QR Codes

What the heck is a QR Code anyways?
A QR Code is a specific two-dimensional barcode, readable by dedicated QR barcode scanners and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data. It has most commonly been used as a mobile marketing tool where users can grab content using an app on their smartphone.

So What?
To all advertisers, be it a business or a band, this means you have the opportunity to actively and instantly engage with potential customer or fan on what would otherwise be a passive promotion (poster or flyer)

Yeah I've seen those around but how do I use them?
There are tons of QR code reader apps out there for pretty much any camera phone, and usually free. My personal favorite is the i-nigma Reader app. I use it on my iPhone to scan codes off street adverts, on the computer, and TV. You would be surprised how well these apps can read codes from different surfaces. You can scan a small code that pops up on a youtube video or a giant 20' x 20' code on the side of a billboard instantly.

Where can I use this thing?
At EM we are starting to use them A LOT! It is on our business card; We use them for our client's promotional materials; When we roll out a street marketing campaign for a band, we use the code on posters, flyers, stickers- anything that is going to be in public view. What we put on the code is dependent on what we are promoting. If it's a show, we put in the RSVP or pre-sale info, if it is an album it may be an order link or a music video.

Where QR codes get really interesting is when it links to mobile micro-sites. That is a web page that is designed to be mobile friendly and shows a streamlined amount of data. Within the micro-site a fan can stream songs, watch videos, sign up for your email list, and even buy content- all while standing on a street corner waiting for for the stoplight to change.

Using these codes is blowing up in a big way in the music industry. Most recently, Jimmy Fallon held up an LP sized QR code rather then a CD while he introduced the rap group Odd Future as they began to play on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. When viewers grab the code, it opens a web browser on the phone and plays a music video of "Yonkers". You can watch the video below and try it yourself, or check out the site directly at www.oddfuture.com.

With this boom in popularity, there is access to many websites where you can create your own. Additionally, there are even web apps that allow you to easily manage and track QR code Campaigns. I will breifly highlight 3 versions below and expand on them in a future blog.

BeQRious Tracker
This easy to use platform provides an easy way to create a lot of codes and get analytics about who scanned it (location, phone type, email, etc). It costs $19 per month and would be more beneficial to a business or ad firm rather than an independent artist. However, if you are running multiple campaigns a month, it might be a good option.

VPX QR
As a free PHP application, it allows you to create your own codes and setup a simple mobile micro-site with multiple pages. It is fairly basic but requires you or your developer to install and set it up on your server. If you are savvy with web coding, this is a great way to get your own private system setup.

ShareSquare
An awesome system built for musicians with the purpose of acting like a mobile EPK. You build out your own "ShareSquare" with videos, bio, photos, and the option to trade an email for a free download. Viewers can also like and share your Facebook. They gather analytics and make the whole process really easy. If your goal is to do general promotion of your band at say, SXSW, handing people business cards with the QR code would be a really effective and inexpensive way to get the job done. It is free through a small banner ad on the bottom of the browser. There are options of applying for premium sponsorship to get subsidized or free collateral for your band, revenue share from ad clicks, free stuff from the sponsor, posting on behalf of the sponsor, sponsored mp3 downloads or sponsored email blasts to your fans.

QR codes will really step up your marketing efforts and allow you to interact with your fans in an otherwise passive situation. If you are interested in learning more about how to implement QR Codes into your marketing plan, contact us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 1-866-878-3110.