Quick Response codes are fast becoming ubiquitous, but not all marketers are leveraging the opportunities they present for optimizing customer interaction.
Published by 1to1 Media
Written by Cynthia Clark
Last June, 14 million Americans scanned a QR code, according to comScore. While the number might not seem astronomical, the same study noted that it amounts to more than 6 percent of mobile users in the United States.
Moreover, a report by Mobio Identity Systems shows that the use of QR codes jumped by a staggering 4,549 percent between the first quarter of 2010 and the same period this year, indicating that QR codes are here to stay—and making them a marketing tool that shouldn't be discounted. Scanning will become more commonplace as smartphone penetration increases and certainly once smartphones are manufactured with an integrated scanning app.
The beauty of QR codes is their ability to allow further interaction with brands at the point of contact, when the customer's interest is already aroused. The act of scanning shows that the customer or prospect is interested in a product or promotion, so QR codes provide companies with the perfect audience for further communication. Nick Smoot, director of business development at Smarter Agent, likens QR codes to marketers offering their hand to customers. "It's the customer's job to scan the code, and in doing so he is reaching out for that hand and entering into a relationship," he says.
Companies should be using mobile bar codes to "surprise, delight, and inform" customers, says Jeremy Gustafson, vice president of client development at KSC Kreate. "What's important is not the tag, but the content behind it," he says. Chris Tanner, CEO of app marketing platform Get It Mobile, echoes this thought: "Customers are going through the effort of trying to engage and want to get to something that's rewarding on a mobile device." For example, say a manufacturer of athletic shoes launches a new basketball shoe and uses a star NBA player as spokesperson. The company could use a QR code in store windows and magazine ads to direct customers to a mobile-optimized website that gives additional information about the player, offers tips from the player on how customers visiting the page can improve their game, and allow customers to buy the new basketball shoes, as well as other merchandise.
But in their rush to follow trends and provide a 2D code, many marketers are forgetting about content. "[Marketers] are thinking about QR codes more as an ancillary item that should be tried out," says Dave Lawson, Knotice's director of mobile engagement, adding that the lion's share of codes is driving customers to static, already-existent content or websites that are not optimized for mobile. These two blunders may leave customers disappointed and less likely to scan a company's code in the future or return to its website.
Moreover, content should be relevant to the customer's whereabouts at the point of scanning. If a customer is scanning a code placed on a store shelf, for example, this gives a company the opportunity to engage him, captivating his interest in a product through dynamic content and trying to cement it into a purchase at that moment—especially at a time when brick-and-mortar stores are becoming showrooms for online giants like Amazon. For example, home improvement stores could put QR codes on do-it-yourself items, linking to an online video showing customers how easy it is to use the items. Doing so could encourage customers buy an item that they might not have otherwise.
JC Penney is among the many stores using QR codes. Kate Coultas, JC Penney's corporate communications senior manager, says the codes are being incorporated throughout multiple touchpoints. Recently, the retailers placed codes on its Call It Spring advertisement in lifestyle magazine Cosmopolitan, directing customers to a site where they could shop the retailer's shoe and handbag collection directly from their phone. Although it's too early to share initial results, Coultas is encouraged by customers' reactions so far. "We plan to continue using QR codes as we go into the holiday season," she says.
Blending QR codes into a multichannel mix
According to Nielsen, 40 percent of U.S. mobile customers over 18 have a smartphone. That's a large number, but certainly not a majority. So some experts suggest using QR codes in tandem with other interaction tools. While QR codes are "cool, useful, and great for locations," Tanner says they're simply one link in a chain of communication and shouldn't always stand on their own. He recommends using catchy and easy-to-remember keywords that customers can SMS to a particular number, and the reply text will then send them the same URL the QR code would have. This, he says, won't just capture non-smartphone users, but also those who are too rushed to scan a code.
Hallmark is using QR codes on its Halloween cards featuring popular cartoon characters, which direct customers to a video online. But the greeting card company also includes a URL. "We wanted to enable all customers to gain the benefit of the video. Use the QR code if you have a smartphone and a QR code app. Otherwise, we still want you interested in the product and to be able to access what's available," says Monic Houpe, product manager at Hallmark.
QR codes go beyond interaction with customers and offer organizations an analytical tool, as well. David Henkel, president of Johnson & Quin, says optimizing QR codes includes taking advantage of their tracking capabilities. "Be sure your service provider, or the software programs you are using yourself, offers the ability to have a robust tracking system," he says. Tracking programs can determine the number of QR code scans per day, what time they're scanned, and the location. This allows marketers to better understand the strength of their campaigns and tweak them according to the results.
The bottom line is that because QR codes are easy to produce and don't require a capital investment in hardware, companies can use them as a relatively simple way to add value to their brand experience through an engaging and personalized point of interaction.
Five key tips for successful QR codes
- Make the code readable. Smoot says many businesses are making the mistake of producing complex codes that are difficult to read.
- Optimize for mobile. Sites linked to QR codes need to be mobile-optimized. Furthermore, experts insist that the site has to be accessible from each customer's particular smartphone, and that device detection is essential. Tanner suggests printing icons next to the code indicating which mobile platform they are compatible with.
- Be creative. Lawson suggests that online retailers send QR codes inside their shipping boxes, allowing customers to earn points by scanning. Gustafson says rather than print out a wine list, restaurants can include a code on their menu, navigating diners to a mobile-optimized site that helps them pair the wine with their food.
- Add value. It is imperative to make the experience about the customer rather than about the company. Gustafson warns against using QR codes to promote the brand rather than giving customers added value. Henkel says codes printed on direct mail can go a long way towards offering individual experience by being embedded with personalized URLs that direct to customized microsites.
- Stand out. Once the content is developed, companies should make the most of QR codes by putting them in highly visible locations, like a window display or prominently placed in a magazine ad.