Printing QR codes is a great way to help your brand stand out. Check out this handy guide and print QR Codes with ease.
In this handy guide, we'll give you the tools to print a QR Code and take your digital efforts to the next level. From the best print materials to use, best places to direct users, tips on how to customize codes, and more, we've got your back with everything you need to know about adding codes to the physical world.
Before putting anything to paper, you'll need to create a QR Code. This is very simple with our QR Code Generator.
Step 1 - To start, select the QR Code type you'd like to go for.
Step 2 - Next, add your target URL into the 'URL' field. This will be where your QR Code links to and can be a link, file, or document.
Step 3 - Customize your QR codes to achieve more scans. This can include adding your company logo, experimenting with color schemes, unique frames, and different sizes.
Check out our QR Code pricing plans.
Your QR Code type is crucial for any campaign, but if you're going to print QR codes, it has to be perfect.
For example, if you're looking to create a website QR Code and add it to your product packaging, you need to make sure it'll go to the right URL link. That's why it's important to test QR codes and make sure they're high-resolution so they can be scanned.
Let's explore some of the popular QR code types and what they help you achieve:
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Having a decent printer for your QR codes will help in their success, making them scannable and in a word, usable. To make sure the image is up to scratch from a quality standpoint, run a test on the QR Code you hope to print.
It's best to get a QR sample sent over if you're using a third-party printer, but if you're printing onto paper you can test it yourself using a couple of different scanning devices (phones).
Size matters when it comes to scanning a QR Code, although you'll struggle to go too large.
On the flipside, a QR Code reader app, i.e. a smartphone, may struggle to scan codes that are smaller than 2x2cm in size. So, for users to access the data or link within your code, make sure your QR Code is at least this size.
Static QR Codes cannot be changed after you create them. Dynamic QR Codes, on the other hand, can be edited, which makes them much more suitable for printing.
Offering the chance to save costs on additional print jobs, there's more room for error correction if you make a typo with your link or enter the wrong file or data when creating your code.
Remember, however, that you can't change the QR image itself with a Dynamic QR Code, just the link or data it holds.
Learn about our Dynamic QR Code generator.
The quiet zone of a QR Code is the empty space around the code image. This helps the code to be readable and makes scanning possible from a user's mobile device. Leave around four blocks of space around your code and make sure the quiet zone is white when choosing your code layout.
If not, your QR Code may not be readable, which will render your code useless.
Different colors are great for QR codes and helps them stand out, but for your code to function, make sure that these colors contrast its physical location. Say your business flyers are red, for example, you won't want to use a red QR Code or it may not be scannable.
While we encourage you to add a company logo or other images to your codes, make sure users can scan them. Having images too close to the edge of your code, for example, will make them difficult to scan, and a logo that is black and white may cause problems for a black and white code.
As we've mentioned, colorful QR codes are popular and help your code stand out, but don't invert the colors of the traditional QR Code and make the black parts white and the white parts black. This will likely wreak havoc with QR Code readers (your phone camera) and almost any scanning app you download.
Testing is the cornerstone of success when thinking about printing a QR Code onto physical materials. Making sure that all the data is accurate, be it the file or digital destination, and making sure users can easily scan the code can be achieved with a series of QR tests.
A simple message like 'contact us' works perfectly for a CTA, so don't overdo it. Focus on providing context in a simple-to-digest format and you'll be onto a winner.
With digital QR codes, you can update the CTA as it will generally be on your website, but when it comes to printed codes, you can't edit the CTA. This means that even if you choose Dynamic QR Codes where you can edit the link, you can't change the CTA, so the context for downloading will be removed.
When it comes to physical QR codes you need to make sure the quality is as high as possible. This is because you can't replace the image because it's already out in the real-world.
The PNG format will be adequate for most QR codes, but a PDF or SVG is even better, especially if you're printing them.
Printing can cost a fortune, especially if you're printing high volumes of marketing materials or product packaging. It's why you wouldn't send something to print without checking it multiple times, because the cost of doing so would be difficult to deal with.
The same goes for your QR Code and nothing breaches trust in a business more than a code that links to nowhere or that doesn't work at all.
In a digital-savvy world, consumers are looking for brands that use the latest technologies to great effect. Business QR codes are a prime example of this kind of tech in action as they're not only extremely powerful and versatile, but they're very easy to scan.
Trust is massive in the world of business, especially with so much choice available. That's why more and more people feel like they need to trust a brand before they hand over money for a service or product, and why reviews and your social media presence are more important than ever.
The same goes for printing a QR Code, and a code that doesn't work makes your company look unprofessional and untrustworthy.
Marketing is complicated and competitive, so you need to do all you can to give yourself the edge over your competitors. One way of doing this is with creative QR codes that you can use in a multitude of ways that help set you apart.
Customers are more likely to remember your marketing campaigns as a result, which will more than likely lead them to use your services or buy your products.
As we've touched on, consumers buy from brands they can trust, and nothing builds trust more than brand recognition. Having a face to your brand helps customers feel like they know you and from there, they're more likely to come to you when they need your services.
This goes for QR codes, and compared to others in your industry who don't use them, you're more likely to stick in people's minds.
Imagine printing thousands of posters or products for packaging with a typo? The level of cringe is almost unimaginable.
This also applies to a QR Code, and nothing will make the hairs on your neck stand up more than feedback of people being unable to scan your code or access the file or link URL within.
When you print a QR Code, the material you use is crucial.
QR Code technology is super versatile so you don't need to worry too much, but if you use cheap paper that can easily rip, for example, you may run into issues.
Let's explore a few of the best options for QR codes:
Almost every metal is perfect for printing your QR Code, so feel free to add metal tags to your marketing material or use metal for product packaging. Be aware that metal is expensive, however, especially in high quantities, and it will probably require laser engraving for QR codes to be added.
A popular material for stickers and posters, as well as product packaging in some cases, vinyl is a great material for QR codes. Much better than paper than can rip easily and make your code unscannable, it's also not much cheaper which makes it a viable, popular option.
The business card is a favorite if you're looking to print a QR Code, and marketers, entrepreneurs, and more add codes to theirs to help them stand out in a memorable way.
The business card is practically perfect for displaying a QR Code because it's a flat surface that's easily scanned by a mobile phone or computer screen, and card is relatively durable and inexpensive to print, as is plastic.
QR codes are fantastic for all kinds of purposes and when you print them, you can take your marketing efforts to the next level.
Offering the opportunity to cross-promote your brand from digital to physical, build trust in your business and ultimately, attract more consumers, we recommend you get started today with a printed code for your brand.
There are a number of reasons codes may not work when printed.
Inverted codes, for example, are difficult to recognise for scanners, and codes that don't contrast their location will also be tricky to scan. Having codes that are too small is another popular issue, so make sure they're at least 2x2cm when printing.
QR codes that are printed are images, and pretty much any low-resolution image will be blurry if you print it. Make sure you use a high-quality file format when printing your code such as PDF, SVG, or in some cases, PNG. Ask your printer for advice with this one if you're unsure.
Yes! Absolutely. Make sure your code is high-resolution and you can print it almost anywhere, as long as it's at least 2x2cm in size.
The best place to make QR codes that are print-ready? QR Code Fusion.
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