QR Codes - Ten ways you can use them in your life...
QR codes have become such a familiar part of everyday life that most of us probably don't even give them a second thought.
You see those little square patterns on menus, posters, tickets, packaging and all sorts of printed products. Point your phone at one and, almost magically, it can take you straight to a website, a video, a social media page or some other piece of online information.
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| QR Code on a Coffee Mug... |
But QR codes aren't just useful for big businesses and restaurants. They can be surprisingly versatile for individuals, small businesses, clubs, organisations and even people looking for an unusual way to share information.
Here are 10 great uses for QR codes that you might want to try.
1. Business cards
A traditional business card can only contain a limited amount of information. A QR code can turn that small piece of card into a gateway to much more.
Your QR code could link to your website, online portfolio, LinkedIn profile, social media page or digital contact details. Instead of trying to squeeze everything onto the card, simply give people an easy way to find it online.
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| Create a Business Card with QR Code Online... |
2. Restaurant and café menus
QR-code menus have become increasingly common. A customer can simply scan the code on a table and view the current menu on their phone.
There is another advantage too: an online menu can be changed without having to print a whole new batch of menus every time a price or dish changes.
3. Posters and flyers
A printed poster can attract someone's attention, but a QR code can give them an immediate next step.
A poster advertising a concert could link directly to ticket information. A charity event could link to a donation page. A local club could link to its website or Facebook page. Someone looking at the poster doesn't have to remember a web address and type it in later.
4. Invitations
A QR code can make a printed invitation much more interactive. It could link to an online RSVP form, directions to the venue, a wedding website, accommodation information or even a short video message from the people organising the event.
It can be particularly useful for weddings and parties where there is quite a lot of information to share.
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| Invitation with QR Code... |
5. Product packaging
A QR code printed on packaging can take customers somewhere that isn't possible to fit onto the packet itself.
It could link to instructions, a demonstration video, recipes, information about the company, customer support or a page showing other products.
6. Sharing your social media
Want people to find your Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or other social media account? A QR code can make it considerably easier.
Instead of asking somebody to search for your username, they can simply scan the code. This can work particularly well at exhibitions, craft fairs, markets and other events where you're meeting people face to face.
7. Promoting a website or online shop
QR codes are an obvious way of connecting the physical and digital worlds. A printed item can direct someone straight to a website, blog, online shop or particular product page.
This can be especially useful for small businesses and independent sellers who meet potential customers in the real world but do most of their business online.
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| QR Code on a Poster... |
8. Tourist information
QR codes can be extremely useful for tourism. A sign at a viewpoint, historic building or attraction could link visitors to additional information, maps, photographs, videos or a website.
A small printed sign doesn't need to contain a huge amount of information when a QR code can provide access to a much larger online resource.
9. Clubs, organisations and fundraising
Local clubs, societies and charities can also make good use of QR codes. A code on a leaflet or noticeboard could take people directly to a membership page, event details, registration form or donation page.
For a small organisation, anything that makes it easier for someone to go from "That sounds interesting" to "I'll find out more" can be valuable.
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| T-shirt with QR Code |
10. Put one on a gift or personalised item
Here's a slightly more unusual idea: why not put a QR code on something that someone is actually going to keep?
A mug, T-shirt, card, watch or other gift could contain a QR code linking to a photograph, video, website, playlist or special message. The physical gift becomes a way of accessing something digital as well.
It could be particularly fun for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or other occasions where the QR code leads to something personal and memorable.
QR codes are more versatile than they look
One of the clever things about a QR code is that it doesn't need to contain all the information itself. It simply provides a quick connection between something physical and something online.
That means you can put a QR code on something as small as a business card or as large as a poster, and potentially give someone access to an entire website with nothing more complicated than a quick scan.
And perhaps that's why QR codes have proved so useful. They're small, inexpensive to produce and remarkably convenient.
So the next time you see one, give it a scan. You never know where it might take you!


































































