These little black and white eyesores are the bane of my designing existence. They’re called QR (Quick Response) codes. You can scan them with your phone and be whisked away to some far off land. The functionality itself is great, but I want to throw out some quick tips that will increase your conversions significantly.
Effective? Possibly. Ugly as sin? Definitely.
DO NOT: link to a standard website.
DO: link to a mobile optimized page that loads fast for someone out and about.
DO NOT: link to your website homepage.
DO: link to a very specific page tailor-made for a specific QR code that prompts the user to take a specific action immediately.
Here is a great example:
Wham. Bam. Fish.
When this came in the mail I was able to scan a code and renew my subscription immediately. It was useful, it was smart, and it provided me the consumer with something of value – it saved me time.
Don’t use QR codes because they’re “cool” or “modern” – use them if they make sense for your situation. (That will sound like familiar advice if you took a peek at my recent presentation on using Social Media)
Even though they look like robot barf, they don’t have to be quite so hideous. Here are a few attractive examples:
You stay classy San Diego.
Sacre Bleu completely embraces the QR code.
Remember – when you’re linking to online data that you know people will be viewing on their phones, speed and efficiency are doubly important.
About AJ Hauser
AJ Hauser owns and operates the Hauser Design Group. He has worked with several small and medium sized businesses as a marketing consultant, and is a passionate disciple of design, branding, SEO, social media marketing, web standards and development. His portfolio features work from both local and national brands, and he can't wait to hear from you.
