Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/barcode-cellphone-close-up-coded-278430/
Today’s advertising costs are growing at an astronomical rate. On average, it can cost your company $100,000 for a full-page color ad in your local newspaper. Who has that kind of wiggle room in their marketing budget, especially with the consumer’s lifecycle and attention span so short? To top it all off, the ROI of media or newspaper advertisements is a guesstimate, at best, based solely on circulation numbers. While this strategy can be effective, many are looking to move traffic to their website or social platforms, where marketing can actually be tracked.
If you’ve been scared off by the high costs of advertising your business through traditional channels, then you might be interested to know that there’s a world where digital and print can come together. We call these QR codes, and here’s why businesses in Indianapolis and Greenfield trust Davant Indy to add these codes to their print advertising.
What is a QR Code?
QR codes are becoming a popular marketing tool, especially for businesses looking to target consumers through their mobile devices and tablets. QR stands for Quick Response and is scannable through your phone’s camera. This fancy barcode, if you will, takes pieces of transitory media and puts it directly into a cell phone, directing a user directly to a website, menu, or specific promotional landing page. We often see these codes in magazines, on billboards, and even apparel. QR codes can be printed on just about any type of print advertising, making it a useful tool for any business.
Three Ways a QR Code is Valuable for Your Marketing Efforts
- Distribute Important Information
QR codes placed on print advertising material are an excellent way to share pertinent information without taking up extra space. This allows for more creative design flexibility in your overall printing material. According to Statista, 9.8 million people scanned one of these codes in the United States in 2018. With this many people actively scanning QR codes, you’d be wise to start implementing it with our print advertising materials.
- Promote Better Audience Engagement
Do you want to drive more traffic to your landing page for a webinar? How about getting people to sign up for a free guide that then funnels them into your email list? Then putting a QR code on your print advertising can help get you there. Furthermore, if your business wants to increase consumer engagement on social media, adding this specific code to your business cards, company swag, and window stickers is a great way to funnel people to these channels.
- Boost Sales or Online Recommendations
The beauty of a QR code is that it can be plastered onto any kind of printed advertising material. This includes sidewalk benches and billboards. With a QR code, you not only turn your boring, standard print advertising into an interactive one, but you can also increase sales conversions. You can also encourage more sales and recommendations by including a coupon or gift when people share their code scanning and buying experience with their friends and family.
Three QR Design Tips
- Design Appropriately
The design of a QR code matters, especially if it’s going on a bulk order of fliers or business banners. While the entire print advertisement’s design should capture consumer attention, you’ll want to avoid crowding any part of the design around the QR code. Too much customization or overcrowding of the design in your QR code can be a turnoff, and you could end up with a code that’s unreadable by mobile devices.
- Include a CTA
Any print advert without a clear Call-to-Action is a waste of both your time and money. Adding a CTA not only tells the consumer what to do with your code, but it also tells them what to expect out of your print advertising piece. A simple “Scan Me” or “Scan for Offer” is a great way to intrigue your ideal consumer and even motivates them to take action.
- Use High-Resolution
Using a hi-res QR file for your print advertising is key. Pixelated or blurry codes are difficult to scan and can make your business look unprofessional. To maintain your credibility and build trust with your audiences, make sure your QR codes are clear and readable by phones and tablets. Depending on the size, you can upload a JPG, PNG, EPS, or SVG to Davant, and we can easily incorporate it into your print materials.
Make Your Print Advertising Fun
Advertising shouldn’t be boring! Thanks to the use of QR codes, your print adverts are not only intriguing, but they’re also interactive. Davant Indy can help put your code on just about anything, including signs, mailers, and apparel. Get started today and begin having fun with your advertising. Call (317) 849-6565.
