We discussed about call monitoring in a recent piece and how it may help you maintain track of your marketing activities. We’ll talk about QR codes in this follow-up article, which might be another handy tool in your marketing toolbox.
What would you say if you were to guess when QR codes first appeared? What was it like five years ago? Perhaps ten?
If you picked 1994, you might be surprised to learn that QR codes were actually invented in 1994. They’ve existed for a lot longer than most people realize. However, it is true that they did not become widely used until the previous decade or so.
Indeed, since the epidemic has forced us into a more “contact-less” society, QR codes may be more prevalent than ever. Restaurants began to use them for menus, and many businesses began to use them for check-out. You may recall an ad for Coinbase, a cryptocurrency firm, from Super Bowl LVI that included a bouncing QR code. That advertisement was so popular that it caused the app to crash.
Improved ease of use is one of the reasons why QR codes have become more popular recently. Previously, users needed a specific reader app to scan a QR code; now, anyone with a phone camera can open them fast and effortlessly.
Though QR codes may be used in a variety of ways, they were designed to monitor information, which is why you should consider utilizing them in your lawn or landscape marketing efforts.
QR Codes: What Are They and How Do They Work?
If you weren’t familiar with QR codes prior to the epidemic, you most certainly were acquainted with them during it. QR codes are little black squares that resemble a twisted crossword puzzle, according to some. QR code stands for Quick Response Code and is a sort of scanned bar code.
In 1994, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corporation developed QR codes as a way to track auto parts during assembly. They were eventually used for different types of advertising and marketing.
A QR code functions similarly to a barcode on a retail item. Although the squares and dots appear to be random, they actually convey information. The QR code’s distinctive pattern is “read” and transformed into an action when it is scanned (sending you to a particular web address).
Unlike call monitoring, which may be used to track information about incoming calls to your company, QR codes can be used to engage customers via a mobile device. While QR codes aren’t appropriate in every case, let’s look at where they can help you get the most bang for your buck.
What Businesses Should Use QR Codes, and Where Should They Be Used?
A QR code can be used by any Green Industry company that wishes to direct visitors to a certain page of their website.
The idea is to employ codes strategically.
We’ve observed certain instances where QR codes don’t make much sense. A billboard on a highway, for example, might not be the best option. It can take a few seconds for a prospect to open their phone camera, and they shouldn’t be doing it while driving.
QR codes have also been spotted as part of vehicle wraps, which may work if your company vehicle is frequently parked while in motion, although it may not be the optimal location.
QR codes make a lot of sense on a variety of marketing items.
Here are some of the most typical marketing applications for QR codes.
- Postage stamps
- Advertisements in magazines
- Business cards are used to promote a company.
- Media in print (brochures, handouts, and door hangers)
The advantage of using multiple QR codes on different marketing materials is that you can track which campaigns are successful. Which piece of marketing content prompted your prospect to get out his or her phone and look up more information about your business?
User Experience Enhancement
Different QR codes can also lead to different landing sites, based on what that prospect is most likely interested in.
Our client Yellowstone Landscape is a wonderful example of this. They had presentation packages that they would hand out to potential clients during meetings. These included a folder with their logo and personalized inserts based on the client (an HOA, a senior living facility, or an office complex to name just some examples).
These pages used several QR codes that directed prospects to the specific page on Yellowstone’s website where they would receive the most value.
This is an excellent illustration of how you may assist a client in moving from actual items to the precise location on your website where you want them to be. This will give the prospect a better overall user experience while also allowing you to track what’s working in terms of marketing.
