I recently wrote an article for NP Talk, a network for Non-Profits to discuss social media and other technology. The following is posting about QR Codes which can also be read here: QR Codes: How to Use Them & Will They Last? and was used as part of a Twitter discussion over at #NPTalk.
QR Codes- they seem to be popping up everywhere. But what a lot of people may not know is the potential for these small codes to be immensely beneficial to nonprofit marketing. Interested in what they are and how to use them? Here’s a brief glimpse:
QR Code linked to ClintCarlson.com
1. “What are QR Codes? What are they used for?”
QR (Quick Response) Codes are similar to UPC bar codes that appear on most products you buy in a store. It was designed by Toyota as a way to very quickly track automobiles during manufacture.
These days, we start to see them more and more frequently as part of marketing campaigns to promote accessing more information. You’ve probably already seen them on television commercials, billboards, magazine ads, sides of buses and on business cards.
The codes are accessed via mobile device which scans the code quickly, translates it into a web URL (although it’s possible to code in straight text, a phone number or SMS) and loads the page programmed into the QR Code.
2. “How do I create them? Please don’t make me hire an expensive programmer!”
There are plenty of free resources to create your own. A quick Google search will bring you a list. http://qrcode.kaywa.com is near the top and will certainly do the job. Once you have your QR Code generated, you can use that image anywhere.
3. “How do I prepare to use them?”
The part that will require a bit more effort is where do you send your clients/customers? You most certainly are going to want a dedicated landing page created that your QR Code directs to. A dedicated landing page should be setup to track analytics coming from the specific QR Code so you can measure the success.
QR Codes are virtually always being scanned by a mobile device so having this landing page be mobile friendly is a MUST.
4. Prepare to change with the technology
While QR Codes are just recently being used within marketing campaigns and social networking, QR Codes themselves are not really a new technology. They often require a 3rd part application to be downloaded and a somewhat steady hand. My opinion is that QR Codes will be short lived and replaced by an up and coming technology.
Current contenders for this space are:
a. NFC Posters
- Near Field Communication will allow you to press a button on your device while in close proximity to an ad to receive more information.
Wikipedia – Near Field Communication
b. Google Goggles
- Google’s augmented reality may very soon take over this niche as well by scanning images, words, building recognition, etc. Accessing additional information based on scanning of a logo feels like a natural extension.
http://blog.scanvee.com/post/10782901537/will-nfc-replace-qr-codes
Just like everything you are using for your Non-Profit Marketing – Be modular and ready to adapt!
So while you certainly should use QR Codes as applicable to drive traffic to find out more information than you can cram into a small ad space, be sure to stay on top of the trends to know when the next big thing comes along to replace it.
Yet another thing that I do, is produce/brainstorm/code custom branded Facebook pages for Business Accounts. The following screen shots were created for a new business outfit of Best Buy which operated under the name Best Buy Connect which I contract as an Interactive Marketing Consultant. Part of my Social Marketing strategy of course involved Facebook, and part of that micro strategy involved the creation of these Facebook sub-pages full of information which matched our print marketing materials. Designed to inform and funnel users to the company website and other social avenues.
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- Best Buy Connect Facebook Page – Home Page
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- Best Buy Connect Facebook Page – Why Connect?
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- Best Buy Connect Facebook Page – 3G
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- Best Buy Connect Facebook Page – 4G
The start of my Cinemagraph Portfolio. These will get cooler I promise, just getting some of the technical tests workin’. This was created using the footage from the trailer of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Cinemagraphs are a really interesting throw-back to the old school animated GIF, only showing motion in a portion of the frame to focus on a specific movement. Very Lo-Fi and limiting in what you can achieve, which is what makes it excited to work within the confines. It was basically invented here http://fromme-toyou.tumblr.com/
I have some ideas to create a few galleries of these and even a project involving Android Phones. I expect this to be a big online trend in 2012.
Cinemagraph - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Google Fusion Tables is a online data management application, designed for easy collaboration, data visualization and web publishing. It allows you to upload and merge large datasets and offers simple data queries and filters. This is very excited, in particular when used in conjunction with the Google Documents sharing features. For the example I created below gathering butterfly data, multiple scientists out the field could be gathering information, inputting their findings and collaborating on creating the document below which can be used internally, or embedded publicly and updated in real time.