Category: Featured News

Using the best practice methods for quick response codes will go a long way toward success.

If there is one form of mobile marketing that can be considered highly controversial at the moment, it’s QR codes.

While some feel it is one of the best technologies currently available, others feel it was dead before it started.

No matter how you may feel about QR codes, the fact is that some companies have used them in order to achieve tremendous responses and highly successful campaign results. The difference between the efforts that have been a complete flop, and those that have broken records is in the techniques that are used. After all, the technology remains the same, no matter how it is applied.

QR codes are not all that complex, but need to be made worthwhile or they will not be scanned.

Among the issues to consider are best practices as basic as the following:
• Placement – if your QR codes are positioned in a way that they will not be noticed, then the odds are that your results will be minimal to nonexistent. You need to make sure that they are visible enough that the viewer will spot them, as well as being the right size that they will be easily scanned. Make sure that they are not located in the crease of a magazine or in a spot that the user will not be able to conveniently snap it.
• Call to action – when you apply QR codes as a marketing tool, you need to make sure that you are encouraging the customer to do something, such as make a purchase, learn about a relevant product, or take advantage of a promotion. By simply linking to a homepage, you will be creating a dead end for users as they have been provided with no further instruction as to how to proceed. The success of these barcodes is based on using them to accomplish a specific goal.
• Landing page – the page to which consumers are directed after scanning QR codes don’t need to be complex or large. They simply need to be mobile optimized, useful, and interesting. They can include written content, but they should be designed in a way that provides a little bit at a time and encourages the user to continue to learn more. Additional content options such as videos can help to improve interest, provided that it does not overlook the call to action.

Though this may have been possible for the first generation of mobile efforts, times have changed.

When retailers first started to discover that mobile commerce was going to be vital to their survival, many of them responded by using their standard websites and optimizing the same content and layout so that it would be compatible with the smaller screens and navigation requirements of mobile devices.

This was a strategy that was somewhat effective for a while, but the channel has evolved since then.

The world of mcommerce is traveling at a breakneck speed, and it is continually in flux. The more brands, companies, and marketers discover about what consumers are expecting from this channel and what is effective, the faster it grows. Now, the websites that were originally optimized so that their standard formats would fit on smaller screens are being found to be inadequate within the sector.

Simply repurposing regular sites for mcommerce just isn’t enough for the mobile consumer.

An mcommerce website should not simply be a cookie cutter copy of the site designed for e-commerce. Before the mobile version is released, it is vital for companies to determine what features are truly central for driving engagement, and to make those elements the heart of the smartphone and tablet experience. For example, store locators – which are often considered to be rather secondary on standard sites – are among the most important features of a mobile commerce enabled website, and should be placed front and center in many instances.

A site meant for a smartphone needs to be stripped down to its bare minimum while still providing a rich and engaging experience. Functionality, compatibility, load time, ease of navigation, and driving consumers to act are all critical to mobile. Unlike the PC experience, it is isn’t simply a matter of placing information in front of the consumer. It needs to appeal to the individual on the go, with quick and simple mcommerce options that will be highly relevant and appeal on a personal level. Companies must never lose sight of this perspective if they wish to get the most out of what the channel has to offer.