Anyone remember QR codes?
If you don’t recall the name, here’s something to jog your memory.
Remember these?
QR or“Quick Response” codes are scannable 2D codes that prompt a specific action. These can include website visits, app downloads, and social media profiles, among others.
When I think of QR codes I think back to circa 2011 when smartphones were first gaining traction. You’d see these little squares virtually everywhere – but then they started to disappear.
And there are a few key reasons why. The codes were riddled with issues, they were difficult to use, and slow smartphone internet speeds prevented successful execution.
I feel like no one (at least that I knew) fully understood how to use them. This confusion seemed to extend to marketers as well, because when the codes did work, you were often brought to an irrelevant web page, or it prompted an action that didn’t drive value.
This lack of understanding was only strengthened by the fact that the iPhone camera did not support QR code scanning, requiring users to download a third-party app. So, as the iPhone took over as the top smartphone, brands stopped seeing the potential in QR codes.
However, over the past year or so, we’ve seen a new emergence. You may not have even noticed because they fit in so seamlessly with our day-to-day interactions that we don’t think of it as the same “outdated” format from 2011.
QR codes in 2020
While you might not realize it, QR codes are in more places than you may think nowadays.
For example, if you’ve bought a movie, concert, or plane ticket recently, you’ve likely enjoyed the convenience of not having to print out your documents. Instead, a QR code is sent to your phone.