From humble beginnings in inventory tracking to a disappointing comeback in the early ‘10s to now widespread usage across a slew of different marketing use-cases—QR Codes have definitely seen it all. 

According to Juniper Research, nearly 5 billion smartphones will have scanned a QR Code by 2022.

As they’re poised to take the world by storm, what makes a QR Code effective and efficient as a contactless physical-to-digital portal is that they are trackable—meaning you can track QR Code scans and gather other scan-related data.

Through a QR Code generator with tracking, you get a stream of high-intent, first-party data that can make your QR Code campaigns precise and robust.

Wondering how you can track QR Code scans? What does QR Code tracking entail, how does it work, and what kind of data can you collect with a QR Code? This guide covers it all!

Table of Contents

1. Can a QR Code generator offer QR scan tracking?
2. What data can you collect using a QR Code generator with tracking?
3. How to leverage QR scan data for your campaigns
4. How to get QR scan tracking with Beaconstac’s QR Code generator
5. Integrate Google Analytics with Beaconstac
6. Beaconstac makes enterprise-level QR Code scan tracking simple and robust
7. FAQs

Can a QR Code generator offer QR scan tracking? Yes.

It is possible to track QR scans using a dynamic QR Code generator. But you need to choose a dynamic QR Code to enable this tracking. Static QR Codes, the other category of QR Codes, are not trackable.

READ: An NYT article on the QR Code resurgence of 2021 and why they’re here to stay.

Why only dynamic QR Codes are trackable 

To understand this, first, we need to know how information is stored within QR Codes.

A QR Code is nothing but a 2D configuration or pattern of tiny modules that has information encoded within it.

The way any data is embedded into a QR Code is governed by globally accepted standards that make the scanning process easy and uniform. Different visual elements and the type of information stored are taken into consideration: position, alignment, quiet zone, version information, error correction, and so on.

In a dynamic QR Code, data is not directly embedded into the QR Code. Dynamic QR Codes contain a redirect URL that takes users to different digital destinations such as digital business cards, landing pages, forms, app stores, and so on.

If the need arises, this final digital destination or content/data can be modified/edited/changed. Only dynamic QR Codes allow you to change the QR Code destination on the backend. This is also what makes a dynamic QR Code a trackable QR Code with scan data like no. of scans, no. of unique visitors, scan location, and so on.

Why static QR Codes cannot be tracked

In a static QR Code, data is directly embedded into the QR Code. This means that the information contained in the module configuration of the QR Code is permanent, and upon scanning, it will always lead to that same piece of data.

In other words—it is extremely difficult and inconvenient to set up a QR Code tracker for a static QR Code. Tracking QR Code scans with static codes is considered to be next to impossible, and for the same reason, they are not recommended for tracking QR Code scans.

Learn more: Difference between a static and dynamic QR Code

What data can you collect using a QR Code generator with tracking?

QR Code tracking by no means allows you to live track users who have scanned the code. This is simply a misconception that most have about what trackable QR Codes do. Tracking data is only collected at the scanning touchpoint where the QR Code has been deployed.

Here’s a glimpse of the metrics that you can collect when you use Beaconstac’s QR Code generator with tracking:

1. No. of QR Code scans
2. No. of unique visitors to the QR Code content
3. Top-performing QR Codes
4. Top-performing QR Code campaigns
5. Exact GPS tracking platform for scan
6. Device OS used to scan
7. Scans by city
8. Time of day of the scan

You can also integrate Google Analytics with Beaconstac to gain further insights into your audience. This data includes:

1. Age
2. Gender
3. Country 
4. City
5. Returning users vs. existing users
6. Level of engagement—time on page, clicks, visit duration, bounce rates, views
7. Device OS and browser used
8. Other user interests

How to leverage this QR scan data for your campaigns

After you have access to all of the data mentioned above, how will you leverage it to optimize your campaigns?

Here are a few ways you can leverage QR scan tracking data to fine-tune your campaigns:

#1 Suppose you have created multiple business cards with QR Codes for your team. Based on the number of scans for each QR Code, you can analyze your team members’ performance and take decisions accordingly.

#2 If you are running your QR Code campaign across multiple locations, you can determine locations driving the highest and lowest number of scans. Based on this analysis, you can double down on the better-performing location and discontinue/optimize your QR Code campaign across the under-performing location.

#3 Say you are experimenting with the most optimal time of the day to run your QR Code campaigns. Based on the number of scans by the time of the day, you can conclude the time period most suitable for your campaign so you can garner the maximum number of scans.

How to get QR scan tracking with Beaconstac’s QR Code generator

Step 1: Log in to the Beaconstac dashboard to see an overview of scan tracking

As soon as you log in, you will get an overview of the scan tracking for all your active dynamic QR Codes. This overview includes:

1. Total number of dynamic QR Codes and scans
2. Most and least popular dynamic QR Codes

Step 2: Head over to the ‘Analytics’ section on the left to get deeper insights

Step 3: Review the QR scan tracking data as per your requirements

Watch this quick Loom video to see what Beaconstac’s analytics dashboard looks like:

Added Tip: You can set a custom date range to view the data within a specified time period. And, you can easily export the entire tracking data by clicking on ‘Export’.

There is also an option to export individual data fields such as the number of scans, users, scans by devices used, and scans by city.

Integrate Google Analytics with Beaconstac’s QR Code generator to get comprehensive QR scan tracking

By integrating Google Analytics with Beaconstac, you can get in-depth insights about users who have scanned your QR Code. This high-intent first-party data includes insights such as CTRs, returning vs. first-time visitors, page session duration, user demographics, etc.

With this integration, you can view GA metrics on Beaconstac’s dashboard itself. All you have to do is add QR Codes as a first-party data source bringing in traffic to your website.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

Step 1: Set up or sign in to your Google Analytics account.

Step 2: Go to Admin —> Account —> Create Property.

Step 3: Enter the relevant website URL. It could be a page on your website or landing pages created with Beaconstac.

Step 4: Click on Get Tracking ID and copy it.

Step 5: Go to the Beaconstac dashboard. Head over to Integrations —> Google Analytics and enter the ID in the UA Tracking ID field. (Note: Beaconstac also lets you add your ​​GA4 Measurement ID)

Step 6: Enter your GA ID and click ‘Save’.

Step 7: All campaign metrics from Google Analytics will be imported and viewable within the Beaconstac dashboard.

READ: A deeper dive into how you can track your QR Codes in Google Analytics.

Beaconstac’s QR Code generator makes QR scan tracking simple and robust for enterprise businesses

If you plan to deploy QR Codes and get scan tracking at scale—no worries—Beaconstac’s dynamic QR Code Generator has got your back!

At the enterprise level, making sure that QR Code management is smooth and easy is paramount. For the same reason, Beaconstac has an API that allows you to integrate QR Code scan-related data and other metrics into the tool or platform of your choice. We know that having all your QR Code data within your preferred software can make things way more convenient.

In addition, we have other features like bulk QR Code creation and a Google Sheets plugin that enable you to create thousands of trackable QR Codes in one go.

RELATED: How Businesses Leverage Bulk Dynamic QR Codes to Eliminate Manual Efforts

We also have integrations with Zapier and Integromat that allow you to connect Beaconstac with nearly 4000+ applications. No coding knowledge is required whatsoever!

Create a custom QR Code tracker to send automated QR Code analytics reports to your teams—through weekly/monthly emails, daily performance reports, Slack notifications, and more.

Learn how to choose the best dynamic QR Code generator with tracking.

FAQs

Are QR Codes trackable?

Yes—although it depends on the specific QR Code category. Dynamic QR Codes are trackable whereas static QR Codes are not. The former gives you scan metrics like no. of scans, unique visitors, time and location of scan, end-user preferences, and more.

Can you track who scans a QR Code?

While it may not be possible to know the exact details of each and every user who has scanned your code, you can get a general idea of the no. of scans, unique visitors, end-user age, gender, preferences, device OS, and browser used. Alternatively, you can pair a QR Code with a dynamic form and incentivize users to provide their details themselves.

How do I make a QR Code trackable?

Generate dynamic QR Codes to make your QR Code trackable. This is because only dynamic QR Codes—not static QR Codes—offer QR scan tracking and analytics.

Is there a way to track how many people use a QR Code?

Yes. If you use a dynamic QR Code, you can determine the number of scans and unique visitors to that code.

What you can track with a QR Code?

You can track the following QR Code metrics with a dynamic QR:

1. Total no. of scans and scans by each QR Code
2. No. of unique visitors
3. Top-performing QR Codes
4. Top-performing QR Code campaigns
5. Exact GPS location of a scan
6. Device OS used to scan
7. Scans by city
8. Time of day of the scan

How do you check if a QR Code has been scanned?

You can check if a given QR Code has been scanned only with trackable QR Codes, a.k.a, dynamic QR Codes. A dynamic QR Code generator allows you to gather information about the number of scans, unique visitors, device OS and browser, end-user age, gender, language, and more.

Can you track when someone scans a QR Code?

Yes, it is possible to record when and where a QR Code has been scanned. But only, location and time of scan metrics can be tracked with dynamic QR Codes.

Can you see how many times a QR Code has been scanned?

Yes—you can track the number of times a given QR Code has been scanned. You can also gather data about the number of unique visitors, location and time of the scan, user age, gender, language, preferences, and so on. Only dynamic QR Codes have this functionality.

How many times can a QR Code be scanned?

A static QR Code can be scanned unlimited times as long as the destination URL/content is active/valid. In the case of a dynamic QR Code, the number of available scans will depend on your subscribed QR Code plan.

Are trackable QR Codes free?

Dynamic or trackable QR Codes are free as long as your trial period is active. Post that, you need to purchase a dynamic QR Code plan to keep your trackable QR Codes functional.

Can QR Codes be used to track inventory?

Yes. When you use dynamic QR Codes on inventory, you can track assets in real-time based on the scanning activity. Inventory can be tracked depending on the QR Code’s GPS location, time of the last scan, and even the device OS used to scan.

• Author Details

Author Details

Arpith Arun

Content marketer at Mobstac. When I am not writing, I mostly just play the guitar or watch MMA highlights. Connect with me on Linkedin!

https://www.beaconstac.com

[email protected]