Three tips for using QR codes:

Placement and size: Place the code where viewers can snap it with a smartphone camera. If the code is placed too high (like on an overhead ceiling banner) it is nearly impossible for passers-by to scan.

Complexity: Use a link shortener to compress the URL to which you are directing visitors. Each of those squiggly lines mean something to a QR code reader – short links let users connect to your content more quickly than long links. See the difference a link shortener makes.

Content: Link to content that makes prospects want to engage with your company – Facebook page with customer-only deals; a video of how your company solves customers’ problems; or email list sign-up for exclusive tips & tricks.

Check out the QR code gallery I’ve captured. Let me know which you think is the most effective use of QR code marketing.

Without link shortener:

With link shortener:

In this case I found the shortened code link was about 1.5 seconds faster than the unshortened link. Customers have come to expect  nearly instant response. Connecting 1.5 seconds faster makes it less likely your customer will bail before they see the whiz bang content you’ve got waiting for them!

Quick Response (QR) codes are the squiggly boxes you see in magazine ads, direct mail postcards, window clings at the mall, transit stops, outdoor ads, indoor ads, sidewalk sandwich boards … well you get the idea, they’re everywhere! QR code examples

A QR code (short for Quick Response) is a bar code that is scanned using a smartphone camera. The code is linked to a website, landing page, video, special offer or coupon – something that engages prospects to take action.

Here is how QR codes work: Someone with a smartphone (iPhone, Droid, HTC, Blackberry to name a few) downloads a QR code reader app (application). They activate the app on their smartphone, scan your code and are connected to your content that will drive sales.

The best thing about QR codes (a.k.a. 2D codes) is they give prospects instant access to information that you’ve chosen for them. Give qr codes a try! Use your smartphone to scan the QR code nearby to get tips for using QR codes to market your business.

Have questions about QR codes? Need help integrating them into your marketing plan? Contact me for a free Strategy Session!

The hashtag, or pound sign, is used on Twitter to make tweets searchable. Social networks use hashtags to group information and make it easy to find. Website “tweetrolls” display messages with hashtags to show who is tweeting things that their visitors want to know about.

A great example of how to use hashtags is #thevoice.

Best of all, hashtags add heft to your search engine results. Great news for small business owners – no matter what their age!

I like finding new client companies where my skills match their needs. Together we chart a course and the adventure begins!

As relationships grow I develop a knack for anticipating clients’ business needs and new ways to meet them effectively. Sometimes it’s big picture, like a new marketing strategy; sometimes it’s little, like checking links in a pdf to be sure they all work.

I did that link-check thing recently. Once notified, the client sent me an updated pdf that I uploaded to the website with a (new) shortened, customized link that served two purposes:

1. File name made it SEO friendly (we wanted people to find it)
2. Masked the location where the pdf was hosted (we wanted to minimize security risks)

The entire process took only about 5 minutes and it reminded me –  I like serving as a backstop for my clients. It’s one of those little things that just keep on giving – for both of us.