Today, QR codes are hidden everywhere – from business cards and restaurant menus to packaging of your favorite cereal or payment for utilities. In today’s article, we will tell you why QR is of great importance for business and how to create a QR code yourself using free services.
What is a QR code
A QR code (Quick Response) is a type of barcode that you point your smartphone at to see the information encrypted in it. Most often, QR codes contain links to a particular resource, for example:
official website of the company,
social media account,
advertising material,
landing page with a promotion,
payment page.
You can try pointing your camera at the cover of this article – we have hidden a QR code in it that leads to one of the sections of the site.
A bit of history
Not many people know that QR codes have existed for decades. The first code appeared in 1994 in Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota. Specialists developed a special code to track manufactured cars and parts for them.
QR codes have come a long way since then. They are now used as a payment method by giants such as Sberbank and Tinkoff. Everything works simply: the company places the code on the product page, and when the user points their smartphone at it, they are immediately taken to the payment page. This payment method is more convenient and faster.
What is the difference between QR and barcode
The main difference is in the amount of information that the code can store. The fact is that a regular barcode can only be read in one direction – from left to right. It turns out that it can store a relatively small amount of data (usually letters and numbers).
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A QR code can be read in two directions – horizontally and vertically, which allows you to encode more information.
Why does a business need a QR code?
Marketers create QR codes for marketing promotion and business development. What exactly are QR codes used for?
To increase website traffic
Sooner or later, any business faces the need to create a website . To share this news with customers, you can create a QR code and start placing it on product packaging, flyers, advertising banners, or send it in an email newsletter.
The key is to think strategically. Consider phone number my where exactly the QR code will lead and what action visitors will need to take once they get to the desired page.
To increase sales
Have you ever had a flyer with a code that you had to show at a store or bar to get something for free? You can take this method and apply it as part of your online store or other business promotion strategy.
Such a coupon with a QR code will not only increase sales and customer loyalty, but also boost brand awareness.
For convenient company search
Some offline stores or offices are hard to find, especially if they are not located on the main streets. You can create a QR code that will show your location on Yandex.Maps or another service, and then place it on the official website, advertising banners or social networks.
To collect reviews on products
QR codes help you understand what advertising material customers think about your business. Place the code on your business card, website, product card or marketing materials and ask for feedback.
3 QR code generators
QR Coder is a convenient domestic service that offers 4 types of static codes. By the way, the site has a well-developed mobile version, so you can generate a code from anywhere in the world. You can encode any text, a link to a site, a business card or an SMS message. You don’t need to register — just select the desired PNG file size and download the resulting code from the link.
The QR generator from VK is another free service where you can not only generate a code, but also choose a bright color for it. To make a QR code with a link yourself, enter the address in the QR generator and save the finished image in a suitable format. Separately, we note the ability to download the code in vector format.
STQR . If you are looking for different templates for links, business cards and ads, try this service. The site supports both static and dynamic codes (information in the dynamic one can be changed without correcting the code). Please note that the site has a paid plan, although most of the functionality is available for free.