With QR code tracking, you collect real-time information about the status of your QR codes. This includes location, the number of scans, demographics, and scanning device information. The collected metrics and statistics help optimize your marketing campaigns and achieve your business goals. There is a QR code on many products, offers and advertising space. It can accommodate a wide variety of information with up to 2,500 characters – e.g. the following content:
- lyrics
- Payments (QR Code Payment)
- audio and video files
- tickets and certificates
- advertising
- URLs
- information
- information offers
- contact details
- Integration of augmented reality
Companies that know where, when and how often people scan their QR code enjoy a clear competitive advantage. Finding out whether customers read a QR code on their PCos scan a QR code with their smartphone also provides essential information. In contrast to OCR software, various contents can be integrated into QR codes, and important data can be collected. From demographic, geographic and technological metrics, you create, e.g. B. Analysis of purchasing, search and user behavior. You can also use QR code tracking to optimize marketing and advertising strategies and exploit unrecognized growth opportunities.
Static Vs Dynamic: Two Types Of QR Code
Not all QR codes can be tracked with tracking technology. Therefore, it is first necessary to understand the difference between static and dynamic QR codes.
Static QR Codes (Not Traceable)
A static QR code offers many advantages but is not suitable for QR code tracking. Typically, a fixed QR code contains a URL that connects directly to the target. For this reason, the content of the QR code can no longer be edited later, and the code cannot be converted into a dynamic QR code.
Nevertheless, static QR codes are characterized by several advantages:
- No expiry date: As long as the URL contained in the QR code is online, the QR code remains active.
- Unlimited Scanning: The scanning is complete and without restriction as long as the URL exists and the server processes the requests.
- Reading is also possible offline: If the QR code contains text content, event information, contact data or other data that can be read without a URL, scanning is possible without an internet connection.
- Direct URL forwarding: The URL in the QR code can be accessed immediately by scanning and without being redirected, provided it is still online.
Dynamic QR Codes (Trackable)
A dynamic QR code is required for QR code tracking. This offers the following advantages:
- Content and destination addresses can be changed later: A dynamic QR code can also be changed during an ongoing advertising campaign, e.g. B. if there are typographical or content errors or an incorrect URL.
- QR code tracking and data protection-compliant user statistics: the campaign’s real-time success can be measured by data collection. By scanning a QR code, you will receive critical information about the user and target group based on the IP address, the device used, the operating system and the location. Data collection through tracking is generally GDPR-compliant.
- Limited or time-controlled advertising campaigns: Redirects behind a QR code can be limited or activated at a particular time. For example, a redirect can first refer to a test or countdown page and only redirect to the target URL at the start of an advertising campaign.
- Search for expired, orphaned URLs: Providers of dynamic QR codes and QR code tracking usually check whether QR codes are still redirecting to the correct URL or already to a dead link with Error 404.
- Smaller code size: Compared to static QR codes, dynamic QRs are significantly smaller because a URL shortened is used to create them. There are fewer characters encoded in the code than in the static QR code. Thus, dynamic QR codes require less advertising space.
Which QR Codes Can Be Tracked?
Only dynamic QR codes can be used for real-time QR code tracking. While static QR codes forward to target URLs directly and without monitoring, active QR codes use short URLs or tracking URLs. A redirection via the tracking URL takes place first. This way, essential metrics can be collected that enable success measurement and optimization of marketing campaigns and business goals. However, it would help if you only use providers that do not display any advertising or advertising banners during the redirection of the content. Ideally, QR code providers have transparent tariffs and no advertising. It should also be possible to generate or export QR codes independently.
QR Code Tracking Offers These Advantages
Just as real-time tracking, data collection and data analysis for logistics and shipping mean more efficiency, security and flexibility, QR code tracking offers you many advantages. These include:
- Marketing strategies can be improved through data and performance analysis in real-time.
- Through the interaction of users, you increase your brand commitment and optimize your brand building.
- QR code content can be adjusted in the event of subsequent changes.
- Powerful infographics can be created by collecting key metrics such as scan location and time, scanning device, operating system, and the total number of scans.
- You can narrow down and identify the target and buyer group and the top locations for sales.
- The link to Google Analytics enables automatic data measurements and performance reports.
- The return on investment (ROI) can be determined in real-time.
What Metrics And Statistics Can Be Collected?
Some of the key metrics and statistical data you get from QR code tracking include the following:
- The total number of scans: Find out how many times the QR code was scanned over a certain period (days, weeks, months). Duplicate scans can also be integrated or excluded. This way, you determine the best locations, target groups and times for campaigns and sales.
- The geographical location of the scan: The user’s IP address is resolved when scanning the QR code. This way, you can determine which regions, cities and countries your campaigns are best received and generate the highest ROI.
- Time of scans: Time can be used to measure success rates and performance reports based on the time zone.
- Device and operating system used: Scans also collect information about the device and operating system used (Android or iOS) through the IP address used for the scan. This allows you to focus on a specific device or operating system.
- Several unique scans: Unique scans represent specific devices (e.g. an iOS device) scanning the QR code to a particular time and place. This helps you differentiate between “total scans” (including duplicate scans) and unique scans.
The A/B Test Is Explained.
To improve conversions and measure the success of campaigns, companies are increasingly using A/B testing. Two or more parallel marketing and advertising strategies are used here. These determine the success of specific target groups and enable a direct comparison. QR code tracking is an effective means of measuring your success. This is possible using QR codes with slightly different content, products, call-to-actions, designs and colors, or URLs. Tracking and data measurement provide real-time performance analysis of parallel campaigns.
QR Code Tracking And Google Analytics
You get essential metrics and reports into your Google Analytics account when you use Google Ads and Google Analytics in conjunction with QR code tracking. To do this, the target URL behind the QR code can be linked to your Google account to collect tracking data via cookies. If users call up the online shop or a particular product page via an advertising QR code, you will receive information on the success of your campaign.
What Is Other Tracking Software There?
In addition to QR code tracking by Google Analytics or QR tracking providers, there are other tracking tools to choose from. These include:
- Adobe Analytics
- Maemo
- Etracker
- map
- Econda
- county
- Piwik Pro
The most important forms of tracking that are used in connection with predefined KPIs include the following:
- Cookies / super cookies/flash cookies
- e-tags
- Social Widgets and Social Plugins
- Web beacon/pixel tags/tracking pixels
- log files
- fingerprint
- Cross-device tracking
- App-based advertising IDs
- mouse tracking
- eye tracking
- Cross-domain tracking
Conclusion: More Transparency In Online Marketing With QR Code Tracking
Companies using QR code tracking collect essential information and performance reports on top sales and behavior in specific regions or among particular target groups. Applied continuously, processing the collected data offers numerous possibilities to optimize advertising campaigns, sales strategies and business processes and better implement business goals.
