Innovative, interactive, and adaptable, QR codes have evolved beyond their conventional use, opening doors to a world of creative marketing possibilities. Let’s chat about creative ways you can use QR codes to enhance your marketing and customer experience for little to no cost.

What is a QR code and how does it work?

Fun Fact: QR codes stand for “Quick Response” codes.

It’s all in the name—QR codes make it quick and easy for customers to engage with your content instantly, jumping the gap from your offline to online media at light speed.

That’s why QR codes are popular vehicles to engage customers, inspire action, drive traffic, and share information without investing a lot of money.

From scanning business cards to accessing event details, QR Codes have completely revolutionized the way we interact with information.

Think of QR codes like little digital wormholes that bridge the physical and digital worlds instantaneously with a quick scan using your camera app.

Today, this QR code scanning feature often comes as a native part of your Android or iPhone’s capabilities, so there are no extra apps to download. 

No wonder, in this new touch-free world, QR codes are seeing an epic revival.

QR Codes: 83.4 million in 2022 to 99.5 million in 2025

This meteoric rise in usage of QR codes signifies a profound shift in how we access, share, and interact with the world around us.

From asking customers to leave an online review to redirecting them to your social media, website, or your exploringnotboring.com Storefront and Listings, you have many options to engage customers using QR codes.

3 of the Best Free QR Code Generators

Sites like QR-Code Monkey and Flowcode allow you to set up free QR codes in seconds and provide you with proper image formats to use in your print designs. If you have a Canva account, you can now create QR codes in your print designs seamlessly.

But let’s be clear here, there are right and wrong ways to use QR codes.

Best Practices for Using QR Codes

First, let’s get this straight, QR codes are designed for print, not digital. In marketing, they’re used to promote interaction and engagement using mobile devices. So, don’t place QR codes on digital assets like social media posts or emails. Digitally, just display the URL and/or use hyperlinked text.

Think about it, how are people scanning your digital code? They need a buddy’s phone to scan their phone. Now that’s silly isn’t it? That’s like having to borrow someone’s spoon to eat your cereal 🥣 🥴

How to Use QR Codes Correctly in Marketing:

Implementing these best practices for using QR codes can optimize the functionality and usability of your QR codes in various marketing strategies:

• Clear Call-to-Action: Ensure your QR code leads to valuable content, such as a discount, video, or exclusive offer. Explicitly state what users can expect. If it leads to a video, say “Scan for a Behind-the-Scenes Video,” for instance.
• Optimal Placement: Place QR codes in easily accessible locations with good visibility and ample lighting for scanning. Basically, avoid placing them too high or too low or in locations with poor lighting.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure the linked content is mobile-friendly and adapts well to various device screens. PRO TIP: And requires few clicks.
• Design Matters: Make your QR code visually appealing. While it’s essential to maintain contrast for scanners, you can still incorporate your brand colors creatively. Just test to ensure your code scans well before mass printing.
• High-Quality Printing: Use good quality printing materials to maintain the QR code’s integrity. Your code should be clear and not pixelated or blurred.
• Dynamic QR Codes: If possible, use dynamic QR codes. These can be edited and updated even after printing, offering flexibility over static QR codes.

Remember, the success of QR codes lies not just in their creation but in the entire user experience they offer. Following these practices can significantly enhance the effectiveness of QR codes in your marketing strategy.

5 Innovative Ideas to Use QR Codes in Marketing

These innovative uses of QR codes can add depth, interactivity, and personalization to enhance engagement with your brand:

1. Interactive Business Cards: Place QR codes on your business cards to direct contacts to your personalized landing page, website, social, or whatever offer you have that you want people to simply access from your business card.
2. Networking: Partner with local businesses to leave your QR sticker or flyer with your QR code on it. People are curious about QR codes, the more places you can put your QR code, inevitably, the more people who will follow it.
3. Online Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews by scanning a QR code after an experience, helping to boost your online presence and credibility with 5-star reviews from timely, convenient review requests.
4. Social Media Engagement: Encourage participants to scan a QR code to share their experience on social media platforms, tagging your business and expanding your reach and social proof using User Generated Content (UGC).
5. Community Engagement: Encourage participants to scan a QR code to join exclusive online communities, fostering ongoing discussions, sharing, and networking. This could include subscribing to your newsletter.

5 Creative Ideas for Experience Creators to Use QR Codes to Boost Their Customer Experience

QR codes add layers of engagement, information, and enjoyment, enhancing the overall experience of your Activity, Event, or Product, by helping to foster memorable interactions. Here are a few ideas to leverage QR codes:

1. Workshop Materials: For cooking or craft workshops, attach QR codes to ingredients or tools, giving participants instant access to guides, recipes, or additional information to complement their learning experience.
2. Virtual Class Materials: Provide students in creative classes with QR codes to access downloadable materials, lesson summaries, or video recordings of the sessions. During the experience, you can leverage QR codes to allow participants to recap or breakdown complex instructions.
3. Exclusive Content: Attach QR codes to physical items (like art pieces, printed materials, or products that you sell) that, when scanned, unlock exclusive digital content or behind-the-scenes insights.
4. Instant Photo Albums: Allow participants to scan a QR code to instantly access a digital photo album of moments from the Activity or Event captured by you or even other participants. This method offers a convenient and quick way for participants to access and enjoy photos of the Experience without the need for physical copies or extensive downloading processes.
5. Instant Surprises: Hide QR codes in unexpected spots that, when scanned, reveal surprise elements, secret tips, or bonus features. This is a fun marketing idea, in general, not just for your Experience.

Reimagine the Power of QR Codes

Explore, experiment, and reimagine the power of QR codes to transform your marketing efforts into immersive, unforgettable experiences.

As you venture into reimagining your marketing strategies and customer experience, remember that QR codes are a canvas awaiting your innovation. Embrace these ideas or craft your own unique experiences using QR codes as your secret sauce to engaging and delighting your audience in ways limited only by your imagination.