QR Code Advertising: How to Integrate QR Codes into Your Ads

Every advertiser wishes they could reach customers directly. If only you could talk to customers while they’re in-store and sign them up for a loyalty program. If only you could deliver products straight from a billboard ad. 

We’ve yet to find a genie to grant those wishes. But QR Codes are the closest thing we have to marketing magic. 

For every campaign, there’s a QR Code solution: a way to showcase products, get reviews, collect payments, share discounts, and recruit loyal customers with the scan of a smartphone. 

Keep reading to find out how you can use QR Codes to boost audience engagement with ads.

Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.

The benefits of using QR Codes for advertising

One reason why QR Codes are so popular with marketers? They improve the user experience for customers while streamlining your work behind the scenes. It’s a classic win-win situation. 

Here are six ways QR Codes for digital ads can optimize customer engagement (and your bottom line).

• Connect with ease: QR Codes offer your target audience almost immediate access to a wide range of interactive content. Use codes to link to ecommerce landing pages, social media pages, video content, or even augmented reality experiences.
  
  
• Unlock immersive experiences: You can customize every aspect of a QR Code, from the color to the call-to-action, link text, and pixelated pattern. Custom QR Codes support brand awareness and encourage your customers to scan with confidence.
  
  
• View accessible metrics: You can track data for all your QR Codes, including total number of scans, approximate locations, and dates. Just make sure you choose Dynamic QR Codes in the QR Code Generator—better data is one of the key differences between Static versus Dynamic QR Codes.
  
  
• Scale up while staying cost-effective: QR Codes are quick and easy to create. When your brand is growing fast, you can take advantage of batch-creation tools to keep up. Choose a QR Code Generator that offers unlimited scans so there’s no cap on your audience size. 
  
  
• Achieve higher conversion rates: Scannable QR Codes take the friction out of responding to an ad campaign. In fact, they’ve been shown to improve response rates in various marketing materials, including direct mail surveys and patient consent forms. And when you use Dynamic QR Code data to refine your marketing campaigns, you’ll see even higher conversion rates. 

8 ways to use QR Codes in advertising

There’s no shortage of creativity when it comes to incorporating QR Codes into advertising. Let’s explore some exciting ways to spruce up your ad with these pixelated squares. 

Coupons

Coupon marketing has been in the game for more than a century, and it’s still going strong. Not only does it inspire repeat customers, leading to more customer loyalty, but coupon marketing also has the potential to skyrocket sales.

Looking to promote a specific product? Try using a Coupon QR Code: a digital, mobile-friendly version of your coupon. Whether customers are in-store or online, they simply scan the code with a mobile device to redeem the discount.

Product packaging

“Packvertising” is a novel concept that merges advertising practices with packaging, forging an unforgettable customer experience. You can use product marketing QR Codes to transform each package into a digital portal, which links to exclusive content, customer support, feedback forms, and more.

One easy way to unleash the potential of packvertising is by implementing a rating QR Code on product labels. When you integrate a pixelated square into your package design, you can connect your customers to review websites, social media profiles, or your own web page.

Social media

Building a substantial following doesn’t happen overnight, unless you win the viral lottery by getting filmed after dental surgery, during an awkward teenage moment, or with a bucket of ice over your head.

The good news is that there are much easier (if slower) ways to build an audience. 

By incorporating a Social Media QR Code into your offline marketing materials, you can guide potential followers to your online presence. Capture the attention of a new audience in the wild—on the streets, inside a shop, or at a bus stop—and incrementally cultivate your social media following, one scan at a time.

Television

How do you transfer users from watching TV to shopping on their mobile device? The answer is QR Code advertising. QR Codes empower viewers to access a digital version of an ad within seconds and engage seamlessly with the content on their mobile devices. You can lead customers to take the next action while tracking the number of scans your ad generates to demonstrate ROI.

Out-of-home ads

Out-of-home (OOH) ads like billboards, posters, and murals are already designed to capture the attention of passersby. But QR Codes have an even more magnetic way of reeling audiences in. 

Why? Because users are no longer passive. They can interact with the ad by scanning the QR Code.

Static billboards become video marketing through QR Codes. Hyper-local content reaches people through QR Codes at cafés, and artistic murals can become live, augmented reality experiences.

Event advertising

Advertising an event, confirming RSVPs, and getting people through the door is a challenge, even with the best marketing strategy. Most events have an attendance rate of 40-70%, and if you run webinars or trade shows, it’s often lower.

One tool to amplify your audience reach is an Event QR Code. The best part about including this mobile-friendly software in your ads is that you remove friction for people to book a ticket or check the details.}

Use your Event QR Codes to share basic event details, payment options, and .ics calendar files. As a bonus, you can update the QR Code’s content in real time if there are any last-minute changes.

Encouraging app downloads

Mobile apps are a powerful tool to stay in touch with your customers. In addition to driving more sales, you can use one to offer exclusive discounts and content, collect feedback, unite a community around your brand, and build loyalty over time.

But getting that download is the hard part. 

You can encourage more app downloads by incorporating an App QR Code into your digital and print ads. Each QR Code scan gives the user instant access to a download link—no need to search online or in the app store.

Podcast advertising

As a podcaster, there are a number of ways to promote your podcast and attract a larger audience. You could use social media to get the word out, or you could team up for an interview with another podcaster to bring in more listeners. 

You don’t necessarily have to go all out with pricey OOH ads. There’s a sweet spot that’s budget-friendly and still gets you the results you want: QR Codes. Just add an MP3 QR Code or a Spotify QR Code to posters, stickers, or packaging, and voilà! Your listeners can easily tune in to your podcast.

How to create a QR Code for advertising

Creating QR Codes is a straightforward process. These little patches of pixels can hold almost any data, on almost any surface, and collect feedback—and they’re simple to create, too. 

Let us guide you with step-by-step instructions on creating your own QR Code ad. 

1. Sign up or sign in to your QR Code Generator PRO account

Let’s begin with the basics. You’ll need a QR Code Generator PRO account to access the full range of features, so start by signing up for a 14-day free trial. 

2. Navigate to the QR Code Generator

Open up your new account, and the first thing you’ll see is your dashboard. This is where you can get an overview of your QR Codes, organize them into folders, and create new ones.

Click the green button to visit the QR Code Generator. 

3. Select the type of QR Code advertising solution

At this point, you can choose from a range of QR Code types. There are 15 options on offer, from customer feedback to coupons, social media pages, and mobile apps.

4. Enter information about your content

Now it’s time for the details. In our Social Media QR Code example, you’ll need to:

• Create a name for the QR Code so that you can find it in the dashboard later.
  
  
• Write a headline and short intro text for the social media page.
  
  
• Add links to your website and social media pages.

For a Website QR Code, you’d just need to type in the link. For a business card QR Code, you’d need to put in your contact details, and so on. You can also bulk create QR Codes from a CSV file—for example, if you have a lot of product pages to share. 

5. Customize your QR Code

Once you tap “Next,” your QR Code is created. Now you can customize the design!

Custom QR Codes are a powerful marketing tool: they inspire customer trust and brand awareness. And they make sure the code stands out, without clashing with the design of the rest of the ad.

In QR Code Generator PRO, you can edit:

• Colors
  
  
• Frame, including the call to action
  
  
• Pixel pattern, including incorporating your logo or a call-to-action

6. Test your code from multiple devices

QR Codes are extremely flexible, but they can still have problems. Poor color contrast, low resolution, or a print size that’s too small could affect whether QR Codes work.

Try testing your QR Code by scanning in a range of lighting conditions, from a range of distances, and with a couple of different smartphones.

7. Download your QR Code and start your campaign!

You can download QR Codes in a range of formats to suit different print and digital ad placements. Tap the three dots next to the “download” button in the QR Code editor to see the full range of options. 

Easily create your QR Codes for advertising with QR Code Generator PRO

QR Codes can transform any ad, print or digital, into an interactive experience that earns more engagement with your brand. You can use QR Codes to share almost anything: from product promotions to loyalty programs, branded content, augmented reality, and more. 

QR Code Generator PRO is your powerful platform for creating and editing QR Codes. You’ll have access to a full suite of editing and branding tools, along with valuable data to measure the impact of your QR Code campaigns. 

Sign up for a free trial today and start making more engaging ads!