They’re popping up everywhere and you may not even notice them. Gah! Infestation! What am I talking about? QR Codes of course! You know, those little black and white squares that have crazy geometric designs.
Ever wonder what they are and why they’re starting to catch on like crazy? Let me explain.
What are QR Codes?
Take a picture
A QR Code, according to Wiki, is a barcode which displays a matrix of geometric shapes which can be read by QR Code readers and camera phones; they contain information specific to the design. In non “tech-speak” terms, you take a picture of a QR code and you’ll get a bunch of data in return such as a web address or any other form of text – they even can be used to show augmented reality. Cool, huh?
So why are QR codes starting to pick up all over the world? Simplicity.
These codes are great for sharing a ton of additional information without overloading a person. In Japan, they’re huuuge and even here in the States, they’re starting to pick up. You can easily find them on UPS labels but they’re also starting to appear on packaging for common items.
Just the other day, a friend told me about a product he found which had a QR code which displayed the specs of a computer part. That’s nifty.
But it’s going beyond just data integration; many businesses are now using QR codes for marketing purposes. If the trend stays up (which I’m sure it will), we’ll start seeing these black and white boxes all over the place within the next few years.
Look at how it’s been integrated into the Japanese lifestyle:
Pretty cool, huh? Just imagine what else they could be used for once they really start getting adopted in the mainstream.
How to create and read a QR Code
The actual creation of a QR code couldn’t be more easier. Basically, you just populate the fields on the following website(s), hit generate and you’ll instantly be given your code – simple.
Here’s a picture of the process:
There are plenty of sites out there that can generate QR Codes for you; here are a few:
You’re not restricted to just these ones; hell, you could even create it in Photoshop if you wanted to. Go ahead, play around with these and see what you can make. Let’s move on…
Now that you’ve created a QR code, what’s the point if you can’t read it, right? Here are a few of the more popular applications for smart phones which can read QR codes – I’ll give you the link but go ahead and check through your app store to actually find them:
Once you’ve got one of these installed, just run the app, take a picture and you’ll be given the information. If it’s a website, you can click through and load it up in your mobile browser.
Five great uses for QR Codes
Okay, that’s all find and dandy but what the hell are we going to use QR codes for? Fast Company has a great list of 13 uses for QR codes but I’m going ahead to share five different ways I think you could put them to great use, right now.
- Use them for business cards – You can generate a QR code and use them to display your contact information, blog address and other bits about yourself just like a business card.
- Use for exclusive deals – Hide a coupon inside a QR code for your business so when passerby’s take a snapshot, they’ll be given a little extra incentive to swing into your store.
- Use them for tagging – Don’t want to get in trouble for plastering your name all over the place? Try tagging different locations around your area with a QR code – geeks will get it but the average person may just keep wandering by; sneaky, sneaky.
- Use them for labeling – Forget overloading your product with a ton of information; you’re killing the design! Instead, use a QR code to display all that tech junk that most people don’t care about without hogging the packaging.
- Just have fun with them – You can embed all sorts of data on them so why not just have fun with them whenever you go; you could leave a message for people on your travels, trade them and any other thing that pops into your skull.
We really can’t tell where all QR codes are going since they’re still relatively new in terms of mainstream adoption. They’ve been around since 1994 but only recently have they really begun to penetrate the market. If they take off like they did in Japan, we could be using them more often than we think.
So, what do you think about QR Codes? Share a comment below.
Cool image by inju
Its cool stuff. Ive seen a lot of books with QR codes. You can scan it to get login info the a special area of the website where you can get additional info and what not.
As the africa, middle east and south america embrace mobile technology (these are the areas and type of technology thats blowing up) you will see these get used more and more.
Great low down on QR codes dude…cutting edge stuff.
Dino Dogan´s last [type] ..The Tyranny of Hyperlink Ends Now!
That would be an awesome way to utilize the codes Dino – could do some really exclusive stuff where theres a passcode in it or some secret sub page on your blog – only the most dedicated would nerd out but those are the type of people I’d want
As for the second part – I remember seeing a really amazing video (I think I told you) about how Africa pretty much jumped over the industrial age because they’re already using cell phones for most of the internet connection, transactions and more. They went straight to the information age – cell phooooones! I wish I could find the video but it was really interesting.
Thanks for the comment yo!
Maybe it’s just me, and maybe I haven’t looked into it or thought about it enough, but QR codes seem so pointless to me. Why not simply display a short URL? Almost every phone these days has a web browser, not every phone has a camera or the capability to download a QR scanning application.
I think it all comes down to interactivity.
You figure, you can take a quick picture and then click through the links – one and done vs. typing in a short code. It’s a great argument though Tanner and the best approach would to do each so you’re not restricting people to a certain entry point. I’m sure QR codes will continue to evolve over time so they can hold more data though so a quick snap of your phone could give you everything you need without having to search around a mobile website, ya know?
That’s an interesting point in the video about adding a QR code to business cards. It’s becoming a world where we won’t have to punch in phone numbers.
Tammi Kibler @ Write More. Write Fast. Write Now.´s last [type] ..5 Twitter Spam Strategies to Reduce the Noise and Annoyance
Doh, you made the point about business cards in your list as well.
I think all business cards should display a QR code. This is new technology worth embracing.
Yeah, just think of it Tammi – instead of some silly design on the back of your card, you could have a QR code. Hell, your entire card could be a QR code so when you pass it to people, they’d immediately be intrigued by what it is and you could weed out some people that you may not want to do business with – those that take action to figure it out and snag the info are ones which are passionate to work with you, ya know?
We’re also seeing a lot of flyers popping up all over the place Tammi; I think this may become something that we see commonplace in malls and other large venues. They’re even starting to appear in major areas such as Times Square – that shows the adaption is kicking up fairly quickly. We may not see it being used everywhere but I think it’s a great way to display additional information without overloading the user (unless they want to be).
HAHA, I must be getting old. For your example of using the QR code for tagging the only thing i could think was that it would give police a link right to who did it. (of course you could tag a “competitors” QR code, if it does work that way, just to be nasty)
The possibilities for QR codes certainly do seem neat. Since a lot of tech gets popular in Japan before here I suspect we have FAR from seen the last of QR codes and figuring out the little ways to utilize them certainly will be a nice little bene. going forward.
Steve@Internet Lifestyle´s last [type] ..Are you Attending This Free Webinar
Steve, another interesting thing that I recently heard was that in some areas, people are required to keep QR codes on their cars and whenever they speed, a camera will take a picture of your ID QR code and you’ll be given a ticket. I know that would suck to get one but this is really awesome technology – you could cut down on speeding, won’t need to employ a ton of police for highway (so they could be in residential areas) and you wouldn’t create gridlock because of people being pulled over.
Like you said, we can bet that almost anything coming from Japan will certainly make its way over here. It’s surprising to see that it’s just kicking up here though since it’s been readily used in Japan since 1994 – we gotta get with the times!
Nice article! 2011 will be the year of the QR Code! I recently launched http://www.SocialQRCode.com, which is a QR code generator designed for businesses to promote their social networks through QR Codes. Take a look at my YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvtSHm3Xmvk
Turn foot traffic into web traffic for your Facebook fan page and Twitter profile with Social QR Codes!
Please give it a try!
I really like the concept yo!
Checked out the site earlier today and it’s a great idea overall. Being able to get someone to FB Like you right off a QR code could be really, really powerful stuff. You could do exclusive deals, videos and promos through your code and then get them in the fold by having them subscribe to you all off their phone – niiiice!
Damn those Japanese always have the future in their palms (or in this case in their codes).
I’ve seen one of this QR codes with google for their url shortner service.
OK, I know this may sound silly for someone that knows but why would you use and QR code when you can write the information in a easy and readable way?
One good use that comes in mind for this QR codes is to pass secret information between one an other (of course this should be done with some sort of scrambled, encrypted QR). I can imagine some spies using this, I don’t know why but I do.
Alex´s last [type] ..Imbraca printesele Disney
There’s a ton of things that we can expect to see over here really soon Alex; the Japanese have a lot of streaming TV and other services on their cell phones which haven’t really caught on in the states yet – I definitely see that to be a big thing soon.
As for the QR codes, it’s a good question. I think it comes down to interaction. You figure, if someone is likely to use a QR code, they’re a certain type of person you may want as a customer – techies. They’re also the type that would be willing to share and spread what you’re doing, online, through word of mouth, ya know?
The average consumer may not get it but they aren’t really the type to jump online and tweet a picture of your QR code display either, ya know?
The spy thing would be really interesting too – sending secret messaging back and forth; could be made into a fun game as well
QR codes are definitely cool, and I’ve seen some restaurants in the US put them in their windows. Typically they lead to special deals you can use in the shop.
I used one on a website to offer a discount to a conference I held. It sent you to a special page that offered the discount. Only the techy people with smart phones knew what it was though, so they may require some additional education of the public before they can really hit the mainstream.
Robert Dempsey´s last [type] ..The Truth About Affiliate Marketing
Oh man, restaurants would be a great idea – that would be cool to see one where the menu is completely in QR codes and then you text your order haha.
Awesome to hear your own implementation of it Robert; if you look at the comment I made for Alex, techies are a great group of people to go after because they’re very active online and can lead to word of mouth marketing.
I think it’ll eventually catch on with time and integration of smart phones in society; just another layer of the social web bridging over to the real world.
Murray:
I am so glad you explain things so well because I am severely tech handicapped! I appreciate your teaching style.
All the best,
Lisa
Lisa´s last [type] ..Blog Business Is Serious- But Take Time For Fun
Thanks for the support Lisa, glad you enjoyed the post
Interesting stuff and very well written.
I like your approach to qr code using them for business cards, tagging.
Anyways, Thanks for sharing this great post. Keep up the good work bro.
Devesh´s last [type] ..Education And Dedication – The Key To Becoming An Expert Blogger
Thanks Dev – I think they’re going to be a great addition to marketing and items in general, was fun writing the post
I definitely think business cards will be a big use of this. But the possibilities are really endless. I would think this will become as mainstream as the scanners at the grocers. How about tatoos? Have someone scan your belly and go to your Facebook page? I don’t have any tatoos, but I would consider one for that. The “Nerd Tatoo” demographic. HUGE and virtually untapped.
I appreciate this last post is about a year old now, but just to add.
Yep, QR codes came out of Japan and have been big there ever since, but are also big in other parts of Asia, especially here in China.
I believe one comment was why “when everyone has a browser not camera on their phone.”
With all due respect, a great % of the world DID in 2011,and does now have a camera on their phones, the world does not stop outside the US borders.
Another comment re Africa, yes, this adds to my point above, you will note in almost all emerging economies mobile communication is the leading light, people will have a smart phone even in a small remote village when there is still no running water.
So, while it may seem NEW technology and techie or nerdy to some, it has been mainstream outside Europe and USA for a while, in fact it is used b y the general population and is not really a Geek thing at all, anymore than a bar code or home scanner is.
This brings us round to maturity.
Of course tattoos, tagging and other examples given here are possible, but generally QR codes are more of a marketing / information tool. The idea of restricting too much detail on packaging info to a QRC is correct.
In Asia, many posters, fliers, news sheets carry QRC, the user can obtain further info, make a reservation, purchase or what ever from her smart phone.
An example maybe a poster for a concert, using a smart phone on the printed QRC she can get show times, venues a bio of her fav singer then book and pay for her tickets without having to do anything else.
The main strength is the ability to put so much info in a small space, cost effectively.
Think of it as a huge bar code, the type the supermarkets use to scan goods for the price at checkout.
Taking a ridiculous case, I could encode the entire works of Shakespeare on a QR, [I can't actually, too big, but as an example] and print it as a post car for readers to “scan.”
This is a lot cheaper than printing it in book form…. get the idea? saves time, ink and paper.
I make a sales presentation at a seminar or conference, my notes and business card have my QR on them
Not only does my QR give potential clients more information, or a copy of my presentation to refresh them, but i is also trackable, I can go home and with an Analytics type software see who, when and where people have used the QR.
This tells me how effective my presentation was and what is the most interesting to my audience, I can fine tune my next pitch accordingly.
Using their smart phones they can Email or call me directly from the URL or Email address link highlighted on their screen. All about making life easier for clients and customers.
So hopefully by giving “value added information” on my biz card etc i can convert more visitors t o clients and at the same time, monitor my results..
At the end of the day success and growth of QRC really depends on culture, Asians seem to be more adaptable to change and take to new technology better than westerners, maybe they are more early adopters. The pace of change is also faster in the east, people are keen to get ahead and develop so new technology is more accepted which in turn creates impetus and incentive to push the barriers even further.
So I am not trying to suggest that QRC will or should be big in Europe or USA, just trying to highlight how and why they are used and popular here, we even use one as our logo.
At the end of the day, it is “Horses for courses” as they say..
Cheers
peter r Bicknell; founder; WPBeijing