Bending Design, Inc.

May 2011

QR Codes: What the Heck Are They?

You may have started hearing the term "QR Codes", or possibly seen them in a recent ad while flipping through a magazine. They are a widely used technology in Japan and elsewhere, which is starting to gain ground in the US.

So what are they?
A QR code is a two-dimensional barcode capable of multiple uses with the information stored such as visiting websites, sending emails, dialing phone numbers, viewing text and images, and more. They are accessible through a scanner, but not the bulky, special scanning device that is used with barcodes. By simply downloading a specific app for your smart phone you have the ability to read a QR code. Barcodes can only store a maximum of 20 digits, while QR codes can store up to hundreds. This is due to the fact that QR codes store data horizontally as well as vertically.

Why should you care?
The next generation of marketing is happening with not only social media but also new technologies such as QR codes. It’s now possible for a user to see an ad with a QR code and if they’re interested in more they can scan the code and be taken to more information. The beauty of this is that the data is stored in the user’s app for future reference. If directing them to a website you can track the visits and length of time on the site through your regular analytics software. By using a unique url for the barcode that redirects to your target url it’s very possible to see the QR code specific visits your ad has.

How do you get started?
It's surprisingly easy to get started.