Qrcodes | SocialWayne.com by Wayne Sutton

Posts Tagged ‘qrcodes’

Posted on March 5, 2011 - by Wayne Sutton

The QR Code Statistics you have been looking for – infographic

As you know I’m a big fan of QR Codes. Since mid last year QR Codes have been on the rise in terms of use by brands, and with the growth of smartphones more people are scanning QR Codes but many people are saying show me the numbers. JumpScan a company that combines all your contact and social media information in a QR Code provides us with some much needed QR Code statistics to show who’s using QR Codes, what mobile platform people are scanning QR Codes with, and some background information on the history of QR Codes in the infographic below.

via JumpScan, tip Mashable

If you’re looking for more information on QR Codes see:

Update

Looking for a fast QR Code Reader / Scanner? Try my new iPhone app: CLICK HERE

Do you use QR Codes for marketing?

Posted on October 21, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Just because you don’t get QR Codes doesn’t mean they won’t become relevant in the future of marketing & customer engagement

For those of you have been reading this blog over the past month know that I’ve been covering the various use cases for QR Codes and how to effectually implement QR Codes for marketing and customer engagement. You can thank Kipp Bodnar who introduced me to QR Codes a few years ago and Robert Rice who re-energized my QR Code infatuation earlier this year for that. Since then I’ve done a lot of research on how to measure QR Codes, create QR Codes for various types of content such as Facebook like actions, vcards, mobile websites and help launched two QR Code projects in Raleigh, NC. One being the state fair QR Code scavenger hunt and the second being a community wide event adding QR Codes to posters so people could scan the QR Code for scheduling information.

I’ve also added a lot of QR Code focused blogs to my Google Reader and met virtually some very smart individuals who have been using QR Codes for years and/or have created QR Code generators/analytics platforms such as Nick Ford and Dan Smigrod. The use cases for QR Codes are growing rapidly in the last six months and recent reports have stated that QR Code scans are up 500%. Not to mention both Google and Bit.ly implementation of QR Codes with creating short urls and providing analytics with them. Also we implemented QR Codes for checking into locations with TriOut by providing businesses with custom quick check-in QR Codes.

QR codes: Next big thing or 3D optical illusion. @hazenj (and me) still not sure. #triamaWed Oct 20 17:34:54 via TweetDeckallison najman
mbagrrl

But even with the growing list of case studies and major brands using QR Codes I’ve seen a few blog post and tweets saying they have their doubts about the future of QR Codes or they don’t get QR Codes and don’t see a practical use case for them. Some are saying the same about location-based services but that argument is for another blog post. Regardless this reminds me of four years ago when people said that @Twitter was a fad and Facebook was irrelevant and blogging was for people who just stayed home in their pajamas. Look at where we are today. I’m NOT saying that QR Codes and/or other 2D Codes or even Microsoft Tags are the next big thing or run to add QR Codes to your next “social media marketing campaign strategy” #jk so you can look cool and sell to your clients that you half way know what you’re talking about but I’m saying don’t doubt the technology and give it time.

In the mean time here are a few QR Code blog post and examples that I hope can show you the value of QR Codes and various ways you could potentially use them in the future.

Update

Looking for a fast QR Code Reader / Scanner? Try my new iPhone app: CLICK HERE

What are your thoughts on the future of QR Codes?

Posted on September 14, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Six examples of downtown Raleigh businesses using QR Codes

The QR Code marketing movement is underway across the USA and Raleigh is right there joining other major cities such as New York and Boston with various businesses using QR Codes. Especially downtown Raleigh, were there are two startups with QR Code reader iPhone apps, one printing company, a community event and other businesses with window QR code window clings. In the upcoming months everyone will be adding QR Readers to their existing mobile apps along with various marketing agencies looking to see how they stay ahead of the other and add QR Codes with their clients marketing efforts… good luck. Regardless here are six examples of companies using QR codes downtown Raleigh, NC.

1. SPARKCon Posters

2. Design Box Window Clings

3. Exhibit booths (Used at the Museum of Life and Science last weekend for the Heroes, Villains and Special Effects Exhibit)

4. Internation Minute Press Window Poster

5. iPhone apps made from Raleigh/Triangle, NC:
Neogence’s Mirascape (based in Raleigh, NC )

SPARKcon App dev. by ACME, Inc. Sal Conigliaro (Triangle NC)

TriOut version two iPhone app (private beta)

6. Google Maps QR Codes

Have you seen other QR Codes used downtown Raleigh or in the Triangle, NC area?

Update

Looking for a fast QR Code Reader / Scanner? Try my new iPhone app: CLICK HERE

Posted on September 8, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Getting started with QR Codes Pro Tip #1. Remember the K.I.S.S. rule!

If you have been reading my blog lately to say I’m excited about QR Codes is an understatement. I’ve blogged about QR Code iPhone App Readers, QR Code videos and QR Code generators that provide analytics. Over the weekend I read an awesome QR rant post from Nick Ford about how HBO’s New Series “Boardwalk Empire” are using a QR code in GQ Magazine. His rant starts off about the design of the code and then goes into how important the content of the QR Code is after you scan it is. Here’s an excerpt

The first thing that struck me about the use of this particular QR code was the “designer” effect it had. Don’t get me wrong, I love “designer” QR codes and I think they can serve a unique purpose for any campaign but they shouldn’t be used in an ad like this. QR codes are still at their infancy with consumers and recognition is HUGE at this stage in the game. The code in this ad is too small and the effect it was given only deflected attention from it. A standard black and white code that was 25% larger would have been MUCH more engaging to potential users IMO. I don’t even want to mention the money that was probably spent trying to make this code look “cool” on the ad.

Nick who’s byline reads “Captain of the QR Code galaxy” makes some great points and even though I’m a fan of designer QR Codes, he’s so right. For example look at the green QR Code above. If you look closey there’s a light emebed image in the code. It’ big and green with one major problem. It doesn’t work! As I was walking by the location I tried to scan it with 4 different QR Code readers and none of them were able to scan the QR Code. In today’s marketing/social web world in which everyone talks about branding and design I know plain black and white QR Codes may not be the most attractive design but they work. For example look at the Sparkcon poster below with a QR Code.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/waynesutton/4970528433/” title=”Sparkcon Posters with QR codes by waynesutton12, on Flickr”>

Don’t get me wrong, you can be very creative with QR Codes designs, take a look at a few awesome QR Codes custom designs below.

Google Image Result for http://www.hypebeast.com/image/2009/04/louis-vuitton-qr-codes-takashi-murakami.jpg

But remember, for 98% percent of America QR Codes are still new and should be kept as simple but effective as possible. Therefor when you’re starting your QR Code marketing project remember the K.I.S.S. rule…. Keep it simple …..

Posted on June 15, 2010 - by Wayne Sutton

Poll: QR Codes vs Barcodes: Which one will foursquare and other location-based services use the most for check-ins? StickyBits hopes its Barcordes

As location-based services continue to be in a marketing industry beta lab and a buzz topic for blog post, users and startups are looking for better ways to make the check-in process easier and more valuable. Some users have mentioned they would like a way to auto check-in to a location and others would like to scan a barcode or qr code while entering a location. RFID is another technology being rumored to be implemented by Facebook but I believe QR Codes or Barcode along with better smart phones will the take lead in improving the check-in process.

A few startups offering QR Code and Barcode check-ins are Stickybits and φ². Stickybits is unique being that you can scan a barcode, use the barcode to check-in, add a comment, photo or even a video. The idea around stickybits is great being that it’s a social network, allows user generated content and lets brands manage “bits” to control the content. Recently Pepsi partnered with Stickybits for social media sponsorship campign. You can read more about it here: Stickybits Rolls Out “Official” Branded Bits, Signs Up Pepsi As First Advertiser via @TechCrunch

For more about Stickybits see the video below:

The φ² project markets itself as allowing “physical check-ins with Foursquare”. Basiclaly anyone can create a QRcode via their website that allows you to check-in when a user scans it. If you’re a business you can create your own window cling and encourage users to check-in with any QR code scanner. Watch the video below for more on φ²

Foursquare Physical Checkin from mobile life on Vimeo.

Other location-based applications/services are using QR codes such as Brightkite and Google Places. As for user adoption far more people in America are aware of barcodes in our society than QR code but I’m starting to see a big shift do to the recent incrrease of location-based applications use of QR Codes. At this time I believed QR codes if used properly have their advantages but the Stickybits barcode scanning platfrom is a great way to implement gaming and social content creation along with marketing in a simple concept.

What do you think, QR Codes vs Barcodes? Take the poll below:
Which one will foursquare and other location-based services use the most for check-ins?

Now, if you’re wondering what those QR and Barcodes on my blog are, now you know. If you’re interested in location-based marketing see my presentation: Getting Started with Location-based marketing in 2010:

Update

Looking for a fast QR Code Reader / Scanner? Try my new iPhone app: CLICK HERE