising Industry

Owing to their popularity, QR codes now have a role to play in marketing and media again. Thanks to the global pandemic QR codes have made a comeback and are now an integral part of everyday life. QR codes are a powerful tool that can help you engage with your customers and provide much needed digital measurement capabilities to Above The Line ( ATL) media channels.

How can I use QR Codes for marketing purposes?

When something becomes part of popular consumer behaviour it is easy to replicate this action for other purposes. Brands and marketers can take advantage of the popularity of QR codes to engage with their consumers. QR codes are very versatile and can be customized to your requirements.

A few popular uses for QR codes include:

  •  Scan and link directly to your website or landing page

  • Encourage users to scan and engage in more content such as a short video

  • Use as a link to a unique redeemable offer

  • A direct link to download an app

  • Scan to complete information to generate leads

How and where are we seeing QR codes used in ATL media channels?

Print ads and high dwell time outdoor formats such as street furniture are seeing the QR code feature on more and more creatives with a direct call-to-action for the user to scan and engage with them.

ADMATIC has seen some success among our own clients incorporating QR codes on press ads. We have been able to track and review the number of engagements, but more importantly provide a like-for-like metric to that of our digital media activity. We can review the time they spend on-site, actions taken and even conversions. This has helped us reaffirm the role of press within the overall media mix and consumer brand journey.

Some tips for using QR codes for media and marketing purposes

  • Use a dynamic QR code that allows for tracking and reporting

  • Make sure your site and content are mobile optimized

  • Generate a bespoke landing page for tracking purposes

  • Generate separate QR codes for different channels and publications to segment results