A few statistics underscore the skyrocketing popularity of QR (Quick Response) codes, with real estate professionals being among those who are embracing this nifty tool.
The Nielsen Company estimates U.S. smartphone penetration will hit 50 percent by the end of 2011. New York-based eMarketer, an authority on digital marketing, media and commerce, reports there are currently 73.3 million smartphone users.
According to the new site Mashable and JumpScan:
52% of mobile users have seen or heard of QR codes; of those,
28% have scanned one. iPhone users scan by far the most, at 68% (versus 26% of Android users and 4% of Blackberry users).
QR-code scanning rose a whopping 1,200% from July to December 2010.
Companies like Starbucks are already using QR codes (as well as barcodes) to enable users to pay for their purchases via mobile. A whopping 3 million customers have already tried it.
Many of the major airlines are now using 2D codes as digital boarding passes, and by the end of 2011 all carriers will be required to provide this service for international flights, notes Jeff Korhan, an online marketing consultant/blogger, professional speaker and coach. "I tried this myself and it works like a charm," he reported, adding, "My only suggestion is to not rely on the link, but rather to save a copy of the image on your phone. You don't want to risk not being able to find a good signal when you need it most!"
SunMaid, a 99-year-old company, hopes to leverage the technology in a promotional tie-in with DreamWorks Studios and last month's debut of its animated movie Kung Fu Panda 2. Packages of its raisins are adorned with the QR code. Upon scanning it, consumers land on a mobile website where they can enter a contest for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize VIP trip for four to the Giant Panda center at the Atlanta Zoo.
QR codes have been in use in Japan, where they were invented, for more than a decade. Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, holds the trademark, but that company is not exercising its patent rights in order to encourage widespread use. (The codes were initially used for tracking parts in automobile manufacturing.)
In some ways, QR codes are similar to barcodes. Unlike the linear one-dimension barcodes, which have a capacity of 20 numerical digits, QR codes are two-dimension matrix codes with the ability to hold thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. The information encoded can be text, URLs or other data and digital content, and the codes may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or other objects that consumers can scan to access more information.
QR codes can be scanned or read with a number of mobile devices, including iPhones, Android, BlackBerry or other camera-enabled smartphones. (See box for links to download readers and code generators.)
In an article Korhan authored on practical uses of QR Codes, his list of current and anticipated applications include:
Business cards and other stationery
Brochures and other marketing materials
Advertisements
Vehicles
Product tags and packaging
Name badges
Event ticket stubs
Point of sale displays
Coupons and special offers
Signs
Recommendations for complementary products and services
Purchase receipts
Links to installation and assembly instructions and demonstrations
Customer feedback forms
Warranties (e.g., sources for replacement parts and services)
A review of govloop.com, a social network for the government community, indicates rising use of QR codes in the public sector. Examples range from tourism (Manor, Tex., Long Beach, Wash., and Michigan Dept. of Transportation), to GSA campaigns and events, building permits (New York City), and conferences (Baltimore).
Real estate professionals are also adding the codes to their marketing arsenals. Rose Harris, a Realtor at ONE Sotheby's International Realty in Miami, told "Biz Byte" columnist Tasha Cunningham that she has been using QR codes to educate clients about the properties she sells. "We use them to drive traffic to our single listing websites," said Harris. "Our clients love them because they can simply scan the code and find out everything they need to know about a property without having to go to a computer to search for it. It's right there in the palm of their hand."
(Editor's note: Northwest Multiple Listing Service has rules governing two dimension barcodes, such as QR codes and Microsoft Tags. In general, they may be added to signs or fliers, but cannot be uploaded as listing photos.)
In an interview with Media Life Magazine, the publisher of Entertainment Weekly was asked about the future of QR codes. "They're definitely getting more traction," replied Jason Wagenheim, noting Microsoft's recent announcement that five billion of its MS Tags have been printed since their January 2009 launch. The same report indicated the number of product scans had doubled in just the past three months.
"I really feel that it's a technology that's here to stay and it will only get better, faster and allow for more interactivity, especially as we see adoption rates continue to increase," Wagenheim stated. "Like every other piece of new technology in this fast-changing market, we need more and more consumer adoption for it to be meaningful for our advertising partners, and we need our advertising partnershttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif to deliver strong messaging and rewards that makes it all worth it for our consumers."
Wagenheim expects the next phase of QR code technology for Entertainment Weekly will include building out a more robust destination that includes an opportunity for users to share just-scanned codes with their social network.
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List of recommended QR-Code reading software, available for download: http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/
Code generators: http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-generator/http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
"Who is Scanning QR Codes?" Considerations when producing a mobile strahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftegy. The Po!nt: Mind your QR P's and Q's: http://www.marketingprofs.com/short-articles/2271/who-is-scanning-qr-codes-heres-a-quick-update#ixzz1LCxMdWa1
20 page white paper titled "Harnessing the Power of the Mobile Web. http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//www.knotice.com
How QR Codes Can Grow Your Business. http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-qr-codes-can-grow-your-business/
10 Ways to Use QR Codes and Microsoft Tags to Attract New Customers. http://www.bizbytes101.com/
QR codes and Microsoft Tags can boost your bottom line. http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/30/2241785/qr-codes-and-microsoft-tags-can.html
Microsoft Tags (works on various devices). MS tags can incorporate logos and images, but require a Microsoft Tag Reader, available at: http://tag.microsoft.com/download.aspx
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