This article contains:
- What does QR code stand for
- Video version from YouTube
- How does it read the data?
- Types of data may contain
- How popular it is
- Why do you have to try it?
- Pros and cons
- Price
- How much data can it store?
- How many unique codes can be generated
- How long do QR codes last?
- How do I create my own QR code?
- What is the best Free QR Generator?
Fundamental information about QR code:
What does QR code stand for?
Essentially, a QR code works similarly to a standardized tag at the store. It is a machine-searchable picture that you can read with the help of your cell phone camera. What can it do? When your smartphone checks this code, it interprets that data into some action. After that, people can recognize its data. It has also known as a 2-D (two-dimensional) barcode.
What is a QR code? How does it work?
How does it read the data?
A QR reader can understand a regular QR code based on the three huge squares outside of the QR code. Once it has identified these three forms, it knows that everything included inside it is a QR code. The QR reader then reads the code by breaking the entire thing down to a grid. If you want to know what it can do, I will provide you several examples. In the time of the pandemic, some restaurants start use code stickers instead of the paper menu. It is a perfect solution in a period of restrictions. Besides that, the restaurant saves money on printing a new menu if they want to update it.
How you can use it?
What 2-D (two dimensional) barcode may contain?
Most of the time, people use weblinks as a generated data. However, you can use a different kind of data. It can be contact information or schedule information. You can generate your email addresses. If you want to provide your phone number, you can use it as well. Some people leave a message “Send me SMS when you come”. After that person scans the image, his mobile phone will open an SMS application. And the system will populate all data. The list of containing data is enormous:
- URL
- VCard
- Plain text
- Phone number
- SMS
- Location
- Facebook link
- Twitter link
- YouTube link
- WiFi login and password
How often people use 2D barcodes?
Our day’s people use it more than ever for marketing purposes. It also can be used for payment services and or any data sharing activities. Consequently, it is fair to consider that nearly 60-65% of people use QR Codes every day for the marketing mentioned above.
Why you should use QR codes?
Let me provide you some advantages :
- You will avoid writing mistakes. There is some risk of getting a problem by making a mistake in some data (website/phone number/WiFi). After you printed it out, you can share it. And you don’t need to write anything with your hand again and again. Besides that, after print your information on the piece of paper, you can’t edit it. If you print your code with the QRMagic app’s help, you can edit the data on your code even after print.
- This technology connects offline and online advertisements. For example, print media, flyers, leaflets, boards, and business cards don’t have an immediate connection to your digital data. You can not count how many people saw your advertisement on the board. But with the help of the Quick Response code, you can count how many people scanned it from the board. After that, you can compare results and find the most profitable board. With the help of Quick Response codes, you can quickly transfer the user from offline to online.
Two dimensional barcode can help your business in digital marketing
- You can use a free tool for promoting or sharing information about your company. Code can connect a cell phone to the ‘Like’ button on your Facebook page. Another example is to send customers straightforwardly to your Twitter or LinkedIn page. You can get ‘Likes’ on your Facebook page from offline users. Don’t you think it’s fantastic?! Either you can provide information about your promotions just by putting the label on the front door. You can add a sign “Scan me to get a discount.”
- It can improve the search ranking of your website. Sharing the information from the website can increase the position of the page. With the help of the code, you can improve this number.
- You can get analytics data. In the case of the printed and classic advertisement method, it was challenging to collect data for analytics. That data was not accurate. But QR codes go above and beyond, allowing you to measure the performance of the marketing. You can use shortening links, such as “goo.gl” to produce links that will collect data for you. Most of the applications charge money for that, but with the help of QRMagic, you can make it for free.
Pros and cons of using QR Barcode:
What is the advantage of using Quick Response code?
The primary advantage of using this technology is simplicity. Our days every person uses a smartphone. This fact means any business can interact with this person in an exciting and fun way.
What are the downsides of QR codes?
There is a possibility that your customer will not have his smartphone with him. Or the reader feature will not work for some reason. Even if this technology is so widespread, many people still don’t understand its purpose and how it works. So I would recommend leaving the option for this kind of people to ask sales associates directly.
Price information and restrictions:
What does it cost? Is it free to use?
There are a lot of applications that can help you generate it. There are two main schemas these applications work. The first schema is when an application is asking for some monthly payment to use the generator. Other applications are free but have restrictions and a lot of advertisements.
What is the best Free QR Generator?
I would recommend using the QRMagic application because it is free and does not have annoying ads. Besides that, you can customize your code as you want. For instance, you can change the background. It might be a pretty picture or just plain color. Or you can add a logo in the middle. So the user will understand who is the owner of that print. There are a lot of features that might be interesting for you. And one of the most exciting features is free dynamic code. Other companies charges for that but not QRMagic. You can generate, and even after print, you can change the data of the code.
How do I create my own QR code?
To generate your code, you can use your PC or mobile phone. The easiest way to find the generator is to search for “QR generator” in google or the application market. And there will be a list of available applications. In another article, I am explaining in detail all steps and features of the generating process. You will have to pay for some of them. Other applications will be free but will have some restrictions and annoying advertisements.
Some restrictions you must be aware of:
How long do QR codes last?
There are two types dynamic and static. Static code will never expire. But dynamic might expire depends on the application you used. Some of the applications that generate code put restrictions on use. For instance, the first two weeks might be free. After that, you will have to pay for that. So before using some of the applications, you should spend your time reading the conditions they provide. I want you to avoid the situation when you printed everything, and after fourteen days, you figure out that you have to pay for usage.
How many unique codes can be generated?
I have found a formula on Wikipedia. It says that a standard code’s maximum capacity is 2,953 bytes or 23,624 bits. Each bit has two states, so the number of possible generated is 2^23624 or about 3.4*10^7111.
How much data can QR Code store?
A regular variant can hold 3 KB of data. A QR code contains rows and columns. The sequence of which makes a grid of rectangles. The max number of lines and rows is 177. The highest number of squares can 31,329, encoding 3 KB data.
What do I think about Quick Response codes?
I would say that the QR code is a unique technology. It allows the business to communicate with its customers differently. QR Code makes this experience excited and fun. Besides that, it solves a massive problem of classic offline advertisement. Before the technological era comes, people were dependant on offline promotions a lot. Now it moves to digital. But people still need some communication with the brand offline. And QR code allows efficiently doing that. It is a bridge between offline and online.
On the other hand, it provides an opportunity to collect some data for analytics. One of the classic books says, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” In the case of digital advertisement, we can figure out what works fine and what is not.
Using this technology is beneficial not only for business but for personal usage as well. For instance, you can print your home WiFi password, and if guests come, they can scan the printed code. Or you can also print your contacts and put this paper in leave it in your wallet, and if somebody will ask your phone number to share it. Some people print the link of their LinkedIn pages on the business cards. There are tons of examples of how you can use QR code in personal life or improve your business.
To get more information about generating the codes, you can read this article. And here, you can find a big topic about the scanning process and some helpful tips you should be aware of.
If you want to know how to hire a developer that can develop application for you. Please take a look at this post.
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