Editable QR code best practices

Did you know that according to Statista, in 2020 alone, 11 million US households scanned a QR code? QR codes have experienced massive growth during the pandemic in the light of heightened hygiene measures and they are becoming more popular with time. For this reason and more, up-and-coming companies would be wise to use this rising tech.

Successfully utilizing QR codes can help your business grow by attracting new customers, acting as a call-to-action, and adding a new format to encourage customer interaction. However, using a QR code that is editable and dynamic can take your brand or product to another level with access to valuable insights about your online traffic.

At Hovercode, we recognize the importance of analytics and marketing data to a company’s success. This article will merge our know-how with relevant QR statistics to explain what editable QR codes are and how you can use them to improve your business. Let’s begin.

The two main types of QR codes are editable and static QR codes. The latter are non-editable. In addition, static QR codes are unsuitable for companies seeking to track performance data and analyze insights.

Have a read of our blog comparing trackable and static QR codes to learn more.

Editable QR codes, which are also known as trackable or dynamic QR codes work by encoding a short URL which, when scanned, automatically redirects the user to your target destination. This method means you can edit the target destination without having to reprint or recreate the QR code.

[Image source: How to create a dynamic QR code - Hovercode (2022)]

Hovercode is a QR code generator which makes creating dynamic QR codes easy. After signing up, you may track and edit the code as you wish.

Here are the steps involved:

1. Add the relevant website link in the section to create a dynamic QR code on Hovercode.
2. Customize your dynamic QR code by choosing the shape and color.
3. Select ‘Create QR’ code.
4. Click on ‘Enable tracking & more’.
5. After launching your account, you can track your scans, edit the scan destination, and more.

Once you’ve set up your account, you can simply select edit to change the QR code destination (i.e., the webpage users will go to after scanning the code). You may also download your visual QR code as a PNG or SVG.

[Image source: Dynamic QR codes for your brand - Hovercode (2022)]

1 - Gives you plenty of data to work with

One core advantage of dynamic QR codes is that they track performance data.

Examples of such data includes:

• Time/date of scans
• Rough location of scans
• Unique scans
• Total no. of scans
• Device operating system used for scans

By analyzing this data, you can learn things like when and where your QR codes are being scanned, which QR code campaigns are performing better, and more. You can alter your QR codes to be more effective as you move ahead by understanding the when and where of user engagement.

QR codes will prove even more important in the future. In fact, it is estimated that there will be nearly 100 million active smartphone QR scanners in the US by the middle of this decade.

For this reason and more, you’ll be glad to know that Hovercorde offers various QR code packages, such as a free package with as many as ten dynamic QR codes. We also have a pro package featuring 100 dynamic QR codes and more for $12 a month.

2 - Time-saving option

Unlike a static QR code, you won’t need to make a new one whenever you want to launch a new QR code destination. With an editable QR code on Hovercode, you can change the redirect URL as often as you wish. No need to reprint your leaflets, posters, menus, etc.

3 - Multiple links

Some QR code generators let you create QR codes that go to a page with multiple link options. This can make a QR code more versatile and productive for your marketing efforts.

4 - Incorporate your brand

Last but not least, with Hovercode, you can add your logo and brand colors to ensure that your customers have a memorable experience centered and associated around your business, even when they’re scanning their QR codes. Powerful branding across different platforms leads to better brand recall.

As you gather user data through Hovercode from an editable QR code, you’ll want to organize it effectively.

Some tools to consider for organizing data include:

• Microsoft Word or Google Docs
• Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
• Microsoft OneNote

Creating graphs and charts to visualize your insights may also interest you. Once organized, you can gather insights about your users. By analyzing these insights, you may come to a range of conclusions that may not seem obvious at first.

A common method of analyzing data is thematic analysis. You should use this approach as a guide rather than following it to a tee. Thematic analysis is primarily based on qualitative data, however, you can tailor this approach to be more quantitative in your case along with some qualitative analysis.

Here’s how you could use thematic analysis to understand editable QR code insights:

• Lay out all data in a spreadsheet or Microsoft Word document.
• Use indicators if necessary to break down data into sub-categories. Alternatively, you could use headers and subheaders in a Word document.
• Seek patterns and insights.
• After a break, come back and re-evaluate your insights another day.
• Confirm your initial findings and look for new ones.
• Carefully finalize your analysis.
• Once more, return on a different day. Then, re-confirm your final analysis.

If you’re unsure about certain insights, it’s worth taking notes. You may want to separate insights based on how confident you are as opposed to just disregarding those you are not 100% certain of. The more confidence you have in given insights, the more weight you should give them in future decision-making and vice versa.

Our best tips for analyzing insights from a dynamic QR code:

• Seek patterns, including those that go beyond the obvious.
• Figure out what demographics your QR code appeals to.
• Look at what types of users are coming back to your redirect location.
• Consider whether you want to make adjustments to future campaigns to improve CTR among demographics you are currently underperforming with or to fully embrace who you are already successful with.
• Decide what may be holding your campaign back, such as issues with the digital location ranging from UX to loading page time.

Along with using Hovercode to garner insights about your QR code campaign, you can also integrate your platform with Google Analytics or a similar online analytics tool to acquire additional data.

By integrating your editable QR code with Google Analytics, you can learn the following about the users scanning your QR code:

• Age
• Gender
• City and country
• Engagement levels

Here’s how you can integrate an editable QR code using Google Analytics:

[Image soruce: Campaign URL Builder (2022) - Google Analytics]

1. Launch a Google Analytics account for your site.
2. Open Google’s Campaign Builder.
3. Create UTM links for your virtual content to which your QR code will redirect.
4. Generate link.
5. Attach this link + UTM tags to your editable QR code.
6. Open Acquisitions > Campaigns.
7. Select the relevant UTM tags. You will now be able to access additional user data through the UTM URL.

All in all, you want to ensure you make a return on investment (ROI) when launching an editable QR code. This may simply mean that sufficient customers visit your website or buy your product via the QR code itself.

Alternatively, what you learn from customer data may be the key to securing an ROI in the long term, as such information could help you plan future marketing campaigns with greater knowledge.

Today, we’ve discussed editable QR codes, more specifically, how to edit QR codes and how insights gathered from them can help your business.

Hovercode is a useful service for those looking to create various QR codes. For more details on QR codes, take a look at our expanding and emerging blog.