Why Do I Need 2D Barcodes?
Have you ever scanned a QR code and been taken to an engaging website or received a great coupon code? Or have you eaten at a restaurant where their menu is available via a QR code on the table? If yes, then you've already experienced the power and potential of 2D barcodes. More and more marketers and businesses are discovering innovative ways to attract and engage audiences with these seamlessly scannable squares.
What Are 2D Barcodes?
It’s best to start with a simpler question: what are barcodes? You probably know about the Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes on the back of products at the store, but that’s only one type of barcode. Generally, barcodes are scannable graphics that use “bars” and alphanumeric characters to represent information. That info can be the price of a Coca-Cola can at Whole Foods, a website on a brochure or the location of a piece of mail.
Most people are familiar with 1D barcodes like the ISBNs on the back of books, but 2D barcodes have grown in popularity in recent years. They’ve become a go-to strategy for tracking marketing activity. Unlike UPCs, for example, that store information in one dimension with vertical bars, 2D versions work in two dimensions - both horizontally and vertically. This allows a lot more data storage. We're talking text, website links, W-iFi passwords, contact info and more. From QR codes to Aztec Codes, Data Matrix and PDF417 formats, there's a diverse world of 2D options.
Think of them as secret portals, hiding in plain sight, waiting patiently to transport you somewhere magical with a scan on your camera phone. They serve as a simple bridge between something physical and its appropriate digital counterpart, moving us another step forward into a world where the Internet doesn’t just exist on websites and apps, but as a connective tissue for real-world experiences.
How Do 2D Barcodes Unlock New Digital Marketing Opportunities
Why are marketers so keen to get on the 2D barcode train? Well for starters, these barcodes open up opportunities to directly engage phone users by sending them to online destinations. Hyper-targeted coupons and offers, loyalty programs, interactive product information, website content, presentations and videos are just some of the experiences you can unlock for your customers.
But it gets better… These information-packed squares are highly trackable once scanned. Using real-time analytics dashboards, you can monitor engagement levels, drop-off rates, popular content and even more valuable data. Essentially, 2D barcodes close the loop, connecting real-world interactions with digital insights. These small codes make these physical interactions measurable, which means you can apply the same high-level analysis on engagement and conversion rates, just like you can with digital users.
How to Leverage 2D Barcodes
Clearly, 2D barcodes are win-win for any savvy marketer! If you think 2D barcodes could help level up your marketing strategy, get in touch. It’s not simply about creating or designing the barcodes, it’s also important to develop a strategy. How do you make them stand out? Where will you place them? Where do you send your customers?
Our team would be happy to explore potential barcode campaigns that are tailored to your business goals. The time to leverage this smart conversion tracking strategy is now - before you have to start learning about 3D barcodes too.
Michael Cheng,
Account Manager