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QR Code

A QR code, just scan it right?

QR codes, they have become part of our culture, so to speak. Everyone knows them, but have you used them effectively? Have you thought about the possibilities? Perhaps QR codes can open new doors for your business. Let’s look at it in more detail immediately. Let’s start with a little example:

Into the QR code

A QR code (Quick Response Code) is a scannable barcode that takes a user directly to a Web page or lets them perform a particular action.

Briefly: QR codes are a tool for marketers to reduce the gap between the physical and digital worlds.

This scanning software works more or less the same as barcode software, the big difference, however, is that QR codes can hold much more data. Barcodes translate a series of letters, numbers and symbols, but a QR code can carry as much as 406 bytes of data. It doesn’t seem like super much, but it’s enough to open a website or video on your smartphone.

Some examples of what you can use a QR code for:

  • Contact information: like a virtual business card that automatically puts itself in your smartphone.
  • Calling: scan the code and call.
  • Location scanning: when scanned, the QR code sends your location to the appropriate instance or app.
  • Add events: scan and automatically add all event details to your calendar.
  • Wifi network: upon scanning the code, you automatically access a network. The code indicates the correct network and immediately fills in the correct password.
  • Websites: upon scanning, the user immediately arrives at the correct website.
  • …

In Asia, the Chinese social media app Weibo is widely used to make personal purchases by scanning QR codes. User profiles are connected to a digital portfolio. Scanning their meal’s code automatically deducts the price from their account. The West is not quite on board yet, mainly because many people are not comfortable connecting their bank accounts to their social media.

Amazon, however, is trying to change this with Amazon Go. See more about it here.

Just how do you scan such a QR code?

These days it’s pretty simple. By simply pulling a picture of a QR code, your camera often recognizes the QR code. Is this not yet the case with your smartphone? Don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of applications that can read QR codes!


My camera recognizes a QR code in the image (Samsung Galaxy – via Bixby vision)

Creating your own QR code

Creating a QR code is as simple as scanning one. There are several websites that will help you with it for free. You can customize the QR codes according to preference (color, shape, image, etc.). The QR code in this blog post was created with QRCode Monkey.

Need more info or help? Then scan the QR code in this blog!