The Rumors are True: QR Codes are Back

QR codes are making a comeback, or are they just making their first real appearance?

Remember the days of flip phones, the introduction of AOL, Myspace, and The Facebook? Somewhere in there QR codes appeared, with their painful experience of having to download an app, open it up, scan the code, and go to the website, just to get to the content you wanted. While some people may not believe that QR codes are “making a comeback” it’s an inevitable technology in our touchless world. Scan to view the dinner or drink menu, scan to open up Venmo to leave your hairdresser a tip, and scan to learn more about this vehicle or access a service offer.

QR codes have offered a new way for us to engage with shoppers and provide another form of safe and touch free experiences. But what can you do with QR codes today and where can you start to integrate these codes in your dealership? Here are a few tips if you’re thinking of adding QR codes into your strategy. 

1. Keep the URL short & make the code dynamic: It’s always been good practice to keep any vanity URL short, just because you’re making it easier for a shopper to get to that URL doesn’t give an excuse that we can now use ugly, long URLs. The longer the URL the slower the process will be, so keep it short. Also, save yourself some time and be sure to use a dynamic QR code so you can easily update the code without having to create a new one. This will allow you to quickly shift your code based on strategy and campaign.
   
2. Customize it to your brand: QR codes appear to be ugly by nature, this cryptic block of patches that looks like nothing but white noise. While QR codes may have not taken flight 10 or so years ago, in the past decade advancements have been made where you can now customize your QR codes to include custom colors, pictures, and even logos.

3. Give the shopper a reason to scan: Even if you make the QR code look good it’s still very important to ensure you include an incentive for the shopper to engage with a strong call-to-action such as “scan to claim your free oil change” or “scan for a virtual test drive.”

4. Use QR codes in Digital TV & Direct Mail campaigns: While QR codes are great for restaurant menus and touch free experiences, they also offer an easier way for shoppers to get to your digital properties. Including QR codes in your digital TV ads and direct mail pieces will allow your customers and shoppers to engage with you quickly and easily, compared to typing in a URL or performing a search. Make sure you use different QR codes based on the channel so you can accurately track success. The bonus, most QR codes can be created and customized for free so you’re not adding extra costs and hurting your ROI.

5. Integrate it with in-store experiences: Curate an experiential shopper experience in your showroom. Place QR codes on window stickers that will bring shoppers directly to the specific VDP of the vehicle the shopper is looking at (bonus tip: do not use more than one QR code at a time, this will negatively impact the experience and defeat the purpose of using the QR code).Whether you’re considering using a QR code in your marketing or not, this blast from the past is making a comeback so keep it in your toolbox to consider based on your market and consumer expectations. Be sure to always print clear codes and test them before you make them publicly available.

If you’ve already started using QR codes in your strategy, we’d love to hear how it’s working for you and the creative ways you’re using them. And if you’re not quite to the QR code point yet, still reach out, we’d love to talk more!