With the increase in smartphone use, quick response (QR) codes
are becoming a way to get the latest deals and promotions out to consumers.
They were an integral part of holiday
shopping, and the U.S. Postal Service
and others will continue to place emphasis on them as part of their marketing campaigns in 2013.
What is a QR Code?
A QR code is simply a readable bar code that stores up to 4,296
characters of information in its data. Bar codes may come in different patterns,
multiple shapes and colors. However, the pattern in the corners should always
remain clear.
Designing an Effective Code
While the color, pattern and shape of the code may vary,
there are some basic guidelines developers should adhere to when developing a
QR code:
- Keep the code simple – A more complex code will lead to a larger code pattern, meaning the image projected on the smartphone will become larger for the consumer to read. Therefore, developers should simplify the code to keep the image easy to read.
- Use a shorter URL – Keep the URL small. When the URL becomes larger, so does the pattern of code. When the code stores more information, the image becomes harder to read.
- Create a URL Redirect – The URL itself is often the biggest long-term challenge for developers because QR codes cannot be edited. If the code needs altering, companies will need new marketing materials because the old code becomes void. To avoid the costs associated with printing new materials to accommodate a new code, create a URL redirect or URL forwarding. This allows developers to have the code land where it needs, without changing the URL itself. A URL redirect also keeps the URL shorter, easier to manage and allows the developer to change the end location without the need for editing.
Always Test and Test Again
As with all apps, developers need to test the code.
First, print the code to make sure it fits the needed specs. Then use a few
different scanners to ensure the bar code works. Make sure the phone works
across platforms and devices so test on iPhones and various Android devices. Developers
should also test with different lighting as the end user will not always scan
the code under the same lighting conditions.
Concluding Thoughts
Keep the URL short and the pattern easy to read. If the URL goes astray from where the end user needs to land, the code itself becomes useless. Therefore, test the code to ensure it works under multiple conditions to take into consideration multiple scanning scenarios.
