You must have heard about QR codes to be naturally associated with websites. But times have changed, and social media is as essential as websites for marketers.

Let’s dig into the trend!

Marketers these days are associating QR codes with their social media profiles because now, social media takes up a considerable part of their digital marketing funnel. Moreover, it provides the benefit of not calling out loud, ‘Follow us here’,. Instead, they can use, ‘Go ahead and scan it!’ which creates curiosity in the user.

There are a lot of companies that don’t have a website yet and rely on social media for their online presence. So, a QR Code for social media marketing is a big bang for them.

But if you haven’t used QR codes for your social media, I understand you might have a bunch of questions popping in your head right now. 

Let me help you with that.

Table of contents

1. Can a QR Code for social media marketing really benefit you?
2. How to use QR Codes for social media marketing?
3. QR Codes for social media marketing: Things to keep in mind
4. Employ QR Codes in your social media marketing strategy
5. FAQs

Can a QR Code for social media marketing really benefit you?

If you haven’t started with QR codes for social media, this question is meant to pop into your head. And it definitely should because you should always know where your social media marketing boat is sailing.

1. Link to relevant social media posts and save money

Let’s say you are creating an advertisement for a magazine and paying for a particular space in it. The usual advertising method will make you explain and elaborate on your topic of concern and provide a solution for it. Basically, if a reader looks at the ad, they will get an A to Z idea of what you are providing.

Let’s add a pinch of creativity here.

Users get more interested when your ad can create curiosity in them. You can do that by creating minimal text and visual-based ad content by adding a QR code with it. 

If your ad copy and visuals are interesting enough for the user, they might scan your QR code and view your social media post where you have explained it in detail.

This way, you will not only promote your ad but also gain more social media views. There are chances that the viewer might also start following you or sharing your post with their community. 

And yes, cheers on saving the money on less ad space!

Pro Tip: You can launch a contest ad with a compelling copy and exciting rewards. The viewer will be eager to know more about it and scan the QR Code to land on your social media profile.

2. You can easily keep a check on the analytics

Social media marketing can be taken further to success only with the needed analytics. Because only then will you know where to focus more and less.

So, if your Facebook has a sudden increase in followers, you are witnessing increased blog traffic, or your Twitter is bloating with retweets, the first question that comes to a marketer’s mind is, ‘Where are these people coming from?’

And if the traffic is from the QR Codes, you can check out the QR Code analytics, such as the number of scans, locations of scanning, and the devices used. This data will help you find out which area of your ad worked better, as well as the best times to scan it.

Read this detailed guide on how to create trackable QR Codes and monitor scan data.

3. Target mobile users

Smartphones are now used more than ever and are a major part of people’s lives. To connect, shop, write, and share, smartphones are utilized for so many reasons. According to the eCommerce stats, 80% of shoppers used a mobile phone inside a physical store to either look up product reviews or compare prices.

This is why QR Codes can boost your social media marketing strategy. If you need more assurance, you can see the graph curve of the number of users rising consistently.

Source: Statista

Now without wasting much time, let’s take you through the best part of the blog.

How to use QR Codes for social media marketing?

There are two ways to use QR Codes for social media marketing:

#1 Link to social media profiles

The most basic way to use OR Codes in social media is to link them to your social media profiles. You can go to your social media profile, copy the profile URL, paste it into a custom QR Code generator, and generate a code!

And there you go!

You have a social media QR Code that you can use to promote your business and which can allow people to like, comment, share, and follow you. Most social media networks allow you to generate a QR Code within the app, so the choice is all yours!

But we are here to dig deeper!

What social media apps use QR Codes?

1. Facebook 
2. Instagram 
3. LinkedIn 
4. Twitter 
5. WhatsApp 
6. Snapchat
7. TikTok
8. Pinterest

#2 Add QR Codes on social media posts 

You can also embed QR Codes directly on your social media posts online. 

According to Statcounter’s data, roughly 55% of web page traffic comes from smartphones, while around 42% comes from desktops. 

This means that users viewing your social media posts on desktops can scan the QR Code using their smartphones to access different forms of content. 

Whether it’s for promoting app downloads, requesting feedback, or directing users to your website, QR Codes on your social media posts come in handy for a variety of uses. 

How can I use QR Codes on social media? 

These are the different types of QR Codes you can use on social media:

1. Coupon QR Code – Share coupon codes easily via a QR Code on an Instagram or Facebook post to increase customer delight. 
2. Event QR Code – You can use event QR Codes on your page to let interested users scan to register easily. 
3. App download QR Code – You can promote your brand’s app using a QR Code on all social posts to help increase the number of downloads. 
4. Audio QR Code – Share audio files via a QR Code on social media to promote your brand’s latest products or for special announcements to engage users. 
5. Website QR Code – Instead of making users click on the link in your page’s bio, let them scan the QR Code on your post and be directed to your website instantly. 
6. Feedback QR Code – You can request feedback from your customers using a form QR Code. They can scan it and share their thoughts at their convenience.
7. Location QR Code – Increase the number of footfalls to your store using a location QR Code on social media. Your followers can scan it to find the directions to your store’s location on Google Maps. 
8. Augmented Reality QR Code – Engage your followers innovatively using an Augmented Reality QR Code. They can scan it to unlock an immersive experience no matter where they are. 

Bonus: If you wish to direct users to multiple destinations from a single page, you can do so using an all-in-one QR Code. Your followers can click on the options they’re interested in and be directed to the relevant content accordingly. 

QR Codes for social media marketing: Things to keep in mind

#1 Pick a suitable QR Code size 

Ensure that your QR Code size is at least 1 cm x 1 cm to be scannable by smartphones. 

You can also use the formula: Scanning distance/10 to determine the exact minimum QR Code size. 

The scanning distance is the length between the QR Code and your smartphone.

#2 Add an actionable frame text 

Add relevant frame text to your QR Code to let your followers know what to expect upon scanning. 

A QR Code frame prompts your followers to take action and quickly scan the QR Code, thus leading to higher scan rates. 

#3 Add a logo to increase brand recognition

Represent your brand consistently by adding a logo to your QR Code. You can also customize the QR Code to match your brand’s color scheme. This way, users recall your brand easily. 

#4 Select a relevant QR Code format

We recommend downloading your QR Codes in scalable vector formats such as SVG, EPS, and PDF. 

These formats are resolution-independent, which means that you can increase its size without causing pixelation. 

This comes in handy when you need to resize the QR Code for other marketing materials, such as billboards, banners, and other large-sized print media. 

Check out: QR Code printing guidelines

#5 Use editable QR Codes

Since a dynamic QR Code is an editable QR Code, we recommend using it for your social media marketing campaigns. 

You can redirect the QR Code to link to newer content without the hassle of recreating and redistributing it. 

With the help of a dynamic QR Code generator, you can modify your QR Codes at any time and A/B test campaigns to find out which one works best for social media.

Employ QR Codes in your social media marketing strategy

QR Codes for social media marketing are here to stay. They save a lot of time and make connecting with people easier. To so many, interacting on social media is a primary part of business growth.

And, if your social media marketing hasn’t been working too well, now is the time to integrate QR codes into your strategy. With all the benefits mentioned in the blog, you will also stand out in the market.

This also suggests how important it is to stay up to date on social media because you don’t want to lead the audience to incomplete and outdated profiles. Switch to using social media management tools like Zoho Social to utilize features like bulk scheduling, content calendar, social media analytics, etc., to manage your social media with no hassle. You can also use a social media scheduling tool to better manage your social media operations.

But, a tool like Zoho Social can cost you a pretty penny, so here is a list of Zoho Social alternatives that you can use.

FAQs

How does a QR Code work on social media?

You can add a QR Code to your posts on social media. Users can scan it using their smartphones to access your website, coupon codes, schedule appointments, submit feedback, and more. 

Should you put QR Codes on social media posts?

Yes. QR Codes add a creative element to your social media posts. It keeps your followers engaged and helps drive traffic to your brand’s other marketing channels such as your website, YouTube videos, etc. 

How do I put a QR Code on Facebook and Instagram?

Once you generate your QR Code, download it in the required format. Then, you can insert this QR Code on your Facebook and Instagram posts while creating them, and post them online. 

• Author Details

Author Details

Surya Pandit

Surya is an SEO Strategist at SocialPilot. He often looks out for new strategies to optimize the content. He is a problem solver by nature, a mountain person to the core, and music calms the chaos in him. Feel free to ping him on Facebook or connect with him on LinkedIn.

[email protected]