Unlocking the Power of QR Code Analytics: Transforming Data into Actionable Insights

June 19, 2024

In what feels like a short time, QR codes have become an everyday part of life. We've all become used to seeing and using them on a regular basis. Whether it's unlocking deals at retail stores, ordering online at restaurants, or seeing more information on product packaging, QR codes have become a logical way to get things done.

But QR codes are a lot more than just convenient technology. The true power of QR codes lies in the data they generate, offering businesses invaluable insights into customer behaviour and engagement. In today's data-driven world, understanding user behaviour by leveraging QR code analytics can be a game-changer for businesses of all kinds. In this blog, we'll be taking a look at how QR code analytics can help your business.

Understanding QR Code Analytics

What are QR Codes?

QR codes, otherwise known as Quick Response codes, are 2D barcodes that store all sorts of different information. In many ways, they are the successor to the barcode. QR codes can hold a lot more data than traditional barcodes, including URLs, contact information, and even text. And even though QR codes feel like a new thing, they were actually invented in 1994!

How Do QR Codes Work?

QR codes are a clever piece of tech. But the way they work is quite simple. A QR code works by encoding data in a grid of black and white squares. Whenever it is scanned using a smartphone camera or a dedicated QR code reader, the device quickly decodes the pattern and retrieves whatever information was stored.

QR Codes in Marketing and Business

QR codes are now used for a huge range of business and marketing campaign practices. By incorporating QR codes into marketing campaigns, businesses are managing to make marketing more interactive and engaging.

QR code analytics are now providing detailed insights into how and when customers are engaging with these codes, allowing businesses to refine their marketing strategies based on real-time data.

Setting Up QR Code Analytics

Choosing a QR Code Generator

It's key to choose the right QR code generator if you want to have effective QR code analytics. There are plenty of popular QR code generators to choose from. At ConnectQR, we offer a robust QR code generator that comes with comprehensive QR code tracking and other integration capabilities.

If you're looking for a QR code generator to partner with, it helps to look for one that offers customisation options like adding your brand's logo and colours. With ConnectQR, you can create dynamic QR codes, enabling you to update the QR code's destination URL without having to reprint the code, offering great flexibility for your marketing campaigns.

Customising Your QR Code

One of the great things about QR codes is their customisation options. Making use of these improves your brand visibility and keeps you in the user's mind. You can add your logo, choose custom colours, and guide your designs so that they align with the rest of your marketing campaigns and your wider brand persona.

Generating and Implementing QR Codes

Creating and implementing QR codes with ConnectQR is a seamless process. You can begin by using the interface and generating your QR codes from there. These can then easily be added to your marketing campaigns. If you use a Google Analytics account, you can track QR code scans to gain valuable insights into user behaviour. You can then use these insights to refine your marketing strategy.

Integrating QR Code Analytics with Google Analytics

Connecting QR Codes to Google Analytics

Integrating QR codes with Google Analytics is a super helpful tool for tracking and analysing your QR code campaigns. As one of the biggest analytics dashboard services around, using Google Analytics to track QR code scan data is a recipe for success.

Setting Up UTM Parameters for Tracking

UTM parameters (Urchin Tracking Module parameters) are tags that get added to the end of a URL to track the performance of a page or campaign.

By setting these up for your QR codes, you can see which visitors arrived at your business's page via a QR code link. With this, you're able to better understand campaign performance and scan data.

Analysing Data from Google Analytics

Once you've integrated your QR codes with Google Analytics, you can get onto the important work of understanding the data analytics. Some of the key metrics to look at will be number of scans, unique scans, location data, and total scans. It's worth paying attention to these metrics. Your QR code marketing campaign will thank you!

QR Code Metrics to Analyse

To understand the performance of your QR code, you'll need to understand your total scans and unique scans. Total scans show how many times your QR codes have been accessed, while unique scans indicate individual users. This helps gauge the reach and effectiveness of your QR code marketing.

Location data and demographics provide insights into where and who is scanning your QR codes, crucial for targeting your marketing efforts.

Tracking scan timestamps and device type information reveals when and how users interact with your QR codes. This lets you know whether people are scanning with Android phones or Apple phones.

Unlocking Insights from Dynamic QR Codes

One of the best tools in the QR code space is dynamic QR codes as they provide great insights. With a dynamic QR code, you can change the URL without needing a new code. This makes them ideal for long-term QR code campaigns.

Dynamic QR codes provide comprehensive QR code tracking capabilities. You can track a range of QR code analytics, such as the number of scans, user locations, and device types. This tracking data helps in understanding user behaviour and helps your marketing team to develop a better marketing campaign.

Best Practices for QR Code Analytics

If you're going to run a successful QR code campaign, there are some best practices to look out for. The first is QR code tracking. Tracking QR codes is a must if you want to understand campaign performance. If you're running a number of static QR codes at once, tracking each QR code helps you to A/B test the success of each one, including how it's presented, where it's placed and more. If you need a QR code to reach your marketing goals, QR code tracking is a no-brainer.

Another practice to implement in your QR code campaigns is to identify top locations. This lets you know the geographical locations where user scans are at their highest and lets you hone in on those areas.

The next best practice for your QR code campaigns is to set up comprehensive reporting. Tracking QR codes in this way allows you to monitor trends over time and to further tailor your QR code campaign, especially if you're using a dynamic trackable QR code operating system.