Have you seen these strange markings in your mailbox, on the back of your new novel or on the door of your favorite restaurant? They are called Quick Response (QR) codes or referred to as mobile tagging, and they are creating a new opportunity to connect the physical world with a digital experience. By incorporating these increasingly popular codes into your FireSign digital signage, you can elicit an entirely new and more powerful level of visitor interaction and analytic data.
So what exactly are QR codes and how do they work? In short, QR codes are open-source, 2-dimensional (matrix) barcodes—similar to a UPC (Universal Product Code), only immensely more powerful. Using a decoding application, mobile devices read QR codes by taking a picture of the barcode image. The information stored in the code can launch your web site or promotional micro-site, generate an SMS text or phone call, and download contact information. The options for connecting and linking customers to additional information are limitless.
Adding a QR code to your FireSign digital signage can encourage your visitors to take action.
QR codes are changing the depth and mobility of information by making it easier for your visitors to take action. Gone are the days of remembering URLs or writing down a phone number— QR codes store the information for your visitors, so they don’t have to! When visitors scan your QR code, the mobile application decodes and stores the information for your visitor to act upon immediately or save for future reference.
The availability and capabilities of this technology, popular in Japan and Europe, are changing the advertising and marketing atmospheres. QR codes have a strong presence in print campaigns where they are used by a wide range of companies such as Ford, Calvin Klein, the JFK Presidential Library and Museum, and Best Buy to connect the physical world with an interactive experience.
Another important feature of QR codes is that many of the available code generators also offer built-in analytics on how many times the code has been scanned. These metrics can help your organization make decisions regarding creative elements and marketing expenditures.
You can generate your own QR Codes with services like SPARQCode.
So how do you create a QR code? You will find several free QR code generators online. In the example below, we used SparQcode.com to create a code that links to our most recent blog post. QR codes are simple, unlimited in quantity, and most importantly free; so don’t hesitate to experiment with the different options.
Start experimenting with this new technology to see how simple, yet powerful, it is to create a new interaction with your visitors. By adding a QR code to your FireSign digital signage, you can encourage an immediate connection to your Facebook page, email newsletter, blog or point of purchase.
