Designing and measuring QR codes Light in the black and white darkness

Success factors of QR codes: increasing the joy of scanning

There are no perfect recipes for the success of a QR code campaign, just as there are none for a campaign that relies on other methods. However, if you read through the tips circulating on the internet, there seem to be two main areas that are important for success: concept and design.

Conceptual factors

“Inspire and offer added value” – this is the formula that the software company barcoo uses to summarize its first tip for successful QR codes. But first, let us answer a simple question: How does a user benefit from a QR code? The formula “QR code = universal call-to-action tool” does not work – instead, there have to be tangible reasons why a user should scan this code, of all things, when there are so many others. Not everyone is convinced of the usefulness of data squares.

Such questions often arise at the beginning of a project and are rarely discussed – and even if they are, you have to be careful that the answer is not too complicated. In my experience, however, being able to provide a simple one-sentence answer to such questions is the key to success. A simple answer might be, for example, “The QR code offers a discount.”

Clear answers about the benefits of QR codes make it easier to decide how to implement the project – and whether QR codes are the right choice at all. My personal assessment of some projects with QR codes will be provided in a later part of this series – if any questions arise before then, please feel free to post them in the comments.

Design factors

A central factor for the success of QR codes is – as is so often the case – usability. QR codes are designed for mobile use – they are scanned when you are not sitting at your computer. This results in a simple but often neglected requirement: the link target of the QR code should be designed for a mobile device. In the simplest case, this means the mobile version of a website. Let me repeat that: the mobile version of the website. Furthermore, in many projects it makes sense to use QR codes to focus on the information that is of interest to a mobile user. For example, after scanning the QR code on a timetable at a bus stop, a user is unlikely to be interested in company information and stock prices, but would be happy to see a list of the next buses.

Another aspect of usability is whether the code can be scanned in a meaningful way. This is particularly important for posters. When positioning QR codes, it is less about how they look on the computer and more about how they can be practically implemented on the end product. At the top corner, so that users need a ladder to read the giant poster? At the bottom, so that they have to scan while crawling on the floor? You get it.

Hamilton Chan recommends the use of a QR code customized for the company – they should be given preference over their black-and-white counterparts. There are many possibilities for modifying the code – as long as you do not change too much and do not invert the colors. Regardless of the fact that Chan, as CEO of Paperlinks, has an economic interest in such designed codes, he lists a number of tangible advantages: better appearance, higher scanning rate, and a feeling of trust that it really is a code from the company. This trust is of great importance in QR code marketing – reason enough to examine it in detail in a separate section.

Trust in QR codes: combating the fear of the evil code

The central problem with QR codes is that they take the user into a dark room: there is no way for them to guess what is behind them.

Kai Biermann has pointed out that there are potential dangers of QR codes – “Evil pixel patterns” is the apt title of an article about codes that link to phishing sites or even directly execute harmful code. QR codes can also be used to distribute Trojans.

Such security vulnerabilities can significantly reduce the acceptance of QR codes if the scanner software is not adapted. For example, a public blacklist for “bad” QR codes against which a scanned code is checked could be useful – something similar has been around for a long time for phishing sites. The software could also basically indicate that executable code is hidden behind the QR code – and obtain the user’s informed consent to do so. This can be set in some programs. So trust is important – do not scan every QR code you see, just as you do not enter your data on sites that you do not trust. As a company using QR codes, it is important to build on this trust – from this point of view, graphically customized QR codes can be interesting because they cannot be easily pasted over without it being noticed.

But it is not just the security risks that can annoy users when it comes to QR codes: it is not uncommon for the code simply not to contain what you were expecting – disappointment is the result. But the opposite is also possible: the code is not scanned at all because users do not know whether it is worth it. The remedy is simple: explain to users what awaits them behind the door. “Scan the QR code for background information” – a text like this can help to prevent misunderstandings. If the text even raises the motivation to scan it by arousing curiosity (“Scan the code for an exclusive discount”), the scan rate will increase even more. If the audience is not particularly tech-savvy, it may be useful to explain how to scan the QR code at all – because the black squares are not self-explanatory. It is also important to offer alternatives for how to get ahead without a QR code.

Measuring the scans: on the trail of success

Before the success of QR codes can be determined, it is important to be clear about the goal that is being pursued – this largely determines how an analysis can meaningfully be carried out.

• QR code as a supplement to the business card: It is hardly possible to measure anything if you print QR codes on your business card simply to avoid having others type your contact details. However, you can use the response rate as an indicator, that is whether you are contacted by people to whom you have given your business card.
• QR codes as links: If the QR codes refer to a URL, you can use the usual analysis tools. If you have created a special version of the page that is only communicated via the codes, you can see the success from statistics – depending on the application, the number of views or the time spent on the page may be of interest. However, if the links point to a page that is also communicated in other ways, Elke Fleing has an interesting solution – the QR code can refer to a URL shortener, which in turn forwards the user to the actual target page. This way, you get a separate URL just for the QR code, which you can track.
• QR codes as text: If a text is communicated via the QR code, its success can be indirectly measured by means of knowledge tests with subjects.

Regardless of these methods, in some cases it is possible to observe the scan rate of QR codes directly on site – this is particularly useful when they are used in a location to provide information about that location, such as in a museum. Qualitative studies during the design phase of a project are also highly recommended. This is especially important because it allows for the development of opportunities for improvement with the specific audience.