How-To: QR Codes
Whether you’re at a restaurant, in a retail store, or even walking down the road, you have probably seen a QR code. They’re becoming increasingly popular and can be extremely useful.
Why? Because they’re quick and easy! With a quick scan using your smart phone you can access whatever information is attached to the QR Code.
The good news is you don’t have to be a business to make use of QR Codes. Adding a QR Code to your business card or even a key chain can be super beneficial! You can link your contact information, website, instagram, and countless other options to a QR code.
But how do you create a QR Code? Well… there are countless ways to do it. So for the sake of making things simple here are Las3r’s top three options for creating QR Codes!
Before we dive in it’s important to understand the two different types of QR Codes:
Static QR codes have a URL embedded in the code. This means that once the QR code is created for a page, you cannot change the information attached to that code. Static QR codes are great for using in short-run marketing campaigns or temporary menus.
Dynamic QR Codes are much more versatile. They have a short URL embedded in their code. That short URL then redirects to a different URL. That short URL stays the same but allows you to change what the short URL is attached to. This means you can change the page that the QR code is attached to.
In short, you can change the information attached to a Dynamic QR Code but cannot with a Static QR Code.
Top three methods for creating QR Codes:
Google Chrome (Free)
QR Code Monkey (Free)
QR Code Generator (Paid)
Using Google Chrome
If you use Google Chrome you can easily create a QR code linked to a webpage in two clicks!
First, go to the page you want to create a QR code for and right-click. Once the dropdown menu comes down from the courser, select “Create QR code for this page” and then hit “Download”. This will download the QR code!
Pros:
Easy to create
Cons:
Don’t look visually appealing
It’s a static QR Code
Using QR Code Monkey
Qr Code monkey is my favorite free QR Code generator! While it may not be as easy to create a code as google chrome, it’s still super easy.
QR Code monkey makes it possible to easily connect the code to a URL, Email address, phone number, and much more! It also lets you customize the appearance of the QR code with different shapes, colors, and even lets you add a logo to the center!
Pros:
Easy to make
Several options for attachments
Several appearance customizations
Cons:
Static QR Code
Using QR Code Generator
QR Code Generator is by far one of, if not the best, option for creating QR Codes.
This option requires you to sign up, but there’s a reason for this. QR Code Generator offers dynamic Codes! They also have templates for specialized QR codes such as a coupon code, business page, and more.
One of the most useful features they offer is scan statistics. They record when, where, and how the code was scanned. This is a super powerful feature which is why I highly suggest QR Code Generator.
QR Code Generator does require you to subscribe to a monthly plan. Their plans start at $6.99 a month for two dynamic QR Codes, 10,000 scans, unlimited Static QR Codes, and more! They also offer a 15-day free trial so you can decide if you like it before you buy it.
Sample of QR Code Generator’s statistics
Pros:
Several code attachment options
Several code appearance options
Dynamics and static QR Codes
Records code scan statistics
Cons:
It costs
Final thoughts
There are dozens of ways to create QR Codes each offering different options. But in my experience, QR Code Monkey and QR Code Generator are the best options!
While QR Code Generator does cost, their statistics allow you to get a true reading of your audience. That being said QR Code Generator is my top choice.
