Making the Most of QR Codes Through Digital Signage
A few things have become part of daily life thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic that weren’t around before – things like mask wearing, social distancing, density limits and QR codes. In the age of lockdowns and moving into the “new normal”, everyone with a smartphone is used to QR codes – here’s how to make the most of them.
We’re All Using QR Codes
QR codes have been around since the 1990’s, but have become more prevalent than ever in the past 18 months. A September 2020 study of UK and US residents found that 46.75% of responders either agreed or strongly agreed that they had noticed an increase of QR code use since the beginning of COVID-19 restrictions in March 2020.
QR codes have never been more widely-used or understood than they are today. The public are now comfortable using this technology to check-in, fill out details online, and receive health and other messaging. Directing the public to your web page through this technology is employing a widely-used format that the vast majority of the public are now familiar with.
QR Codes Are Here To Stay
While nobody can see into the future (and not many people are brave enough to try and predict it), it stands to reason that they will be here for a while yet. They have become the preferred method of check-in and contact tracing for all state and territory governments, which will still be required as we move into a COVID-normal society.
Making the most of the available technology is crucial when working in a digital medium, and QR codes are the latest way to connect to your target market.
QR Code-Accessible Web Pages
Directing the public to web pages via QR codes is the newest clever way to reach the people you are looking for. Consumers are known for following the path of least resistance, and asking them to type a URL into their browser and follow your web page is likely to yield less leads than offering them a simple and scannable QR code. This is especially true of customers on the move, worth remembering if your advertising is in a public place, as opposed to online.
Other Uses For QR Codes
Along with web pages, QR codes can be used as part of smart digital signage and with the public awareness of them skyrocketing, they represent a smart strategy for directing traffic to your website online (especially with passers-by or those on the go).
QR codes can also be effectively used for wayfinding, through scanning a code from a designated wayfinding kiosk and following the same directions on a mobile device. Wayfinding through this technology has been used in a host of settings including healthcare, universities, and larger scale shopping complexes.
Setting Realistic Targets
As in setting any goal, when trying to reach your target market it is imperative to be realistic. In this instance, it is worth keeping in mind that customers are far more likely to follow a QR code to your website than they are to download an app, especially if they are just browsing or only after one particular thing they can achieve online anyway.
It stands to reason, therefore, that your time is better spent building a more streamlined web page and linking it with a QR code than setting up an app from scratch.
We can help you get the most out of QR codes in your digital signage. To talk about how, contact us today.
