by Michael Perini, ABC
perini & associates
A growing trend in public relations strategies is the use of QR codes. Â What are QR codes? Â They look like the samples included in this post. Â Leave it to the Japanese to once again export technology, ubiquitous in Japan, to us across the sea.
QR is short for Quick Response  — the codes — up to 7,089 characters of numeric code — can be read quickly by a smartphone, for example.  They are used to take a piece of information from a transitory media and put it into your smartphone.
These little digital artworks really began to show up in 2010, but my guess is that 2011 will be the “Year of QR”.  The complicated pattern of black and white dots are on the cover of magazines and print ads.  You can find them on buildboards and  business cards. Even websites and  t-shirts showcase these!  If you don’t have QR then you are not OK!  QR codes can show a URL which you can click to see a movie trailer or you might be able to get a coupon which you can use in a local outlet.
In my view, we are just scratching the surface in public relations of how QR codes will be used. Today, few of you may use them, but those who do will certainly generate conversation and likely business.  At some point search engines will recognize QR codes and possibly index the content.
The reason they are more useful than a standard barcode is that they can store (and digitally present) much more data, including url links, geo coordinates and text. Â The other great feature of QR codes is that instead of requiring a chunky hand-held scanner to scan them, many smart phones can scan them.
https://periniassociates.com
Here are some ways to use QR codes:
- Product information
- Contact details
- Offer details
- Event details
- Flyers, posters or postcards
- A coupon or special offer
- Link to a YouTube video
- Enhance in-store information
Here are apps we recommend for QR readers for the iPhone:
While QR codes are still in their infancy and we, as consumers, need to learn a new behavior, those familiar with using QR codes are finding their diverse functionality convenient and snapping them more and more. Â Some experts say that increased smartphone usage is driving OR code use. Â Data from Mobio Identity Systems shows that this is a growing trend.
Have you added QR codes to your marketing? Â Please include your feedback in the comments section below.