QR Codes
Let's talk about QR Codes and shared URL links
The best QR codes should look good and hopefully complement the places they are seen. A good QR code should encode the minimum amount of data needed to deliver the working link.
Make your QR code scanning attractive, reliable and quick to decode by the smartphone camera, especially at greater distances.
Note: This information is provided to help other local companies and entreprenuers understand and explore what is possible.
Additional useful information can be found at
CanadaTips
Let’s first talk about the actual URL link you want to encode with QR
Terminology: URL (Universal Resource Locator)
Working definition; URL is the actual link to a thing on the internet.
In your web broswer, the URL is what you would type into the address bar of your web browser (Safari, Chrome browser, Firefox, etc).
You type the URL by hand or perhaps click a link on the screen. The URL is how your browser finds and gets to the desired thing.
Click this link to learn more about optimizing your URL to work well
Creating a QR code with your URL link
What can a QR code look like?
We have all seen QR codes. Most appear as a block of small black dots or small squares within a solid white larger square. If printed clearly, these stark images will of course scan and link to the targeted web page (or whatever).
QR codes can look much nicer!
You can use color, and more than one color.
The dots can be rounded or sharp cornered. Adjacent dots can be joined to appear as small bars. The three ‘eyes’ can be round, square or not so square. The eyes can have their own colour.
As long as the QR code style you use has plenty of visual contrast with the background colours (or image) and the QR appears (or is printed) large enough to be reliably scanned even with a crappy phone camera, you can use it!
Tip: My understanding of the official QR code specs is that the coded dot pattern should be a ‘dark’ pattern on a lighter shade background. You may have seen a QR code rendered as white pattern on a dark background. While some QR reading apps and phones may be able to understand a white QR pattern, this is not universal and other phones and apps may entirely reject the white pattern as unreadable.
I recommend using the widely accepted QR style with white or light colour backgrounds and darker/colour dot pattern..
QRCode Monkey
Unlike some other ‘free’ QR code generators, QRCode Monkey allows you to generate static QR codes that have no ongoing cost. Not only can these static QR code patterns look quite nice, there is no charge to use them. Once generated the QR image is yours.
Actual use of your static* QR code does not involve QR Monkey at all, in any way.
- A static QR code that links to a URL redirect is in effect actually a dynamic QR link.
You are in control of where the scanned QR actually leads to.
Note: This is what is happening when you use the Edit function of any Dynamic QR service. The physical QR image does not change, just where the link redirect is going. Editing the redirect is what the dynamic QR services call Editing the QR code.
- QRcode Monkey does offer a Professional service which requires payment.
We do not currently use the Professional services ourselves.
- We use QRcode Monkey and avoid online QR generators that do not offer STATIC QR codes or insist on any sort of payment, subscription, or free with limits.
- Unless you really need or want some of the click tracking and traffic reporting features. And even then, I would probably use QR Monkey and direct the QR link through a redirect service that does those things.
- There is of course more complexity possible with advanced QR codes, such as selecting specific error correction levels. This article will not go that deep.
Experiment and be Bold!
Start by opening your QR encoder of choice and entering the exact URL as you wish it to be encoded. Verify the URL has no extraneous characters and is precisely as it should be.
Then work down through the options to adjust the appearance settings.
QRcode Monkey allows you to change settings and immediately see how the generated image will look. Click Create QR Code button to see each change.
Note: The Download PNG button will delay several seconds (while showing you an ad for their own Professional QR Code offering*) before delivering the full resolution QR image to your computer. You only need to click Download and endure the delay when you have the final look you want.
You can of course download multiple versions of your QR with different looks. Print them out or share and ask others what they think of each.
* The ad displayed during each PNG download is just for you. Your customers will not see an advertisement from or about QRcode Monkey.
Compare these QR codes, each of which will deliver the customer to the same page on our web site. The topmost version is probably the most reliable and works from farther away, and may scan/work faster.
The much finner dot pattern of the next two versions does still work but may require more deliberate positioning of the smartphone camera. Try scanning these for yourself.
The extra dots with the H encoding help the scanner figure out the QR code despite the monkey face in the middle.
QR code Error Correction levels
QR Center Logo
A logo or anything else positioned in front, on top, or otherwise obscuring any part of the QR pattern is a form of 'damage' which can require the QR dot image to be more visually complex and larger (increased error correction level) and potentially less reliable to scan.
If you add a logo into the centre area during QR code generation the generated dot pattern may have to expand to compensate for the ‘unreadable’ dots that are now hidden in the centre. The additional pattern size is necessary to provide enough error correction for the obscuring centre logo.
An alternative is to position a logo image underlaid as background across the QR pattern but with reduced logo density/opacity. Done well (with enough contrast between background and actual QR dot pattern), there should be no QR encoding impact (no increase in pattern size or density). The actual QR pattern can be compact and still quite scannable.
Or put your logo somewhere else and keep the QR code pattern clean.
QR code scan checking apps
Works well enough, shows the scanned URL and the redirect target URL
(which can be quite useful).
QR Reader app
Just Scan mode shows the exact content of the scanned QR code.
Honeywell SwiftDecoder app for iOS
Honeywell SwiftDecoder app for Android
Rather technical app, can do a lot of different things.
Checks an uploaded image of a QR code. Technical evaluation.
Can also be used to overlay a logo onto an existing QR code.
QR Styles and Colours
To maximize QR scanning reliability and ease, you want the QR code to be big enough, with plenty of contrast.
Yet, amazingly, many modern smartphones are capable of successfully decoding rather awful QR codes. Small, fuzzy, dirty, with an angled camera view, and somehow it still makes it happen.
Which means that you actually have a lot of room for artistic QR code endeavours. As long as you don't truely weaken the QR scanability, you really can have some fun with them.
Test your QR codes
Don't just point your phone camera at the thing and see if it 'works'.
Use one or more of the QR scan checking apps mentioned above.
Test how far away it will still scan.
Tip: QR codes are intended to be scanned from about five times as far away as the QR code is wide. If your QR code is one inch wide then the 'optimal' distance to the smartphone would be about five inches. Make it 2 inches across and the camera can be ten inches back.
If you want someone to scan your QR code from several feet away then it should be printed maybe 12 inches wide.
Tend towards bigger printed QR codes, which will work close up and farther back.
Check whether your printed QR works reliably when not facing straight on, or perhaps with some lighting glare. Test in semi-dim lighting.
How long does it take for the scan to succeed?
Should be nearly instant. If your camera struggles or is slow to scan the QR, the QR size or clarity may be borderline and want improvements.
Check that the decoded URL is technically correct. No extra characters, a clean and precise URL that does indeed point to and resolve the online address it is supposed to.
Test with more than one phone.
Try an older phone, or perhaps a tablet with a crappy camera.
Tips for QR codes on your signage
Make the QR code as large and bold as you dare.
Is it scanable from across the room, or even from halfway across the market?
Now that you know your QR can overlay an image, think about ways you can incorporate your QR as part of the art of your sign or card, something more fun and interesting than just a B&W square block parked in a corner.
On your business card, consider making the QR code a primary design element. No longer something to shrink as small as possible or apologize for, but something bold and noteworthy.
Market table price list?
Consider including a big visible QR code that can be scanned from several paces away, so people can view your menu and pricing on their phone, easily readable* and can be zoomed in as much as they need.
Tip: The QR code on your table sign can be a link (or redirect) that goes to a special page on your web site that is specifically for the markets. Perhaps just your menu and some other specific info when a customer is standing nearby - the things people often ask about when they step up to your table.
* I often see market signs on tables that are unnecessarily small and impossible to read text even from a step away. If this describes your signage, consider redoing your signs so they can be read from one or two full steps away, perhaps even farther.
And easily readable for customers that maybe did not put on their glasses.
Clear big fonts, clean layout and clear messaging.
This is what we make, this is who we are.
Your prices, boldly visible and easy to understand.
Other messaging
You can create specific QR codes (and signs) to request a Google Review, another QR for your Facebook Reviews, and so on.
The sign should say what each link will do, before they scan it.
Each QR image should be big and easily scanned without walking right up and holding their phone camera 'just so'.
Make sure each QR really does leads to the exact correct place (the specific URL) for leaving the review!
Encoding other things into a QR code
Less commonly done, it is possible to use a QR code to initiate an email to your contact address.
Just create the QR code using the mailto: command rather than encoding an HTTP
mailto:ContactMe@MyEmailserver.ca
Dynamic QR codes
Remind me to write more about the so called Dynamic QR codes.
Dynamic QR are the type that are often offered by online QR services. These online QR services typically omit mention of Static QR codes (since they cannot make money from Static QR codes), nor the many competing URL redirect services (some of which are free).
We do not use any of the commercial Dynamic QR services as we prefer to have full control and have no interest in paying for the 'features' of subscription Dynamic QR services.
Creating our own QR codes with a static link to a redirect URL that we control provides much of the benfit of a dynamic QR service without the cost or complexity of using another company's URL redirections.
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