Using QR Scan Codes on Badges to Promote Your Business

You’ve probably seen a surge in popularity of QR codes in recent years. These barcode style boxes have become regular sights in magazines, shop windows, on business cards and stranger places such as bananas! The QR stands for Quick Response and they are utilised by marketers to direct you to further information regarding products and events. The team at Make Badges have seen an uptake of this valuable marketing tool by our customers so we thought we’d offer some information for those unfamiliar with the concept.

Are they a new invention?

QR codes are a lot older than most people would think, and if not for the technological advances in mobile phone technology they probably wouldn’t be as commonplace as they are.

QR codes were invented by a subsidiary of Toyota Motors in 1994. The subsidiary, Denso Wave, needed a system to track automotive parts distribution at high speed. Regular barcodes require complex, expensive and often bulky lasers to interpret the data, whereas a regular camera reads QR codes and the data is interpreted by software. The code contains three large boxes that position the code for the camera, and a fourth, smaller box regulates the image size, orientation and view.

Like a regular barcode, the pattern contains data that is revealed by a reader. Marketers use the code to display URL’s, locations on a map, product promotions or contact information.

Nearly every smartphone on the market contains a camera. This, coupled with a simple app, gives every smartphone user the ability to read the QR codes.

How to use them

Once a smartphone user scans the QR code, the app will decode the information and complete whatever task the code is directing it to do. For a badge design this gives you the ability to include far more information in a small space then you could ever manage to write. Instead of going to the trouble of writing something like, “Hello. If you would like to see our new product launch please go to the following URL,” you can include an eye-catching QR code on one of our large custom-made badges and allow a customer to let their phone guide them to the target page.

How do I make a QR code for my badge?

There are many free QR code-making sites available on Google. Once you find one that you like, the process is easy. Simply enter the data type you would like, enter the URL and sometimes choose a colour scheme. The generator will produce a design that you can download and attach as an image using our templates range.

If the idea of using QR codes to promote your business or product appeals to you, why not take a look at the great range of custom-made badges available from Make Badges? Your information will be readily accessible and your badges will stand out in a crowd.