Everybody’s doing QR codes lately, and with good reason. They’re a super simple way to drive traffic to your
- website
- signup form
- digital business card
- payment mechanism
Or any other “digital location. But where do you get them and how do you use them?
QR stands for “Quick Response.” When you hover over a QR code with your smartphone camera, an option pops up to open the link which you click and you are instantly directed to the web address or appropriate location. The response is indeed quick. I didn’t realize how much they were used until I took out a stack of business cards in my desk recently and noticed that there were several that had a QR code on them. It’s a quick way for people to find out more information about what you do, right from your business card.
They are often used in marketing and advertising campaigns. I’ve seen QR codes to open up menus for restaurants, placed on brochures, posters, and even as an entry to sign up or registration forms. One client of mine wanted to use a QR code for a link to a live survey during a presentation. They’re so handy, everyone can use them, even those who aren’t tech-savvy. QR codes take all that pain out of typing a website address on those tiny numbers on that tiny keyboard of your phone that gets half of letters wrong anyway.
So we’ve concluded that they’re useful, great!
So where do you get one?
There are a lot of different websites you can visit out there that can generate a QR code for you. A quick search will return websites like QRFY.com, QR-code-generator.com, Shopify,com and QRStuff.com just to name a few. But how do you know what you need? And do you have to pay for them?
Most sites offer a subscription to the QR code generators ranging from $10/month to $20/month. Maybe not worth it for a business that just starting out. But for businesses that would like to track the traffic (number of opens, who is opening them etc.) the upgrade can be useful. Paid versions can also offer design editing (changing colors and shapes), and putting your logo right into the code.
My favorite is QR Code Monkey. The site claims it’s the most popular free online code generator out there. You can change the colors and add your logo, and it’s all free. It creates a code for:
- URL
- Text
- Phone
- Vcard
- YouTube
- Bitcoin
and many other web based locations. The free version doesn’t offer tracking and reporting but most small businesses don’t need that detailed information anyway for most of the things they are using it for. Here is a screenshot of their dashboard to make one. It’s super easy. Try it out yourself at https://www.qrcode-monkey.com
If you need help programming a QR code for your business, please reach out. I’d be happy to help you!
Until next time,
Leigh Ann
Hilltop specializes in website design and development for small businesses throughout Central New York and beyond. Call 315.717.6218 or email me here
