The QR code, a magical collection of squares with a secret wealth of invaluable information unlocked by your mobile phone. Well it's not magic, but it is a rather convenient method of accessing information - valuable or not. Usage of QR codes outside of industrial applications has had a slow adoption rate, but as of late and can be found virtually everywhere which, in some cases, could be better thought out.
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| Image courtesy WTF QR CODES. |
The QR code is indeed useful as a means of distributing content to mobile users without requiring the installation of yet another app. While there are still valid use cases for technologies such as NFC and Bluetooth beacons, in many cases it's simply easier and therefore more effective to simply embed a QR code in your print and/or digital signage. We think the QR code is a great companion to traditional signage, digital or not, and hope to make the case for its expanded use.
The QR Code as a Device
As a digital signage company we specialize in pushing content to anything with a screen. Enter the QR code, which enables pushing that same content to mobile devices. This is certainly not a new concept, however the merging of both types of distribution methods is something unique. Revel Digital has promoted the lowly QR code to first class device status in the Revel Digital CMS with full support for content scheduling, reporting, and analytics.
With just the scan of a QR code, any smartphone user can view your scheduled media on the go, on their device, with options for sharing and interactivity. This capability allows you to easily push content simultaneously to both your digital signage, and your viewers mobile devices, in just one go.
Don't forget that these QR codes aren't limited to static images, essentially anything you can publish to your digital signage can also be published to the QR device. This includes video and any dynamic content from our gadget library such as news, weather, flight information, ratings, etc. Let's review some example use cases to better illustrate how beneficial a QR code can be to your signage campaign.
Use Cases
Say you're a busy restaurant owner. QR codes embedded in table toppers or other signage is a great way to keep your menu accessible and up-to-date. Promotions can be highlighted and scheduled to coincide with special events or holidays. As a bonus, if you schedule the same menu content to both your signage and QR devices you only need to update it in one place.
Or what if you're a tradeshow exhibitor. You've got all the time in the world to prepare for your booth, but how do you keep track of everyone who stopped by? Well, QR-Coupled Signage can help with that as well! Whenever someone scans one of your QR codes, not only are you pushing the latest of your media directly to their device, but you're also getting their real-time status and AdHawk analytics directly on your own dashboard. So long are the days of guessing your reach at conferences, now you get that data wherever you need it. And this isn't just limited to expos or conferences, add it to some of your permanent fixtures and you'll get those real-world analytics at the tip of your fingertips.
Another great use case would be in a retail setting where the details of a sale event can be included as a QR code in print or digital signage. The QR code itself is static, however the content scheduled to the QR code can always be modified and even scheduled in advance with a defined end date. This could inform customers that the sale is approaching or has already ended. The content presented to the customer is always mobile friendly and shareable which makes it simple to share the specifics of the sale with others.
So how does it actually work?
As far as the Revel Digital CMS is concerned, a QR code is treated like any other device. This means you can schedule content right along with your traditional digital signage. In fact, digital signage does not even have to be involved if you are primarily concerned with utilizing QR codes for content distribution. Register as many QR devices as you like and change up the content on demand.
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| Schedule content to a QR code device along with any digital signage |
The analytics piece is critical in order to determine the performance of a QR code campaign. Every scan of the QR code is recorded in AdHawk along with many other valuable metrics including dwell time, individual media views, and even custom events from gadgets. For example, our 'Rating' gadget will record the rating selected by user in AdHawk. Any other custom gadget can also easily record relevant metrics as an event in AdHawk.
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| AdHawk provides valuable insights into QR code campaigns |
Getting Started
As with our digital signage, we offer a 30 day trial of our services. Creating an account is free, no credit card required. For more specifics on creating a QR device in your account, please reference our KB article here: https://support.reveldigital.com/hc/en-us/articles/12722832414477-QR-Code-Device
Questions? Please don't hesitate to ask us, we are always happy to assist.
