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5 Common mistakes business owners make when using QR Codes and how to avoid them

1.    Not having a clearly defined campaign strategy.

2.    Not testing QR Codes

Here are some best practices for maximizing the return on your QR code direct mail initiative:

Ensure that QR codes link to Web pages that are optimized for mobile devices

Provide online content that adds value for the targeted consumer and makes it worth their while to scan the code.

From January to August, MRI measured more than 72,000 ads. Five percent of them contained QR or snap codes, up from 1.3 percent in the second half of 2010.

And the mere presence of the codes seems to get readers more involved with the ads containing them—of those who saw an ad with a mobile barcode, five percent took a picture of it with their cell phones.

By comparison, 14 percent who saw an ad visited the advertiser's website

Use of NeoMedia's NeoReader barcode scanning app jumped more than 240% on Black Friday compared to last year, according to a recent press release from the firm.

"Retail is going mobile. People are not only using their phones to get more information on goods and services, both in-store and on-the-go, but also to purchase," said Laura Marriott, Chief Executive Officer of NeoMedia Technologies, Inc.

With 40 percent of smartphone owners browsing the Internet more frequently on their phones – using their devices to make holiday charity donations and buy gifts online – it only makes sense to ensure mobile purchases are available anywhere at any time.

The No. 1 thing is brand cohesiveness. Use the same URL on mobile as on your desktop site, as opposed to m. or .mobi. All it takes is a simple redirect script.

product reviews and testimonials, which could even be presented in the form of videos. Additionally, incentives like discounts for an opt-in for future communication and for taking a survey or participating in a poll.

despite the rapid increase in smartphone usage, only around 25 percent of companies have bothered to create a mobile smartphone version of their sites and only 13 percent have created sites specifically for tablets.

Currently, over 90 percent of people in the U.S. have mobile phones and estimates of smartphone users generally run between 70 and 80 million people in the U.S. It's even more important if you're trying to reach those oh-so-valuable 18 to 34 year olds: 42 percent of smartphone owners fit this age bracket. Looking at it another way, fully 62 percent of mobile users aged 25 to 34 own a smartphone. And, as I reported in my last column, 40 percent of smartphone and tablet users break them out when they're watching TV.

Less than two-thirds of black and Hispanic respondents reported living in a household with computer and/or Internet access, compared with more than three-quarters of other ethnic groups, and about 86 percent of Asian Americans.

Holders of bachelor's degrees or higher were found to be more than twice as likely to live in households with a computer and/or Internet access as were people who had not completed high school.

When the customers used the QR codes to reach the portal, they now have many options available. Those who scan the QR codes are able to pay their bills on the internet, but they can also have a look at detailed information regarding their energy use, and read about rebate programs and energy savings tips that can help them to reduce the amount they are spending on this service. House added that “It’s a kind of one-stop-shop for members.”

Sports teams begin to explore the possibilities of technology

According to the report, mobile search is gaining momentum amongst consumers. As smart phones and other mobile devices become more widely used, consumers are beginning to use their mobile tools to conduct searchers on the Internet.

Giving the consumer an option to scan a QR code which leads them to a website that is not optimized for the device they use to scan it is like sending someone with a broken arm in to get a full-body physical. People use QR codes to take action directly, so don’t make them jump through hoops, pinching, zooming and navigating through a messy desktop site. Give them what they want: a mobile experience.

the QR codes that perform far better are the ones that offer consumers a benefit for scanning.  This means providing a discount, special offer or inclusion in some sort of exclusive program in order to provide customers a return on investment for their time. Of course, clever marketers can find plenty of ways to provide a reward for scanning while still integrating plenty of branding as well.

53 percent of Americans haven’t ever used a QR code.

47 percent of people using QR codes, however, is still a significant amount.

71 percent of respondents said that QR codes are “pointless.” 68 percent of this particular demographic said that they’d rather just type in a company’s web address

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Customers who scan the QR code will be automatically redirected to a special mobile site that will provide them with step-by-step video instructions to create a tasty meal with a surf and turf theme. Moreover, each of the items in the menu’s recipes are available in the “What’s for Dinner?” displays in the grocery locations.

“Our main goal is to provide guests the opportunity to access information quickly and easily – both inside our stores and remotely at home.”

At one point, QR codes were just looked at as cool and fun.  But now, they are proving to be reliable way to share information. 

1. Front Door or Host/Hostess Area:

2. Foursquare: