They were all the rage circa 2011, and then they just started to fall off of our radar.
By the beginning of 2014, no one seemed excited to be using QR codes—at least, not like they used to.
They used to be all over everything, and every smartphone came standard with a QR scanner. They were supposed to make finding the webpages and information you wanted easier, and they were a great way for marketers to direct individuals in the physical world to the virtual one.
Though they have been slightly out of vogue in recent years, could they still be a useful marketing tool? I mean, they still do what they always did—direct a scanner to a landing page. It’s easy and convenient, especially on the small smartphone screen, where it can be difficult to navigate to the right page.
The key is correct implementation. You can really see the death of the QR code in how they have been used on billboards. How is a driver ever supposed to be able to scan that code? But using QR codes on product tags, in paper advertisements, and around brick-and-mortar stores is still a great way to incorporate the virtual into the physical, especially if the QR’s destination is useful and engaging information.
For a great piece on contemporary QR codes and how they could “make a comeback,” check out this recent post from Business2Community.
