How to Create a QR Code in a Few Steps

Did you know that QR codes have been around since 1994? The Toyota company first developed QR codes to accurately track automobiles and single parts during the manufacturing process. Despite a brief rise in popularity in 2011, QR codes never caught on.

Some years later, the COVID pandemic brought them back. As bars and restaurants started opening up again with physical distancing norms, QR code menus were seen everywhere. In recent years, retailers and brands also started leveraging the power of QR codes as a marketing tool. Data collected from Shopify shows that QR code usage increased from 35% in September 2020 to almost 83% in April 2021.

Similarly, statistics show that more than 54% of shoppers used marketing-related QR codes in 2021 at least once. It is also predicted that the number of US smartphone users scanning a QR code will rise from 84.3 million in 2022 to almost 99.5 million in 2025.

If these numbers tell us anything, they tell us that QR-enabled technology is taking over the world. In particular, a domain where QR codes have already had a significant impact and will keep being relevant is customer experience and customer service.

Today's blog will discuss how QR technology is changing the customer experience and the best way to create QR codes. Let's get started!

What is a QR code?

QR code stands for "Quick Response" code. Typically, it is a square-shaped black and white symbol that can be scanned with a smartphone. QR codes help people quickly access information through their smartphones. Instead of typing an URL in the browser, customers can simply point their smartphone camera at a QR code and scan it.

QR codes are encrypted sources that contain links to various kinds of content and information, ranging from web pages, WiFi access codes, restaurant menus, social media sites, business cards, website registrations, and so on.

Sometimes, there's a lot of confusion regarding the difference between QR codes and barcodes. They are both similar in the sense that they are visual representations of data, but the way information is stored within them sets them apart.

QR codes hold comprehensive product information compared to a standard barcode. Besides, barcodes are one-dimensional, and the data stored in them is read horizontally. QR codes are two-dimensional, and the data is read horizontally and vertically.

There are two different kinds of QR codes: 

Static QR code, which links to a set of locations on the web; 

Dynamic QR code, which sends customers to an adaptable web location.

If customers are using an iPhone, Apple's camera includes an in-built QR code scan support. Both Google Assistant and Google Lens let customers point their camera at a QR code and tap to scan and search on an Android device.

As we discussed, the return of QR codes can be credited to the pandemic and the efforts to minimize physical contact points. Since then, always more applications have allowed business marketers to generate multiple QR codes for their customers.

Layerise rely on QR code technology to provide your customers with the best experience possible. They just need to scan the QR code on product packages for a seamless onboarding experience, which benefits both the brand and the end-user.

Why is QR code technology taking so much hold in a wide range of industries?

Initially, QR codes were introduced specifically to manage extensive inventories in the manufacturing industry. Today, QR-enabled technology has spread in almost every industry. According to a study conducted by Pew Research, 81% of smartphone-owning adults in the United States scanned a QR code in 2019. The numbers have only increased since then.

Retailers and brands are starting to widely incorporate QR codes into their marketing strategies as well as the customer experience. These QR codes can be used in several different touchpoints, such as customer feedback, customer registrations, gathering data, and so on.

But why is QR code technology taking so much hold in different industries? Here's why:

Encourage repeat purchases

QR codes are known to trigger a multi-media response when activated. Companies usually channel customers to different types of educational content such as user guides, recipes, warranties, etc.

At the same time, through QR codes you can also offer incentives for those customers who return for similar purchases in the future. When retailers successfully get customers to return and make a second or third purchase, those customers are more than 50% likely to make another purchase in the future compared to customers who don't.

Once businesses have a good group of loyal customers, it takes fewer resources and marketing investments to convert leads. This happens because of two main reasons. First, once you have a consistent audience of loyal customers, they will spread word-of-mouth about your products. Second, loyal customers will also be more likely to engage in data collection, useful for marketing purposes, and feedback activities, fundamental to keep improving your products and the experience to attract new customers.

Communicate with customers seamlessly

Customers are generally impatient and like to be left alone in their shopping experience. In always more situations, they even resent being followed by enthusiastic sales advisors. In such a scenario, QR codes can be a game changer. By strategically placing QR codes around shopping platforms, customers can scan them to learn more about the individual products/services without any kind of employee intrusion.

This way, QR codes can enable access to educational content like guides, product recommendations, tips, and so on.

Improve the experience

Thousands of applications today support QR code technology and enable retailers to create in-store experiences that stand out and get huge attention for their innovation. It also has the added benefit of introducing interactivity to the customer experience.

Gathering valuable customer insights

The use of QR Codes significantly simplifies the task of tracking customers' in-store shopping activities, which is something that retailers are constantly striving for. Several QR code programs can also gather data insights on customers' browsing habits. Personalization of the retail and e-commerce customer experience may be later made possible by this data.

Remarketing efforts

In 2021, more than 53.9% of all retail sales were expected to be initiated through a smartphone. Mobile technology and accessibility have become an indispensable part of every customer's shopping experience, and it helps in the discovery, browsing, purchasing of products, and pre-purchase activities as well.

Nowadays, most smartphones include an in-built QR Code reader, eliminating the need to download a separate third-party app to scan a QR Code. Since most e-commerce searches start on a mobile device, QR Codes offer two-way communication that enables businesses to gather information about their consumers' in-store purchasing habits and use it for remarketing them after their first visit.

It effectively increases the return on marketing investments. For instance, QR Codes give tech-savvy companies a way to retarget customers on Facebook and Google. Retargeted customers are considerably more likely to engage with your online advertising on social media than clients who have never been to your store.

Save resources and allocate funding

SMS and email are two of the most common ways brands advertise discounts or special offers to their customers. However, the major drawback is that these strategies are considerably more expensive than putting QR Codes on merchandise, posters, or receipts.

Additionally, QR Codes make it possible to interact and track usage and online activity, which boost conversion rates. Retailers can use professionally designed templates to produce personalized posters and add QR codes to boost customer engagement.

Stay ahead in the competition

While the number of retailers adopting QR Codes is steadily growing, not all have leveraged it yet. Utilizing QR Codes in customer experience efforts can help set your retail brand apart from rivals and increase market share.

How to create a QR code?

Now that we have discussed the importance of QR codes in providing an enhanced customer experience let's explore the best way to create a QR code.

1) QR-code-generator.com 

The first step to creating a QR code is entering the following website: qr-code-generator.com. This is just a recommendation, but you can also use web-based QR code generators such as Visualead, QR stuff, QR Code Monkey, Kaywa, Free QR Code Generator by Shopify, etc.

Other valuable options are:

Kaywa

Kaywa is a straightforward tool that generates QR codes for contact information, URLs, and coupons. To generate it, just enter your data, select whether you want a dynamic or static code, and hit generate.

Visualead

Visualead is a one-of-a-kind QR code generator that creates QR codes customized to fit your brand.

QR stuff

One of the more powerful QR code makers, QR Stuff, can generate codes for virtually any kind of information you wish to disseminate to your customers. It supports YouTube videos, Zoom meeting invitations, and even bitcoin information.

2) Enter your URL

Virtually, you should send your customers to a URL when they scan the QR codes. Thus, enter the URL in the indicated space. You can also decide to link the QR code to different content types, such as contact cards, PDFs, and MP3s. You also have the choice to generate QR codes for PowerPoint and Word documents. Depending on the tool you decide to use, there are different possibilities for QR code-specific content.

After you have selected the content type, you will be asked to enter the data related to your campaign. For instance, if you want your QR code to save contact information, you'll see fields where you can enter your email address, subject line, and associated message. A downloadable QR code will immediately be generated when you enter your URL or upload your file.

3) Personalize your QR code's shape, color, and frame 

Customizing QR codes to reflect your brand is the fun part of creating them. You select the option to show your logo in the QR code, and you can also match it to the style and theme of your website.

The front-end generator on qr-code-generator.com offers limited frame, shape, and color options to customize your QR code. We suggest you sign up to unlock more customization options.

Remember that not every QR code generator tool will offer these design and customizable options. Some tools have limited functionality. Therefore, make sure to use one that gives you a wider range of options.

4) Download and save the file to your device 

Don't worry about signing up if you're just seeking to generate a QR code quickly. Just click the Download button instead.

Though the website may attempt to fool you into signing up, your download will begin immediately. If you don’t want to sign up, ignore this message. You'll see a notification at the top warning you not to refresh the page while your QR code is being prepared.

5) Add your QR code to the platforms 

A QR code cannot do its job unless your customers notice it. Therefore, make sure you make it visible enough to catch your customer's attention. It can be done in several creative ways, such as print ads, on websites, products, physical locations, etc.

How Layerise integrates QR code technology?

Customers adore QR codes. They no longer need to remember to visit a website later or write down phone numbers and web addresses because all they need to do is quickly scan the QR code to access all the product information they require.

If you are seeking to improve your customer experience, Layerise is the perfect solution for you. Layerise is leveraging the QR code technology to enable interactive and effective product onboarding and re-focus from product instructions to interactive customer experiences.

With Layerise you will significantly improve the customer journey. Consumers can simply scan the QR code on your product and be redirected to a PWA where they can find easy video tutorials for setting up and information about the most common problems. On top of that, thanks to the chat feature, you can extend better assistance to customers with more complex problems.

Layerise will not only help you support your customers after they have purchased your product. Layerise will also be the perfect ally to collect data from your users. In fact, from the moment the customer adopts the product, Layerise starts collecting data about each user. This will help you understand who your primary customer is and create an experience that is always more suitable for your target market.

Book a free demo to learn more about how Layerise integrates QR code technology!