2012.04.23
Are QR Codes The Future of Printed News?
This post is from Phil Woods, Digital Product Manager.
Quick Response (QR) codes are the square matrix barcodes that are popping up everywhere from product packaging, to retail displays, to print advertising, to billboards. While QR codes simply store text, the most common use of QR codes is to provide a link to digital content from mobile devices.
To access QR code content, you’ll need a QR reader app on your smartphone or tablet. The app will use your device’s camera to scan and decode the QR code. As an example, scan the barcode below to download my contact information to your contact list.
There are countless potential uses of QR codes for a newspaper. For example, a QR code can link to an online video or a photo gallery for news stories. Similarly, QR codes could link to the latest online updates for a developing story. For a few other examples of QR use, check out 39 ways newspapers can use QR codes.
What are your impressions of QR codes?
If we started using QR codes more regularly, would you scan them?
Have you seen any creative uses of QR codes?
I suppose your question only applies to print copy which I do not purchase. If I did have a print copy I can’t see me going back and forth from print to online on to print, etc. Once online I’d just stay online. I haven’t seen a good use for QR codes.
Comment by Ernie — April 23, 2012 @ 9:07 am
The only time the codes have come in handy has been in grocery shopping and scanning either the QR code or barcode of a product to get more information on it. But for the most part, I don’t use them.
Comment by Other John — April 23, 2012 @ 3:10 pm
I have been a loyal subscriber for over 30 years but I do not have a smartphone or tablet and would not use such. I know people who do, but they do not subscribe. Can’t help you here. Never even noticed them to be honest. They may well be “the future” but they leave a lot of us behind.
Comment by Sandi Saunders — April 23, 2012 @ 3:27 pm
No. QR codes are actually kind of a joke in the tech world.
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/26/140805493/few-consumers-are-cracking-the-qr-code
http://www.geekosystem.com/students-dont-care-about-qr-codes/
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-07-07/tech/30050248_1_qr-codes-app-store-barcode
Comment by scott — April 24, 2012 @ 7:28 am
Unless the user is directed to something unique and informative QR are useless. I’ve experienced too many advertisers, including The Roanoke Times/Roanoke.com, who redirect users back to a homepage or to the exact ad/information the QR code is posted on. That’s not useful at all. I’d like to see QR codes direct a user to an experience (video, for example) or provide an offer that only applies to QR code users.
Comment by Dan — April 24, 2012 @ 7:52 am
Thanks for the feedback! Your comments mirror the discussions we have had here at the The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com. Personally, I’m still on the hunt for a great example of QR code use. Though, I would like to see select use in newsprint to link to high quality (and mobile-ready) supplemental content. There needs to be a compelling reason to scan a QR code, and the experience needs to be flawless. Linking to a website that’s not optimized for mobile is a poor experience, to say the least.
Comment by Phil Woods — April 24, 2012 @ 8:41 am
Dan,
This is Kyle from the Refresh RT Team. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. In my role in advertising here at the Roanoke Times, we often struggle with trying to get clients to use QR codes the correct way. For the last couple of years, so many folks have wanted to use the codes for the “cool” factor, but they haven’t put a lot of thought into what they were doing.
I consider myself an earlier adopter–I’m on my 4th smart phone, and I bought the first iPad the day they were released. However, I’ve now been conditioned, as a consumer, against using QR codes–so many times I’ve scanned the code only to be taken to a homepage.
A couple of years ago, I was riding in a client’s elevator with a fellow associate. She was a proponent of using the codes in all of her online campaigns. The client had a poster with a code in the elevator. I challenged her to a race. I used Google, and she scanned the QR code. We landed on the exact same page almost simultaneously.
If you’re going to use the codes, you have to do so wisely. I’ve seen some really creative uses with links to video of product demonstrations. I also saw one a while back that linked to a creative video showing how the product could help you use your smart phone more efficiently (it was not a product use that was inherently apparent).
So how about you? Where have you seen good uses of QR codes? Where have you seen them used that left a little to be desired? We would love to hear from you.
Comment by kyledraper — April 24, 2012 @ 8:47 am