Why you should invest £1.49 ($2.30) in a QR Code Reader

QR Codes are becoming increasingly popular and brands are starting to realise the potential they offer for delivering something special to the user. There is generally a greater understanding and acceptance that the QR Code landing page has to deliver a positive experience for the user; QR Codes that simply take you to the landing page of your regular web site are generally a bit of a let down. However, a code that takes you to a relevant piece of video, discount voucher, podcast, free download, or something to do with a specific campaign will usually be a positive user experience.

Brands are also catching on to the ability to customise their QR Codes and make them more visibly appealing. However, there is a problem that may stifle creativity, sub standard QR Code Readers, or sub standard mobile devises or, a combination of both.

QR Codes can be altered substantially which allows us to be fairly creative with design and colour combinations however, it is frustrating that we have to design codes within the limitations of the hundreds of free QR Code Readers that simply don't do the job.

We generally test each code on eight different code readers; seven of them are free applications and one is a paid application (Optiscan) and we are not happy to release a design unless it scans on all seven of the free code readers. Invariably, we have to amend the design to ensure this will happen and in doing so we usually have to compromise our design.

It is also interesting to note that we have never seen a QR Code that doesn't scan in the paid app that does scan in the free apps. It is also worth noting that one of these free apps; i-nigma usually matches the performance of the paid app.

Here's a simple demonstration; we recently created the QR Code below as an experiment - the one on top scans perfectly using Optiscan and i-nigma but not the six other free apps. The one beneath it shows how much we had to "dim down" the design in order for it to work on the six other free apps. Try it on your scanner.

Therefore, you have a choice - invest in a decent QR Code Scanner such as Optiscan or, at the very least, get i-nigma.

Below you will see a selection of QR Codes we have created recently, if you would like to see them and others in more detail please click here to see them in out Facebook gallery.

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