How to Use QR Codes for Promoting Products

Many might need to rethink their approach to brand collaboration and start afresh using QR codes. Here are some tips for effective partnership using these unique small square codes.

For a brand, it’s crucial to stand out in its market segment, so most marketing strategies will focus on individual approaches. How can you improve your website? How can you increase customer satisfaction? How can you create a unique value proposition? Relying on external forces may seem counterproductive and distracting from your brand.

However, this is a limited view of the situation, as collaborative projects can yield significant results. In some ways, this is an underrated element in the marketing world, whether online or offline. When two or more companies with compatible audiences join forces, they often achieve much more than they could individually. If you’ve been avoiding partnerships, it might be time to reconsider.

But how do you organize such collaboration correctly? In this article, we will focus on using QR codes in this process. How can they be applied most effectively? This is the key question we aim to address.

Why QR Codes are Necessary for Optimal Interaction

There are many reasons why participating in brand partnerships can be beneficial: for example, creating high-quality content that would be difficult to produce alone. Sometimes collaboration is limited to this. Each participant can distribute content, but there’s more that can be done.

If you're planning to partner with another brand, choose one with whom you can engage in mutual promotion. You encourage your audience to pay attention to this brand, and they do the same for you (targeting an audience that matches your brand is one of the most effective ways to attract attention). For this, both brands need to have a suitable audience, as there is no point in collaborating with a direct competitor or a company from an entirely different industry.

How to practically implement such mutual promotion? One way is through link exchanges. The more well-known brands that link to your site, the higher its ranking and the more visitors you'll receive. Another method is mutual mentioning. When communicating with clients, you can subtly direct them to your partner.

The problem with backlinks is that they are inefficient in offline mode (who wants to spend time entering a URL?) and often get lost among many other links on a page.

But QR codes, digital visiting cardscan be used in both offline and online materials. Anyone with a smartphone can easily scan them and be directed to the desired resource. They are universal, quick to use, easy to create, and can be fully customized.

Examples of Using QR Codes and Barcodes in Design

How to Use QR Codes in Different Situations

As mentioned, QR codes are important for mutual promotion due to their versatility, allowing them to be effectively used in various scenarios. Let’s consider some of them:

Websites

A QR code on a website bridges the gap between desktop and mobile device users. Simply place an advertising banner on the homepage, complementing it with a QR code. Visitors can either follow the link directly or scan the code for later viewing.

Packaging

The ideal sphere for QR codes. Brands can update their product packaging, including QR codes that lead to a partner’s site. They can be placed both outside and inside the packaging, on brochures or instructions.

Banners

A QR code on a banner makes it easier for your audience to follow the link. This is an effective method for offline advertising, allowing the audience to easily interact with your brand.

Video Advertising

Video advertising is becoming increasingly valuable. Instead of paying for expensive advertising space, you can collaborate with another brand and share the costs. A prominently displayed QR code in a short video can attract attention, unlike a URL.