QR codes certainly attract a great deal of attention in today’s technologically-fuelled world. While certain people have some reservations about the longevity of this technology, it is my belief that these codes aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. I feel quite strongly about this fact, and I’d like to briefly explain why I think QR codes are going to be around for a long, long time.

QR codes are more than just black and white barcodes. They’re little pieces of innovative genius that can serve as a link between the virtual world and the physical world. In some senses, they can be called a real life hyperlink. With a simple scan that takes a couple of seconds to do, a user can accomplish a plethora of tasks.

While QR codes are great at bringing a user to a website landing page, this isn’t all they do. Just as hyperlinks on the Internet can serve a variety of purposes, so can these real life hyperlinks. It is now possible to send an email, watch a video, glean contact information, donate to a charity, buy a product or enter a contest, all with the simple scan of a code!

With potential like that, it’s difficult to imagine why QR codes would become obsolete anytime soon. After all, do we think hyperlinks are going out of business? If we have no doubt about virtual hyperlinks, we definitely shouldn’t have any doubts about real-world ones!

QR technology is quickly taking over. While the technology is actually quite old, dating from 1994, it really didn’t take off until recent years. As the ubiquity of QR codes increases, one thing is becoming painfully obvious: QR codes can be boring.

If you’re involved in the marketing industry, you probably agree with me. You’ve seen hundreds, perhaps thousands of QR  codes that all look alike. You see the same old square, black and white, 2-dimensional codes. While this may have excited you two years ago, the honeymoon phase is over – you want something more from QR.

Luckily, this doesn’t have to be the case. There are now graphic designers creating custom-made QR codes. These codes are now anything but boring. In fact, they are both a marketing tool, and a work of art.

Custom QR codes are able to contain different colors, different background imagery, and even a company’s logo. These codes can look truly magnificent, and can really be eye-catching. We’ve now gotten to the place where we can adequately blend QR technology with aesthetic appeal. There is therefore no excuse to not take advantage of this intriguing advancement.

Consider contacting a mobile solutions company today to find out how you can have a custom-made QR code created for your business. You may be surprised at what they are able to provide you with.

The advertising sector is far from unchanging. People are always looking for the best way to sell a product, making this industry one that sees many changes and evolutional epochs. In today’s day and age, the current trend in advertising comes unsurprisingly from the mobile sector. 

While this question may appear simple – and it is – many people don’t truly know that much about QR codes. The average person has certainly seen a QR code: those black and white, two-dimensional, square barcodes that are commonly placed on billboards and advertisements; but many don’t know the history and facts about this innovative technology.

 QR (Quick Response) codes, are a matrix barcode that was invented in Japan in 1994. Created by Denso Wave (a subsidiary of Toyota), the first QR codes were used for the automotive industry. Since then, the technology has truly taken off, moving into virtually every industry. While the technology may be quite old, it has only been picked up by mobile marketing in recent years. 

The technology was designed to be decoded at a very high speed. Because of this, marketers are able to create a code that can bring people to a website landing page in a very quick fashion. By simply scanning a QR code with a Smartphone, the user will be sent to the website for which the code was encoded for. Through this simple process, marketers have accomplished what could be dubbed, “a real-world hyperlink.” This technology is sweeping the marketing industry. Only time will tell how far reaching QR codes will become.

QR codes are certainly growing in ubiquity: they’re everywhere – on posters, on billboards… they’re even being placed on products like mouse pads and coffee mugs. While most people understand how to pull out their cell phones and scan the codes, many don’t understand the full potential of this versatile technology.

QR codes, while being great at opening up a website landing page, can also be used for a variety of innovate tasks.

QR codes can also:

•  Send a PDF file

•  Send a text message

•  Make a phone call

•  Help a philanthropist donate

•  Add a contact to your contacts list

•  Find a location on a map

•  Listen to a voice recording

•  Enter a contest

And much more!

QR codes are virtually limitless in their possibilities; in fact, they’re only limited by the creativity of the individual designing them. QR technology continues to sweep the nation… and this is even being seen in developing countries. While no one knows for certain how long this technology will be around for, it seems safe to say that it hasn’t reached its maximum potential yet.

Consider exploring the potential of QR technology and see how your business can benefit.

Few, if any, sectors have shown as much growth as the mobile industry has. Cell phones have been sweeping the world for a number of years, but the recent stark increase in mobile penetration has left even the most foresighted people baffled. This information, while being interesting, is far from useless. For marketers, this type of information is essential; if mobile phones are truly becoming fully ubiquitous, it’s important for marketers to stay on top of this trend.

Consider some of these incredible statistics:

·  There are over 5.3 billion mobile phone subscribers (more than 77% of the world’s population)

·  In 2009, more than half a billion people accessed the Internet through a mobile device. This number is expected to double within 5 years.

·  More than 8 trillion text messages were sent in 2011 alone.

·  In the past year, mobile searches have quadrupled. For many search queries, one out of every seven searches is now performed from a mobile device.

It’s easy to see why the mobile industry is now considered the most important sector of the marketing world. No other sector is growing as fast as the mobile sector, and no other item is spreading as universally as the mobile phone. If you’re a marketer, don’t get left behind. Join the mobile revolution and see what the future has in store. 

Advertising, being far from static, is constantly moving and evolving to suit the times. The 21^st century is certainly no exception; in fact, we see advertising changing and adapting even more quickly than ever before. With new technology and new trends, marketers need to stay on top of the game in order to successfully stay relevant in a pervasive culture.

The latest paradigm shift in the world of advertising has happened because of the rise of mobile phones. As the technology becomes more and more ubiquitous, we’re seeing an interesting change happen: even developing countries are staying up-to-date with mobile technology. Global phone penetration is increasingly high, making the mobile industry a powerful mover in today’s global society.

Because mobile phones are becoming more and more common – coupled with the fact that they are always on, always present, and always monitored – the advertising sector is casting its powerful stare on the mobile industry. Instead of email marketing, marketers are using SMS messaging to contact prospective customers. Instead of plain advertisements, marketers are using the latest and greatest in QR technology. This shift is happened quickly and suddenly, and must be acknowledged for the powerful shift that it is.

Pay attention to the future: It’s moving… In fact, it’s mobile!

QR codes don’t just need to be black, white, and boring. Now that the technology is becoming more and more ubiquitous, new, more creative QR codes are coming into popularity. 

QR codes can now be custom made, and can integrate various aspects of the many idiosyncrasies that make up your company. You can now integrate designs, backgrounds and logos into QR codes, providing you have someone to design it for you. If this is done well, you can have a QR code that people will actually want to scan. It can incorporate various colors and designs that will truly make it appealing. Moreover, it can blur the line between being a QR code and an advertisement. Now you can clearly display your companies name, whilst still creating a code that people can scan with their smartphones. Technology is growing, and it’s up to you to keep up with it. Don’t settle with a boring, plain, dichromatic code that is virtually indistinguishable from every other QR code out there; create something that will truly display your company’s personal, unique flavor. Find the right person for the job and don’t settle for second best. Consider custom-designed QR codes today.