Are QR Code Signs Still Useful?

Quick Response (QR) codes have been around since 1994, a veritable eternity in the digital age. So are they still useful? Or has the QR code been consigned to the Recycle Bin on computers all over the world? Here’s our take – and some helpful tips on using QR codes most effectively.

QR Codes Have Made a Comeback

The first time QR codes entered the market, they had a hard time catching on. Now that most smartphones scan QR codes using their native cameras as opposed to separate apps, however, QR codes are much easier to use. This time around, QR codes also had numerous excellent use cases – beyond the novelty of what amounts to a new barcode format! The year 2020 brought the QR code roaring back with digital menus at restaurants, contactless payment options at checkouts, and other fast, convenient engagement options for clients and customers. 

Even beyond 2020, QR codes and QR code signs will continue to be useful. Customers and clients have not only accepted QR codes in everyday use, they’ve come to expect to see and use them. You can plan and implement useful QR code signs by following our tips to engage your customer base at every turn!

Make Your QR Codes Useful

One of the reasons QR codes didn’t take off when they first entered the market was that not many good use cases existed. QR codes were everywhere – but they took people absolutely nowhere. Resist the urge to direct customers to your website by giving them a specific destination when they scan your QR code. A barber shop, for instance, might include a QR sign on their door so people can book an appointment even when they’re closed. Instead of directing their customers to their website’s home page, that QR code should take customers directly to the appointments or reservations page. 

Other QR signage might offer customers a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming musical acts, provide more information on a local artist whose work is hanging in a cafe, or offer in-store discounts on retail products in exchange for an email submission. Give your customers clear, easy-to-follow instructions to prompt them to scan your QR code and complete the intended action. These days, QR codes have tons of use cases – business owners just need to make sure they’re specific with the outcomes and explicit with the benefits to a customer who scans their QR code.

Make Your QR Codes Trackable

Are QR code signs really useful, though? Take matters into your own hands by tracking just how many people use your QR codes and what actions they take when they do. Sure, you can often create QR codes for free and then use them in your graphic design, but it’s worth the little bit of cost associated to be able to track your customer’s journey and assess the effectiveness of your marketing. In addition to measuring the efficacy of your QR codes, tracking customer behavior has big benefits to your brand – and it could help you turn that engagement into new sales. 

Brand Your QR Codes

We usually think of QR codes as flat black squares on a white background. While this can make a QR code stand out on some packaging and signage, you’re no longer confined to a single color. In fact, QR codes can be built with your branding in mind – combining colors and integrating them into an image that strengthens its connection to your business and to your customers. At Pinnacle Signs and Graphics, we can design a QR code that is attractive and doesn’t interrupt your customer’s experience with a plain black and white square. 

Get Help from the Pros to Integrate QR Code Signs Into Your Business

At Pinnacle Signs and Graphics, we can help you integrate a QR strategy that works to convert passersby and browsers into paying customers. From fitting QR codes into your existing marketing and signage strategies to creating beautiful QR code signs to guide your customers through their experience, we’re the perfect success partners for your business. Contact us today to learn more about QR code signs and how they can drive your sales into the future!