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Are you QRious? How to Create QR Codes.

Posted Apr 18, 2012 in Business Cards, QR Codes with (2) Comments

In every business environment, there are trends and new products that can help you and your business gain more attention. As printers we have to become familiar with all of them, so we don’t miss out on new opportunities. Lately, he “QR Code” has been a marketing hot topic. I wanted to take the time to show you the basics of how Wes-Tex created our QR codes, what to look for in the accuracy of the QR codes, and answer some of the most frequent questions. 

How -To Create QR Codes

1. First, find a QR code generator. Wes-Tex has used Scan.me because it has been very accurate for us. However, there are literally hundreds and hundreds of QR generators. So if you find one that you like, make sure you test it for accuracy, using multiple scanners. We will get into this a bit later.
    
2. When you begin building the QR code, the code generator  will ask you what you want the code to do, or what type of content you are trying store within the code. All  generators are different, but the best generators will let you specify your options clearly. Figure 1 shows how Scan.me handles this process. 
   

   (Figure 1 – Select type of Content from scan.me)

3. Next, you will input the content. Only use information, company website, or channels (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc,) that are updated frequently or will not be changed. For example, do not point to a Twitter account that you never use. . *Note: if you are promoting a temporary event, using a QR code is okay, but keep in mind that  the QR code will eventually be irrelevant. 
   

   (Figure 2&3 – Entering your information to create you QR code)

4. The next step is generating your QR code. Test the code on screen, then print the page out and test it on paper. Figure 4 shows the Scan.me generated QR code and what it should look like on a smartphone.
   

   (Figure 4 – QR code Generated, remember to test it!)

5. Once you have checked the QR code for accuracy and performance using several scanners, then you can take the code and place it on a card or print product. Here are some examples:
   

   (Figure 5 – Foil QR Code Business Card)

   

   (Figure 6 – Thermography Business Card)

6. The last step is analytics. The main reason we use Scan.me at Wes-Tex is because of the analytical tracking that come standard. This information lets you know how many users actually scan your QR code. This can be important to track, because you will be able to see if your QR code is receiving any engagement. Figure 7 shows the analytics for the QR code we just made ¬—there is only one scan, which was me testing if it works. You can never test enough! Figure 8 is the picture of the test scan taken from my phone.
   

   (Figure 7 – scan.me analytics)

   

   (Figure 8 – What a scan.me QR code looks like on a Smart phone )

What is your process for creating QR codes? Let us know in the comments below. If you have any questions regarding printing your QR code business cards, please feel free to email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call us at 1.800.346.0515.

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