Digital Watermark - So Long QR Codes

Image attributed to Glowimages, Gettingimages, Deliver magazine

Just in case you haven't been keeping up, the QR code has made it's way onto just about everything from ketchup bottles to direct marketing pieces.  This code allows anyone, using a free app on their smartphones to scan the code and visit a specific webpage.  The benefit of using these codes is simple - it helps bridge the gap between printed marketing pieces and the web.

From my perspective the QR code is still relatively new - but it's already becoming outdated.  Now you might be saying, "Are you out of your mind?" considering that some marketers are just beginning to use this code.  However, the reality is that the next iteration of codes has already emerged.

Hello Digital Watermark!  In this month's edition of Deliver, the magazine produced by the US Postal Service, an article appeared claiming the next iteration of the seemingly dated QR code - the digital watermark.  Here's how it works.

Instead of using a formal code like the QR code noted above, there is information embedded within an actual image or photograph that appears on a printed piece like a flyer, brochure, or postcard, even a magazine.  When you download a free app from your phone, you simply have to open the app and point at the image you're scanning.  

This removes a step often associated with QR codes in terms of using the app and navigating to a website.  When using a QR code, depending on the app you're using, a URL might load but you still have to navigate to it.  Additionally, digital watermarks give marketers more creative leeway with existing images as opposed to adding yet another element to their marketing piece or direct mailer.

Innovation is all around us.  I personally believe that these embedded codes are a lot less clumsy than QR codes and will have all of us scanning virtually every image we see.  Any innovation that can get users to engage is a good one.  Digital watermarks... you have my endorsement!

5 Non-Traditional Ways to Market Your Business Online

Today we look at some non-traditional ways to market your business online.  Check out these great strategies for generating traffic to your business and offers.

QR Codes – they’re those little cubes made of white and black boxes that are popping up in every store front and every flier you see these days. They’re changing the way people are sending customers to their website.

So, what are they?

A QR code is a bar code that can be read using a smart phone app. These bar codes can hold information including URL’s, phone numbers, and even text. Users simply scan the bar code with their phone, and the code tells the phone to visit a website, display some text, or make a phone call.

How can I make one?

There are a variety of QR code generators out there online: KaywaQR StuffGo QR

You simply fill out the form on the generator’s website, and download the QR image it provides you. You can then us that QR code anywhere to share the information you stored within it. You can also have a promotion company make them for you and consult you on how to use them.

Check out how Diesel is using QR codes:

 

Viral Videos

From the Antoine Dodson video to “Don’t Tase Me Bro’!” funny and/or compelling online videos have proven to have the power to reach millions in a matter of days. The days when viral videos were the created on accident is gone. Businesses are now tapping into this lucrative market to spread the word about their products. The most popular example of this kind of marketing is the Old Spice commercial. The video hit 5.9 million views and 22,000 comments within just a few days of being posted to YouTube. The month of the release, Old Spice more than doubled their sales.

Don’t have this big of a budget? You don’t have to. Dollar Shave Club made a low budget viral video for their product. Believe it or not, this low budget production got Dollar Shave Club 3 million views. That’s a lot of visibility for your brand!

 

Infographics

Ask any SEO in the business, and they will tell you: Infographics encourage shares, shares build links, and links are GOOD. The way Google works is by a complex algorithm that ranks your site against other sites for particular search terms. One way that Google ranks your site is by examining all the links that point to that site. The general rule is the more links, the better; however, natural links are the most valuable. Natural links are the links that get built without much involvement from you. One way to encourage those natural links is to build link-bait. Link-bait is basically any content that people want to show other people. In the past few years, marketers have seen that infographics are great for this task. An infographic is basically a visualization of statistics and data.



These graphics aren’t easy to make. If you don’t have an in house designer, I’d suggest finding a designer to build the graphic for you. Make sure to have a little piece of branding at the bottom. It’s a great way to build some brand recognition while you build those links.

 

Guest Posting

Guest posting, like infographics, are a great way to build links, but they also have hidden value. Guest posts are also about relationships. When a blogger lets you post an article on their site, they’re telling everyone who reads their blog that you are an expert in your field. Being seen as an expert can be extremely valuable because experts have influence, and influence sells. If you can get a few guest posts on blogs with relatively high readership in your industry, you will definitely start pulling in more leads. So, how do you get bloggers to post one of your articles on their website? It’s easy – just ask. Most bloggers are open to having another writer post on their blog, but there are a few rules you need to follow. Make sure that the content you send them is of quality and of value. No one wants to post a poorly written article on their site, nor do they want to post something that is just shameless self-promotion of your brand. Your guest post has to benefit the host of the site as much as, if not more than, it benefits you.

 

Become a Resource

Another way to be seen as an expert in your field is to become a resource. Do you have some insightful knowledge about how to do a particular task in your field? Put a post on your company blog about it. Do you know of a great industry-relevant book? Review it. People are looking for these resources all over the web, and if they find it on your website, you’re the expert. For example, I write a blog related to the graphic design industry. In order to gain readership of other designers, I post tutorials, design resources, and inspiration on a regular basis. Not only does this help me be seen as an expert, but it’s also another way to encourage links and gain some more brand recognition.

 

Get started!

Mark Zuckerburg is known to have said, “Done is better than perfect,” and he’s right. You don’t have to perfect your writing or video skills to get started on these techniques. Practice makes perfect, and trying can never hurt. So get started right now.

 

About the Author

Courtney Cox is a graphic designer, web developer, SEO, and blogger. She is currently taking an internship at WrightIMC, while maintaining her freelance design company. She is working on her Bachelor’s Degree in Emerging Media and Communication at the University of Texas at Dallas.

QR Codes: Learning The Basics

Everywhere you look QR codes are making their way into mainstream marketing.  Most recently I was having dinner out at a local restaurant and noticed that the ketchup bottle had a QR code.  Out of curiosity, I took out my smart phone and grabbed it - redirecting me to a URL from Heinz.  The landing page offered additional information and the ability to sign up for special offers.  Can you say direct response?

QR codes made simple

QR codes have appeared in mass thanks to smart phones and digital technology.  Entering a long URL into a web browser on your phone has become easier but still requires typing of multiple characters.  Enter the QR code.  With a simple free app you can click and button and be redirected to a web page.  I guess it's a good thing that we're inherently lazy - its the motivator for a number of technological advances.

In this post I wanted to give you the basics of QR codes to help you get started.  If you haven't run any promotions with QR codes, your goal should be to have one up and running in the next week or so. They are extremely easy to implement.  Here's how:

1.  Develop a QR code strategy.  I like to think of QR codes as the means to an end.  The functionality of a QR code is to get you to a web page.  As a marketer, I always think about the end goal which is to have your prospect complete a transaction of some kind.  This could be to provide you with an email address or make a purchase. 

What's the goal of your QR promotion?  What do you want people to do once they get to your landing page?  What's in it for them?  Why should they take a snapshot of the QR code in the the first place?  One of the best strategies is to offer incentives to people who use the QR code to arrive at your landing page.  Have them sign up for special offers or something of value.  This is one of the more popular strategies that builds your list and grows your business.

2.  Develop your landing page.  Just like any marketing initiative it's important to build and test multiple landing pages for your offers.  You should create a landing page that is consistent with your branding, easy to navigate, and has an offer above the fold.  When users visit your page through the QR code make sure they find what they're expecting.  Ensuring a consistent user experience will improve conversion rates.

3.  Create a QR code.  Creating a code is incredibly simple. There are tons of free sites that allow you to punch in the URL you want prospects to visit and spit out a ready-made QR code.  The one I like to use is available at http://qrcode.kaywa.com.  My recommendation is search "create QR code" on Google and you'll find plenty of resources.  Once the code is created make sure to include it on your promotional materials.

4.  Promote your QR code.  Once you've developed a strategy, created your landing page, and generated a QR code, the next step is to promote your QR code.  What's so great about your code is that it works in virtually any format.  You can use your QR code on a label, post card, package, in an ad, on your website, email, etc., virtually anywhere an image can appear.  

Think through all of your touch points.  Can you add the QR code in multiple locations to increase the likelihood that someone will use it?  In addition, always use some type of language that encourages your users to access the code.  For example, "Scan this QR code with your smartphone to get access to special offers."  By adding a reason why consumers should click through, you increase conversion rates significantly.

QR codes are here to stay

The technology of QR codes has actually been around, in experimental formats, for quite some time.  They are only now becoming pervasive in all types of marketing from advertisements to packaging.  If you haven't already started using QR codes in your marketing, now is the time to start using them.  As the number of smartphones begin to expand, as well as the comfort level of those who use them, the ability to connect in new ways continues to grow.

Start planning your next promotion using a QR code.  Even if you start small, say putting a QR code on your next post card, you'll not only engage your prospects but improve your campaign tracking and results.  The QR code allows you to drive people to an online environment where it's easier to track behavior and outcomes.  Let me know if you're using QR codes in your promotions and what type of results you're getting.  And as always, have fun marketing!