How to Track QR Code Scans

In the marketing world, understanding your campaigns’ impact is crucial, especially when it comes to physical advertising materials like billboards, posters, or flyers. These traditional mediums often pose a challenge when trying to measure their effectiveness. That’s when tools like T.LY URL Shortener come into play. Tracking QR code scans provides marketers with valuable insights into the engagement and success of their offline marketing efforts. Let’s learn how to effectively use T.LY to track QR code scans and why it’s essential for marketers.

The Importance of Tracking QR Code Scans

When you invest in a billboard on a busy street or distribute flyers at a significant event, you naturally want to know how well these strategies work. Are people noticing your ad? Are they interested enough to engage with it? Without this data, it’s like it’s shooting arrows in the dark. Tracking QR code scans helps bring these metrics to light, giving marketers a clearer picture of their campaign’s engagement.

Here are a few reasons why tracking is critical:

1. Measuring Engagement: QR codes can tell you how many people are engaging with your ads, but when and where are they engaging with them? This data is invaluable for understanding consumer behavior.
2. Cost-Effectiveness: Marketers can optimize their budgets by knowing which ads attract more engagement and focusing on the most effective channels.
3. Testing and Optimization: QR codes can track A/B testing with different designs or messages on your physical ads, allowing you to refine and optimize based on real user data.
4. Integration with Online Tools: QR codes bridge the gap between offline and online advertising, allowing marketers to drive traffic to digital platforms and track interactions further using analytics tools.

Setting Up QR Code Tracking with T.LY URL Shortener

Now, let’s get to the practical steps of setting up QR code tracking using T.LY, a simple yet powerful tool that shortens URLs and offers comprehensive tracking features.

Step 1: Create a Shortened URL

First, you need a URL to direct your audience to. This could be a landing page, a promotional video, or a sign-up form

1. Visit the T.LY website and sign up for an account.
2. Enter the URL you want to shorten in the input box.
3. Click on the shorten button, and voilà, you have your shortened URL.

Step 2: Generate Your QR Code

Once you have your shortened URL, the next step is to convert it into a QR code. T.LY provides an easy tool to do this directly on their platform:

1. Navigate to the links page where your shortened URL is listed.
2. Next to your URL, you’ll find options to view more actions. Click on the QR code icon.
3. Customize your QR code if necessary (changing the color or adding a logo) and download the QR code image.

Step 3: Implement and Distribute

With your QR code ready, it’s time to implement it into your physical marketing materials:

1. Incorporate the QR code into your billboards, posters, flyers, etc.
2. Make sure it’s prominently placed and large enough to be easily scannable. Then, test scan your URL to ensure it’s working correctly.
3. Distribute or display your materials as planned.

Step 4: Track Your Scans

As your campaign rolls out, you can start tracking the scans of your QR code:

1. Return to the T.LY dashboard.
2. Select your URL to view detailed statistics, including the number of scans, users’ geographic locations, scan times, and devices used.
3. Use these insights to evaluate the performance and make informed decisions for future campaigns.

Leveraging Data for Better Campaigns

The data collected from tracking QR codes can be a goldmine. For instance, if you notice high engagement during particular times of the day or from specific locations, you might consider tailoring your display times or focusing more on those areas. Similarly, if particular designs or messages yield better results, those elements can be emphasized in future materials.

For marketers using physical advertising, the ability to measure, analyze, and optimize campaign performance is essential. Tools like T.LY URL Shortener make this task easier by providing a straightforward way to track QR code scans and gather actionable insights. By integrating QR codes into your advertising strategy, you’re keeping up with digital trends and equipping yourself with the data needed to drive success. Embrace this technology, and let the numbers guide your way to more effective and impactful advertising campaigns.