What Is A QR Code And Why Use It For Business

Curious what is a QR code and how these things work – especially for your business? Well we’ve got some answers for you. You’ve probably seen them before they are those funny square bar code looking things.

The way it works is super simple.

  • The QR code contains information like an email address, contact information, web page URL, text message, calendar event etc.
  • A user who owns a smartphone can install scanner apps like QuickMark and ShopSavvy
  • The user launches the app, ‘snaps’ or scans the code via the phone’s camera
  • The information is loaded onto the camera

If you have a phone capable of scanning the codes, give it a spin – scan the code on this page.

Personally, I love these codes because they save me from typing or manually entering information. And because my contacts and calendar is synced to my Google Apps account I never have to worry about not having that information with me ever again. It’s in there and I can move on. Great for personal productivity.

On the flip side,  you can also use it to promote your business. The following video demonstrates what is a QR code, how people use it and gives you some ideas for business application.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mklOTMd-fek[/youtube]

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10 Comments

  1. Altha on January 6, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    I think this is very interesting! Cannot wait to se the next video on how to make these!



    • Lynette Chandler on January 7, 2011 at 3:35 pm

      It is. I’m rather excited to try it out but at the same time I’m sure
      I will need to accompany it with regular text and URLs etc.



  2. Leigha Baer, e-Edge Marketing on January 6, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    Super information Lynette! Looking forward to learning more about how to use this.



    • Lynette Chandler on January 7, 2011 at 3:36 pm

      Thank you Leigha, I’ll follow up with the how-to a little later today.
      Watch the blog. I’ll also send an email to notify those subscribed.



  3. Jendi on January 6, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    At BlogWorld I met some media savvy people in the tourism field. They love QR codes! They used them for signs, for audio/video on self-guided tours, for coupons, and lots more. QR codes definitely have a lot of potential.



    • Lynette Chandler on January 7, 2011 at 3:40 pm

      Oh Jendi, I do like the idea of using it for audio/video self-guided
      tours. How did they deliver those? Send people to a web page or
      something? I’m thinking sending people to a YouTube video but not all
      phones can play YouTube although I never had problems watching YT on
      my old retired Windows phone nor the Android now. Not sure about other
      phones.



  4. How to Speak Japanese on January 7, 2011 at 9:44 am

    How do I create a code like this? Is there a special website or app that does that?
    (sorry if this was covered in the video, but I cannot access it while travelling).

    Anyone tried this in newspaper/magazin advertising?
    How well is this accepted compared to real URLs?



    • Lynette Chandler on January 7, 2011 at 3:45 pm

      There’ll be a follow up post how to create those today. In short, if
      you have a smartphone, the apps that scan usually can also create but
      I find it easier to just use one of the free online generators.

      I’ve been wanting to try newspaper since I got wind of someone doing
      very well with that in November, I think straight URLs should always
      accompany the codes because
      1. Not everyone has a smartphone
      2. Not everyone who has a smartphone has an app capable of scanning
      these. It is different in places like Japan where these apps are
      actually built into the phone so their acceptance and use is naturally
      much much higher. I won’t be dropping text anytime soon.

      BUT, perhaps adding the code makes it easier for those who know how to use them.



  5. Melody on January 7, 2011 at 5:46 pm

    I’ve been reading up on QR codes and thinking about how I might use them for offline promotion on a business card for example. So many people are using smart phone to access the web and I think the number is going to grow. I never thought of using them for an event, what a brilliant idea!



    • Lynette Chandler on January 10, 2011 at 4:05 pm

      Thanks Melody, I think knowing what kind of data can be carried inside
      the code certainly helps. It is indeed good to know you can make them
      for so many different things. After that, it’s really up to your
      imagination/creativity.