For the uninitiated, QR codes allow anybody with a smartphone and a free app to scan a graphic you position on your printed materials, working in a way similar to a barcode. This QR code then automatically opens the URL you designated in the code in the scanner’s phone. This is why QR codes are becoming popular very quickly: they offer companies huge benefits in marketing efforts. In fact, QR codes currently support the following functionality:

• Go to a URL
• Display text
• Call a phone number
• Send a text message
• Go to a Google Maps location
• Send an email
• Open a YouTube video
• Android supports automatic login to WiFi
• And much more…

But even if you have finally realized it’s time to start integrating QR codes into your print advertising, you may still hesitate about placing a black and white symbol into the middle of your designs. You may also be wary of just how difficult creating QR codes may be. Fortunately, it’s possible to move past these hesitations if you follow some simple best practices.