With the increasing use of smart phones (iphone, Blackberry etc) more and more phone users are accessing the internet from their phone rather than using computers. As a result many web site owners are investing in ‘mobile’ friendly sites and are seeking tools to assist phone users to access information on the web, in particular making connections between the physical world of print and the virtual world of mobile internet.
One of the tools which aim to converge “realspace” and “mobilespace” are a new type of bar code (think of them as a form of physical hyperlink.) called a QR Tag. It works like this. Standing on an escalator you see a poster promoting an event or product. No notepad to hand, or a long web address to remember for details? Glancing down you notice an unusual ‘digital’ bar code or QR Tag placed neatly within the design, simply take a photograph of the QR Tag with your mobile phone. Software on your phone converts the snapshot into a web address, telephone number or text message. You will automatically be offered the option to launch this address in the phone browser, which takes you directly to the linked content — jumping you from printed content to on-line content.
The obvious question is will people bother? The evidence from Japan the US (and increasingly the UK) is ‘YES’. For example, in Japan, QR codes have become part of everyday life, available on everything from business cards, id cards, magazines, newspapers, flyers, posters, stickers, food products and puzzles. In fact virtually anywhere it would be helpful to link to more information on-line or even to express an opinion.
In the UK Premier League teams have been using QR tags against player names in match programmes, by accessing the QR tag, supporters can then vote on-line for man of the match. QR tags are also being used in the world of gaming.
We see major applications on product packaging — allowing consumers to link to on-line information that simply cannot be included on a label whether it is technical instructions or simply information on colour and size availability — the list of potential uses is massive and includes:
- linking print articles to RSS feeds, blogs and web pages
- delivering product or tourist information
- linking “lost pet” flyers to contact forms
- dating — use your imagination on that one
- “find me” maps
- promoting an event or concert on flyers/postcards
- connecting geocachers to mobile logbooks
- creating museum exhibits and street tours
- building scavenger hunts or “collect-them-all” games
- downloading ringtones, music, wallpapers or video
- ticket sales for clubs
- directing people to your mobile site and/or storefront
- enabling mobile sales from catalogues or flyers
- distributing coupons
- conference badges connected to profiles
- business cards connected to company sites
- signing up to text alert services
- running competitions
- connecting mix tapes to podcasts or vidcasts
- connecting posters to podcasts or vidcasts
- enabling community interaction at public locations
- linking to on-line ‘how to do it’ videos
Just like the web, QR Tags have a wide application and are essentially free to use — an attractive combination for both companies and end users.
With 70% of phone users forecast to have smart phones by early 2012, QR Tags will increasingly be the ‘smart’ way to connect to the web.
If you think QR Tags could be of interest in your business, please contact us.