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QR code marketing

QR codes work in marketing when they take someone from print to a specific page in one step: a flyer to the offer, packaging to the instructions, a table card to the menu. Link each code to the exact page, say what people get for scanning, and tag the link with UTM parameters so your analytics shows which ad brought the visits.

QR code generatorUpdated 4 min read

Where QR codes earn their place

A QR code is worth its space when someone has a phone in hand, a moment to spare and a reason to act now:

  • Packaging and inserts: set-up guides, refills, warranty registration, reorders.
  • In store and at events: product details, sign-ups, feedback, Wi-Fi.
  • Print ads and direct mail: the offer page, not the home page.
  • Posters, windows and outdoor: only where people stand still, such as bus stops, queues and shop windows. A code on a billboard beside a fast road is hard to scan safely, so use a short web address there.
  • Business cards and CVs: a contact card or a portfolio link.

Link to the exact page

Send people to the page that matches the ad, not your home page. It should load fast on mobile data and make the next step obvious. If the page might change, point the code at an address you control and change the page, not the code: a printed static code can't be edited.

Coupon QR codes

There are two ways to put a coupon behind a QR code:

  1. Link to an offer page. The page shows the discount code or applies it at checkout. You can change or end the offer on the page after the codes are printed.
  2. Put the coupon in the code. Use plain text such as "SPRING10: 10% off until 31 May". It works offline, but you can't change it later.

Print the offer, the terms and the expiry date next to the code, so people know what they're scanning for.

Measure which ad worked

A static QR code doesn't count anything: it's just your link, printed. To measure, tag the link before you make the code. Google Analytics reads these parameters:

  • utm_source: where it was seen, such as flyer or billboard.
  • utm_medium: the kind of channel, such as print.
  • utm_campaign: the promotion, such as spring-sale.

Make one code per placement, each with its own utm_source or utm_content, and compare them in your reports. The code below already carries a tagged example link on example.com, an address reserved for examples. The UTM builder makes tagged links for you, and UTM parameters explained covers the details.

Two catches: tags make the link longer, which makes the code denser, so print it a little bigger; and analytics counts visits, not scans.

QR code generator

Open the full tool

Design and print rules

  • Contrast: dark code, light background. Brand colours are fine if they're dark enough; the generator warns when they aren't.
  • White space: the QR specification asks for a margin four modules wide. Our download has a narrower white border, so leave extra white space round the code in your layout.
  • Size: at least 2 cm (0.8 in) for something held in the hand, and much bigger for posters. See minimum QR code size.
  • Logo: keep it small and in the centre. The tool switches to the highest error correction for you.
  • A call to action: a line of text next to the code, plus a short web address for people who'd rather type.

Before it goes to print

Print a proof at full size and scan it with two or three phones from where people will stand. Check the page loads on mobile data and that your analytics shows the visit with the right tags. How to test a QR code has a full checklist.

Static codes made here don't expire and have no monthly fee. See do QR codes expire? for how they differ from dynamic codes.

Related guides

Sources

Questions

How do I promote my QR code?

Tell people what they get and put the code where they have a free moment: tables, queues, packaging, waiting rooms. A short line like "Scan for 10% off your first order" beats a bare code.

Do you have to pay a monthly fee for a QR code?

No. The QR format is free to use, and a static code like the ones made on this page works for ever without an account. Monthly fees are for dynamic-code services that forward scans through their servers.

How do I create a QR code for a coupon?

Either link the code to a page that shows the offer and its code, or, for an offline voucher, put the coupon text itself in a plain-text QR code. Print the terms and the expiry date next to it.

How do I know how many people scanned my QR code?

A static code doesn't count scans. Add UTM tags to the link, and your analytics counts the visits that came from each code. That's visits, not scans: someone who scans but doesn't load the page isn't counted.