During the SuperBowl, a spot for Coinbase ran with a dancing QR code. This is smart because Coinbase wants eager people who want to know things, so scanning the QR code was important. I didn't care, but someone at my house jumped up and scanned it.
So, we're at peak QR code.
Now that cameras are QR code readers, it is much easier. Everyone has a QR code reader.
This ad was smart, it drove people to a mobile-friendly website. Back in the day, I saw someone use a QR code to drive people to a PDF. Sending someone to a PDF is bad enough, sending someone to a PDF on their phone makes people question QR codes.
However, QR Codes are back. So I’m bringing back my list, updated for higher ed.
Ten things you can do with a QR Code:
- Use it on the road to exchange contact information. Have the QR code automatically download your data into someone’s contact folder. A student is more likely to take your information than your brochure.
- Drive someone to a mobile form. If you want more details from us, go here.
- Have the QR code be a simple Facebook like. That’s it, scan this to like our page. Do it at school visits, on campus, on the bottom of the viewbooks (CTA could be “see the whole album,” on the side of your website. We already know people don’t click the follow us on Facebook ‘F’ logo. This is easier and people might do it.
- Have the QR code initiate a call. Yes, really. Do you have questions about the process? Call us. Way easier than making a 10-digit call.
- On the viewbook, a code to the video of the thing they are reading about. Place your camera over this to watch a video of students moving in.
- Send an e-mail (with subject and content). If you got really fancy, and did the work in advance of travel, this could be “email a student from your high school, state” and ask them about fit. You could get a prospective student and student talking.
- Add an event to a mobile calendar. On the acceptance letters, add the visit days as an event. Get them into people’s phones asap.
- Link to the?alumni?outcomes on LinkedIn. See what our alumni are up to (for now, you must have a LinkedIn account to see them, but parents could.)
- Deliver a wallpaper via QR code.
- On the summer tour, use them to add context to the buildings. Showcase faculty research on side of a building. Once you make one, it can updated all the time so make it elegant and frame it. Then update as needed.
When thinking about this list, consider the actual reasons people scan a QR Code. These are classic “get more information” and can be used to nurture the already aware. Everyone has a phone. Everyone has a QR Code reader.
We can do this again. This time better. Use them wisely. Don’t screw this up, or people will hate them again.
