QR Code Study Reveals Important Marketing Tips!

Where Do You Display Your QR Code?

QR codes are appearing on everything from scarves to wedding cakes, but who scans them? August 12th, comScore, released mobile QR and bar code scanning study results from its comScore MobiLens service.
Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of mobile points out the importance of this study for business:'QR codes demonstrate just one of the ways in which mobile marketing can effectively be integrated into existing media and marketing campaigns to help reach desired consumer segments,' Donovan added: 'For marketers, understanding which consumer segments scan QR codes, the source and location of these scans, and the resulting information delivered, is crucial in developing and deploying campaigns that successfully utilize QR codes to further brand engagement.' The comScore study yields surprising results,about who scans 2D codes,where they scan the codes,and where most scanned codes are posted, How can your business profit from the comScore study?

How Do You Use QR Codes?

QR Code is a square 2-D symbol developed by Denso Wave,Japan, which enables a larger amount of information to be easily interpreted by scanner equipment than a typical bar code. QR, or 'Quick Response', codes are readable by smartphones, QR readers, and computers with webcams. QR codes can create a quick link to online information, or even dial a phone number. QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED. However, in much the same way as people often use the brand 'Kleenex' for ‘facial tissue,’ or 'Google' for ‘online search’, the term 'QR code' is quickly becoming a common term to mean any type of scanned 2-D code, resulting in a quick response action.

comScore Mobile Study - Synopsis

Most people in both the comScore studies of the US and EU5 markets scanned QR codes from the comfort of their own homes. In addition, in comScore's American study, they found14 million mobile U.S. users scanned a QR or bar code on their mobile device, in the month of June alone. Most people scanning codes in the U.S. were male, aged 18-34 with a household income of $100k or above. Users were most likely to use their SmartPhones while at home, or in a store, to scan codes in newspapers / magazines or on product packaging. So what does this mean for your business?

SmartPhone Code Scanning Practices and Business  Implications

While the number of people using SmartPhones to scan codes only represents, 6.2 percent of the total mobile audience, 14 million people is a significant gross number. If you choose to create a QR code, your advertising budget may be best used in placing your code in print ads in newspapers, magazines, or on product packaging. While this study might lead people to only use codes for products appealing to male SmartPhone users, the press release does not tell us the number of scans conducted on behalf of a female companion. In addition, the study does not tell us which incentives were incorporated, to induce people to scan the codes - such as the contest currently being run by a major phone manufacturer. Simply having a QR code does not mean people will take the time to scan it, but placing it in the right location, with a relevant incentive, could get your phone ringing more frequently, increase the page views of your website, or even increase product sales.
For a free QR code for your business, and a list of resources for creating your own QR codes, sign up for our Minute to Market enews.
For business, or product-specific statistics-based marketing advice for effectively implementing your QR code contact us.
Sources:
In EU5, More Than Half of QR Codes Are Scanned While at Home
14 Million Americans Scanned QR or Bar Codes on their Mobile Phones in June 2011
QR code.com