The top 10 QR code trenders according to Google

The global trend up to Q1 2012

Top 10 Countries searching for QR code information

1 - Hong Kong	2 - Taiwan
3 - Thailand	4 - Netherlands
5 - Singapore	6 - Czech Republic
7 - Malaysia	8 - Austria
9 - United States	10 - Canada

A snapshot of the search term "QR Code'" as registered and provided by Google. What is clear is that besides Malaysia where QR codes appear to be settled in and the teething problems overcome, the reset of the world is still very actively busy with it.

The United States is at the nineth position, yet it accounts 90+% of all published opinions and articles about QR codes. It is Malaysia that interests me, as here the hype appears to have passed rapidly as it is the only coutry on the grid with a declining request rate for QR code information.

Scan Alert is a service

And not a statement. You brochure and folder stands all over the place, in hotel lobbies, airports, restaurants, attraction parks and more. These are often serviced by companies specialized in distributing and keeping these stands well stocked, or are initiatives of companies themselves.

One of the main concernes is making sure the folders are always in stock. This can be done by asking the patron of the hotel or restaurant to inform you when the brochures are finished, or regulary visiting the establishments to check on and stock up on the folders and brochures. The second option is the most trust worthy but demands resources and time.

Immagine if a folder could inform you it needs to be restocked. Along comes the QR code Scan Alert.

By placing a QR code on the container area where the brochures or folders are placed in, whne the last folder is taken, it will expose the QR code with a request to scan it to obtain more information about the folder that is now out of stock.

Folder stand stocked with brochures	Folder stand with brochure out of stock

 The QR Code Scan Alert

Has a dual function. It provides the person scanning it with information about the brochure or folder that is not available and also informs the brochure owner that his/her brochures need to be restocked at a particular location. This is another smart way QR codes can be used to provide a service that saves time and money.

Tips for using QR codes in real estate

 Using QR Codes on real estate signs

There are two ways to do it. One is to use weather resistant stickers and the other is to integrate the QR code into the sign.

Sign using QR Code stickers	Sign with integrated QR code

Using QR codes on real estate signs at the property itself has it's advantages. Generally these signs clearly indicate the property is for sale with a contact telephone number for those who are interested, but little more useful information. This is where the QR code can play an important role by supplying pricing information, showing what the backyard and the interior layout looks like via images and giving information about the size and the asking price for the property. Additional benifits could be a direct call to the agent, ability to store this information on the phone and even suggesting other properties for sale in the near vicinity.

The dissadvantage of using stickers is they have to be weather proof which generally means easy to apply but difficult to remove, everytime the sign is reused a new QR code will need to be made and the old one removed or 'pasted over'. The advantage of a dynamic QR code is that it can be integrated into the sign using company colours and even styled with a logo. When the sign is used at a new property location, the same QR code is given the new instructions for the new property via a management console, it's as simple as that.

Estate agent 2.0

Ready to use free real estate solutions in the Netherlands

'FUNDA' is one of the few Dutch real estate databases that is open to the public via Internet. What is really cool is that their site is also mobile friendly. This means estate agents linked to funda can simply select the property url in the public on-line web site, then paste it into a web site QR code generator and have a ready to use mobile friendly real estate QR code for that property. It really is as simple as that.

By using QR codes on real estate signs and using it with online mobile friendly property databases it is possible to provide cost effective detailed property information on location and on demand. Either by using stickers or dynamic QR codes it become possible to have a unique for sale sign providing detailed information for a specific property.

QR codes helping people stay connected.

Ever been to a symposium, workshop or other gathering where you meet intersting people but afterwards have trouble remembering who they were, nevermind how to contact them.

A method to help people get and stay connected is by using QR codes to exchange contact information. At meetings, symposiums or shows where people with common interests gather, QR codes can be integrated into the name badges to facitiltate digital information exchange betweeen participants that can be used later to contact each other.

Examples

Sarasota Bay Watershed Symposium 

The Sarasota Watershed Symposium is an example of a local area gathering of interested parties for a specific topic or objective. In this case the preservation and protection of natural resources.

GODAE COSS-TT workshop 

GODAE (Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment) is a global organization providing global and regional ocean analysis and forecasting systems. For an International workshop GODAE used QR codes to make it easy to exchange contact information between the International participants of the workshop.

In both examples above the QR codes can be scanned by a mobile phone and the contact information saved for future reference and use.

How it is made

Once a design for the name badge has been made, provision is made for the placement of a QR code. The list of participants is then read and using graphics automation in combination with a QR code generator the name badges with QR code are generated at the same time. This method ensures there is never a mismatch between QR code content and the information on the badge.

The examples above were made using graphics automation systems from ODOA in combination with QR code technology from QR4

If you have any questions about QR code name tags or how best to implement QR codes on name badges, please contact us.

Paper cannot animate, play music or show video.

QR codes used as mechanism can, and if you combine this with dynamic QR codes you get an interactive QR code service. Adding onto the success of the URL redirector and vCard+ services, QR4 has launched the 'Video Presentation' QR code.

Interactive QR Code service

This service will launch a video of your choice that you can change at anytime and after the video has played will send the viewer to a  landing page of your choice in a managed and measured enviroment.

This is an ideal way to make paper interactive via a QR code. Scanning it will play your video or presentation and then go to a 'call to action' or 'contact' landing page. Another nifty service for marketing and advertising agencies using value added, effective and efficient QR code services.

QR Code Video Service

Want to know more about how you can make your printed matter interactive, then please contact us so we can show you how easy it is to have a managed and measured video presentation with your own 'call to action' landing page.