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Last Updated: September 17, 2020
Looking for the best QR Code generator to create QR Code menus for restaurants? Here’s a detailed playbook for you – Create digital menus for contactless engagement.
Beaconstac’s QR Code Generator offers you complete customization and control over your QR Code along with retargeting, tracking and real-time editing capabilities. We’ll dive deep into all of these features and more but first, let’s define the features that make a QR Code generator the best.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
If you were to do a Google search for the best QR Code Generator, there are about 3,54,00,000 results. Finding the best QR Code Generator that suits all your needs is much like looking for a needle in a haystack.
To make it easier for you, here are 5 steps you should follow:
There’s no better way than to look for unbiased, independent user reviews of the QR Code Generator that you are considering. Type ‘Name of the QR Code Generator’ + ‘Reviews’ to find them.
P.S. – You can check out all the latest reviews for Beaconstac’s QR Code Generator here
No wants to use a website that looks outdated or one that was created in the last decade. You need a QR Code Generator that allows you to create QR Codes fast and easy and has a smooth user experience. This also means you will be using a service that is regularly updated and won’t lead to any expired QR Codes.
Customer support is an essential factor when it comes to choosing the best QR Code Generator. If you decide to go with a QR Code Generator that later offers no support when you need help setting up your campaigns or using your solution, you might end up wasting your time, money and effort.
Reach out to the company via email or chat to see the level of support they offer. This will give you a fair sense of how responsive customer support is and what you can expect should you run into any hiccups during the course of your QR Code campaign.
If you need to reach Beaconstac’s support team, you can respond to the pop-up at the bottom right or write an email to support@beaconstac.com
The best way to judge if the QR Code Generator is a good fit for your use-case is to set up a demo. You can get a live walk-through of all the features and talk to the expert about how you can build your use-case.
Considering you will purchase a subscription, it’s always best to have a run-down of all the features and get comfortable with the solution before you start setting up the QR Code campaign.
Most QR Code generators list out all their features which makes it easy for you to compare and decide if the QR Code generator serves your purpose.
While pricing is usually comparable, none of the QR Code Generators offer a monthly subscription, only annual ones.
Beaconstac understands that you might only need QR Codes for a month or two for a special event and thus offers monthly as well as annual subscriptions.
Let’s say you just want to test the UI of the website or need a one-time Static QR Code. (If you don’t know what a Static or a Dynamic QR Code is, read this: Static vs Dynamic: Which one should you choose)
You should be able to generate free QR Codes with a logo. Most QR Code Generators limit the number of QR Codes you can create and don’t offer a ton of customization upfront.
Beaconstac’s QR Code Generator allows you to create unlimited Static QR Codes. You can also see how the QR Code looks with a logo by choosing a commonly used one from the gallery or upload your brand’s logo. To download the QR Code with logo, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial which gives you access to advanced features and allows unlimited downloads of Static QR Codes.
Picture this: You’ve created a QR Code but after 5 scans, you get redirected to a 404 page. If you’ve already printed this QR Code on print material, a wedding invite or a billboard, having a broken link is a huge waste of money and effort.
Beaconstac offers unlimited scans of Static QR Codes that you create either using the QR Code Generator or during your 14-day free trial. On the Starter ($15/month) and Lite Plan ($25/month), you get 20,000 scans for Static and Dynamic QR Codes. On the Basic plan, you get 100,000 scans and unlimited scans on the Enterprise plan.
Want to convert PDFs to QR Codes?
Dynamic QR Codes are editable even after you’ve printed them. This makes it easy to re-use, fine-tune in real-time and conduct split A/B testing.
Having a dynamic QR Code also means that you don’t have to create a new QR Code every time you update your website, change your domain or want to switch up your offering.
Here’s everything you need to know about Dynamic QR Codes + How to create and use them
Dynamic QR Codes are perfect for:
If you need a couple of QR Codes, you can possibly just about any QR Code Generator available. But, what if you need to generate 1000s of QR Codes for a conference, seminar or event?
Thankfully, you don’t have to do it manually. The best QR Code Generators online have a bulk QR Code creation feature.
On Beaconstac’s QR Code generator, it is incredibly easy to create 100 QR Codes at once.
You can use this bulk QR Code Generator for free in the 14-day trial and use them forever. Here’s more information on the Bulk QR Code feature
Why would you want a boring black and white QR Code when you create one like this one?
In a nutshell, you should look at these 8 features
This step-by-step guide on how to use Beaconstac’s QR Code Generator to create customized QR Codes will give you a fair idea of how these features come into play.
Most QR Code Generators give you basic analytics – location, time and date of the scan. The best QR Code Generators offer robust analytics and deeper insights into the audience.
Beaconstac offers a powerful analytics dashboard and collects the following data:
Overview
Campaign Performance
Reports
Reports can be exported as a .xls file
Campaign Distribution
Along with basic tracking, you can also integrate Google Analytics to get a much deeper understanding of your target audience.
When you connect Google Analytics, you will be able to see:
User Behaviour
Demographics
System
Mobile
How to integrate Google Analytics with Beaconstac’s QR Code Generator
Creating QR Codes within an app or a system requires an API that can handle generating all types of QR Codes – static and dynamic. Some of the best QR Code Generators also offer an API to handle such cases.
You can trial Beaconstac’s QR Code Generator API for 14 days and integrate it in your system or app by following three simple steps:
A QR Code generator must be reliable and safe to use at all times, considering the data that might be shared with the company. An unreliable QR Code generator could risk the user’s privacy at stake with their private information in the guise of QR Codes.
Reliability, safety, and end-to-end encryption should be considered before going with a QR Code generator.
Beaconstac’s QR Code generator is safe, reliable, and is also compliant with the European GDPR laws to protect users’ information from phishers and hackers.
In addition, when choosing a QR Code generator, it is imperative to go through unbiased reviews, recommendations, and trusted clientele that indicates the credibility and performance of the QR Code generator.
Any platform that demands users to type in their username and password for each transaction is not only tedious but is also highly insecure as it allows hackers to access their accounts easily.
A trustworthy QR Code generator allows its users to login seamlessly with the help of multiple features, including an SSO login feature to provide enterprise-level security for enhanced safety.
SSO relies on a trust relationship between various websites. If the user has been authenticated by the SSO, they have immediate access to the platform.
SSO prevents unauthorized access to users preventing hackers from getting access to the account.
A QR Code generator that offers a range of multiple types of QR Codes to cater to different needs of users can be a primary requirement to qualify as the best QR Code generator.
Beaconstac offers a range of types of QR Codes including –
A basic QR Code generator allows its users to create only about 4-5 types of QR Codes, limiting the content usage, as opposed to an advanced QR Code generator that allows its users to create more types of QR Codes.
A reliable and trustworthy QR Code generator allows its users to create any type of QR Code that can be easily edited, tracked, and analyzed, and also allows them to download the QR Codes in multiple formats such as SVG, JPEG, or PNG for various needs.
To create any type of QR Code, follow these steps –
Templates
Instead of designing every element of the QR Code, you can simply choose one of the templates on the dashboard to save you some time. To remove a template that you’ve applied, click on the template and you see a “Remove” option.
Eyes
The eyes of the QR Code are the three squares surrounded by a frame on the corners of the QR Code. These are positioning markings and indicate which direction the QR Code has been printed in.
Change the eye-ball color and shape
Select a color from the palette or enter the hex code directly. To change the shape of the eyes, simply click on the available shapes.
Change the eye-frame color and shape
Pick a color from the palette or use the hex code of the colors used in your branding. To change the shape, select one from the available templates.
Logo
Upload your own logo or choose one from the gallery. QR Codes with a logo is instantly recognizable and reinforce your branding.
You can also change the size of the logo by using the slider.
Pattern
The pattern holds the actual data. Usually, it has black squares. But you can change the shape and the color of this pattern.
Background
You can choose an image or a color as the background of the QR Code. This is useful if you want to share your profile picture in a vCard QR Code or a product image for product packaging.
Adding an image as the background
When adding an image as the background of the QR Code, make sure to test out with a couple of different combinations. Also, ensure the colors of the QR code do not clash with the colors of the image. It’s recommended that you try uploading a square image or use the crop tool when uploading it to the dashboard.
Adding a color as the background of the QR Code
Make sure the QR code has a contrast ratio of at least 40% with the background. This means the QR code should be 40% darker than the background. Scan the QR code with your smartphone to ensure your QR Code is scannable.
Frame
Adding a CTA can increase the chances of your QR code is scanned. Now, you can add a frame with the CTA “Scan Me” from the available templates like so:
That’s it. You’re all set. Download your QR code in PNG, SVG, JPEG, or EPS or print your QR code right away.
There are dozens of best free QR code generators or generators that offer some features for free. Now, these are perfectly fine for one-time use or for personal use.
But to ensure your QR code campaigns are protected with enterprise-level security, are trackable and editable after printing, you will need to take a look at premium QR code generators.
There have been instances of QR Code fiascos brought on by unauthorized use or hacking that can spell disaster for the brand and their customer base.
From 2012 to 2014, Heinz’s ran a label design contest with QR codes placed on ketchup bottles. The domain that they were hosting it on expired and was snatched by an opportunistic adult entertainment website. They issued an apology to consumers but thousands of ketchup bottles with the QR Code still remained in households.
Continental Airlines also had a goof-up with its QR code campaign in 2011. Their QR code was placed on in-flight magazines which weren’t accessible during the duration of the flight since they required Internet access and when passengers could access the QR codes, they were led to a website that wasn’t optimized for the mobile and had a popup covering the entire screen.
Beaconstac’s online QR Code Generator provides you with all the features listed above along with a 14-Day free trial to help you get a hands-on experience of our intuitive dashboard. Discover the power of an integrated proximity marketing solution while you create dynamic QR codes and use them in multiple campaigns.
QR code marketing is a sought-after marketing strategy across all industries which has been proven useful for well-known brands and SMBs alike. Just ask the founders and marketers who use QR Codes.
The point of concern for businesses, however, is how to create a path-breaking QR code campaign which leaves an everlasting impact. With the abundance of information and resources available on the internet, making the right decision is bound to get daunting.
RELATED: QR Code Marketing for Direct Mail
The easiest way to get started with creating QR codes is to look for a QR code generator online to make the process hassle-free. QR code generators help you create ready to use QR codes instantly without requiring any prior technical knowledge.
RELATED: A step-by-step guide to creating a QR code
A dynamic QR Code Generator allows you to create Dynamic QR codes. Dynamic QR codes are merely reusable QR codes that allow you to change the URL linked to them, even after deployment.
Most QR code generators allow the creation of static QR codes for free while the creation of dynamic QR codes is chargeable. The differentiating factor here is that the best QR code generator would allow you to do more things with the amount you pay.
Types of QR code refers to content categories like Email QR code, Website QR code, VCard QR codes, SMS QR code, and so on. Based on the use-case you are exploring, choose the type of QR code/content category.
Here is our list of QR code types on the rise:
– vCard QR codes: Add your entire work profile to your business cards via QR codes
– Social media QR codes: A unique approach to increasing your social media following
– App download QR codes: Help users download your app without friction by leading them straight to the App download page
– Image Gallery QR codes: The best way to show off your photography skills and share beautiful pictures among peers
– Video QR codes: Gain more likes, shares, and subscribers for your YouTube channel with dynamic QR codes that lead to your latest video every time a user scans it.
RELATED: Discover all the different types of QR codes and their respective use-cases
At times, QR Code generators that allow you to generate free QR codes tend to have a limit on the number of scans. Once, the QR code reaches a stipulated limit of scans it becomes useless. The best QR code generator would be the one that comes with an unlimited scans feature.
If you are using QR codes as part of a marketing strategy, it is quintessential to keep track of the number of scans and analyze your results from time to time. A QR code generator integrated with Google Analytics is useful to analyze URL/Website QR codes.
Check for the formats available for downloading QR codes. Dynamic QR codes with high customization usually require the QR codes to be in an SVG or EPS file format so that you can effortlessly edit them without losing the image quality and resolution. Whereas, if your focus is on generating Static QR codes, PNG and JPG format comes in handy.
Besides the features that a platform provides, it is safe to also keep the trustworthiness of the software in mind while choosing the best QR code generator. The more secure your QR codes are for scanning, the better will be your brand image among the users. A platform with a good reputation among well-known brands is always more reliable than a new platform making claims of domain authority with no real examples to prove the claims.
Also, you can use a custom domain and custom URLs with your QR code campaigns that prevent hacking or unauthorized use.
Beaconstac is one such platform that offers enterprise-level security and has been around for a while and has created powerful marketing campaigns with clients like P&G, Uber, Google, KFC, Nestle, and Puma.
Try Beaconstac’s Enterprise solution
Customized QR codes are more attractive and grab attention quickly. Designing QR codes relevant to your campaign will help increase the number of scans. Choose the best QR code generator based on whether it allows you to customize your QR codes.
RELATED: How to design customized QR codes
Besides generating visually attractive QR codes, creating a comprehensive and relatable campaign is an integral part of the QR code marketing strategy. If a platform allows you to instantly create and launch your campaigns along with the QR codes creation, it would undoubtedly be the right choice for the best QR code generator.
Using QR codes for retargeting customers is by far one of the best marketing applications of QR codes. The best QR code generator that comes with the feature of tracking scans, also helps you to get leads on the users that scanned these QR codes and retarget them accordingly.
Try our free QR Code Generator today or schedule a demo with our expert to discuss your specific use-case.
Editor’s Note: This blog was originally written by Chaitra Joshi and we have retained her most valuable insights
How an image consultant leverages Beaconstac’s QR Codes and you can too!
How to add logic jumps, use the calculator and trigger SMS notifications with Beaconstac’s forms.
Enable contactless menus with a one-stop solution: Restaurant Menu QR Code. Host all your menus with your branding in multiple languages
Contactless solutions that leverage app-less technology like QR Codes and NFC or app-based solutions can ensure physical distancing, help employees avoid surfaces and avoid overcrowding.
With all the short-term challenges that retailers and brands face – health and safety, decreased labor force and consumer demand, one solution that has consistently proven to be effective is contactless or zero-touch marketing strategies.
This blog was originally published on April 22nd, 2019 at 01:48 pm
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