We’ve heard so much buzz about QR codes. But is anyone actually using them?
In June of this year, only about six percent of mobile users scanned a QR code on a mobile device. Six percent seems like a pretty small amount to me! That low number could mean most people don’t know what they’re going to get if they scan QR codes. They need motivation, such as an offer or content that’s exclusive to users who scan the code.
Does your QR code lead to your website homepage or contain an offer that anyone can get? How much success are you seeing with that approach? As always, content is king. Create something special that’s only available by scanning the code, and usage should start going up.
As we develop the most effective uses for codes and tags, we’re keeping an eye on newer options that could provide even more opportunities to reach your target audience.
The developers of Layar Vision say this Augmented Reality (AR) browser recognizes real-world objects and displays digital AR experiences on top of them. An advertiser uploads an image, and when you view that image through Layar Vision on a smartphone, you’ll see additional content on top of the original image. Layar technology is already available on 10 million mobile devices.
Google Goggles is another app that will bring up more information on the art or objects you view through your smartphone. You take a picture of something you’d like to learn about, and Google Goggles will search the web for that object. Google points out in this video that visual search is still in its early stages.
An obvious benefit to these technologies is that you don’t need to make room on your design piece for a QR code or mobile website address. You will just scan the whole piece or object, and the custom content will be displayed instantly for the user.
As new opportunities emerge and develop, I’m already thinking of fun and unique ways to incorporate these technologies for our clients!
Tags: advertising, communication, consumers, creativity, mobile, QR codes, technology
There is a nice article on Mashable that talks a about QR codes and also MVS (Mobile Visual Search). I can see how MVS would be more rewarding to interact with. http://mashable.com/2012/02/15/qr-codes-rip/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29