Boost Your Billboards with QR Codes

Billboards are everywhere, but they are no longer just for looking at. Thanks to QR codes, billboards are now interactive advertising. Modern billboards with QR codes are a see-and-scan type of advertising that lets your audience interact with your brand.
Is there anything better than that?

Best practices and applications

1. They allow you to track your billboard’s ROI

With a QR code, you can track how many people scan the code. QR codes show you the cities and countries they’ve been scanned in, the days they’ve been scanned, what type of device was used to scan them, and how many total and unique scans they received on a given day.

This is valuable information for tracking the success of a billboard campaign. Crunch the numbers to see your billboard’s true ROI. You can even connect your QR code to a Google Analytics account.

2. They give you the opportunity to compare locations

Like with real estate, the main mantra for billboard advertising has always been: location, location, location. If your billboard is in the right location, it’s going to be effective. If it’s in the wrong location, well … QR codes give you a way to check which location works best for your billboard. You can compare which locations get the most scans and put more marketing money into the location that performs the best.

3. They make it easier for customers to take action

QR codes make any action incredibly easy to do right away. When someone scans the code, they are immediately connected with the content you want them to see. You can use a Social Media QR code to increase follower numbers, a YouTube QR Code to show them a review of your product or a Mobile Page QR Code to take them to a specially made mobile landing page for something new you are offering. No matter the action you want customers to take, QR codes can help you achieve it.

4. They look great with custom designs

Having a well-designed billboard is key to your audience noticing it and then taking the desired action. QR codes can be colorized and edited to fit with your billboard’s aesthetic and to draw attention to them. Put your logo in your code, paint it up with your brand’s colors, add a gradient for flair and play around with the shapes of the elements. Give viewers a distinct call to action and follow along with your tracking numbers to see how well it performs.

5. They save you money on printing

Print with confidence and no longer worry about mistakes. Dynamic QR codes are completely editable, meaning if you’ve made a mistake with the code (like, you’ve put in the wrong URL, for example), you can just edit the code on the back end. Just swap out the wrong URL for the correct one and you’re good to go.
You can even change the type of QR code if you like. Think connecting people to a landing page would work better than connecting them to a coupon? With just a few simple clicks you can change your Coupon QR Code to a Mobile Page QR Code or any other type of code you can think of. The outward appearance of your QR code stays the same. The only thing that changes is what it connects to. QR codes can be reused, recycled, changed and updated as needed.

QR Codes on Billboards: The Benefits

Billboards have been around probably almost as long as people have been selling things. They are a great way to get some much-needed attention for your brand. Adding a QR code takes this old-school form of advertising and gives it a modern twist for these modern times. Let’s look at how they turn a billboard from a passive marketing tool into a dynamic one.

How to create a QR Code for a Billboard

Since your QR is dynamic, you can change it at any time.

Ready to jump level?

Turn your billboards into interactive marketing tools

QR Codes on Billboards: Doing it Right

Let’s take a look at some tips to make sure you get the most out of your QR codes when you use them on billboards.

1. Use short, impactful messaging

Billboards are meant to be looked at quickly. So, you need to convey your message quickly. A good rule of thumb is to use no more than seven words. It’s not a lot to work with, but you are super creative and we know you can come up with just the right message. You got this!

2. Contrast is your friend

Because billboards are meant to be looked at with a glance, they need to be bold and whatever it is you’re advertising should stand out from the background easily so it’s the first thing onlookers notice. Don’t make it too busy or they’ll “get lost” looking at it. It’s a balancing act, but you can do it!

3. Use your images instead of your words

Billboards are visual and therefore they require striking images that resonate with your core audience. It’s best to keep words to a minimum since people may not have a lot of time to read what is there. Think about the types of images that would drive your message home and convey what you want to say.

See What QR Codes on Billboards Can Do for You

Gyms

Gyms use billboards to announce yearly promotions to sign up. Coupon QR Codes can be helpful for getting those new sign ups. Wanna get that 6 pack? Scan to see your promo code. Or, add a YouTube QR Code to the billboard to advertise seasonal fitness courses and suddenly it’s a whole new type of advertising.

Not only can viewers scan the code to watch the video, the gym can put up billboards in different neighborhoods and use the QR code’s tracking information to see which billboard gets the most action.

Fashion Retailers

Fashion is image-heavy, so it’s a natural fit for a billboard. If a store gets the new spring/summer/fall/winter fashion line, it can put some pictures on a billboard along with a Download File QR code so visitors can download a PDF lookbook. Or, they can use a Website QR to direct visitors to the URL where they can see and buy the new clothes. QR codes can also be used to make e-commerce payments.

Concerts

Billboards and concerts go great together. All you need is the name and photo of the act and a bit of information and you’re all set. Get your audience to sing along with a YouTube QR code of your music video. A Mobile Page QR Code can showcase upcoming concerts to build excitement for them.

Publishers

Authors are the rock stars of the literary world and when a well-known author releases a new book, billboards can be super helpful with getting the word out. Connect a YouTube QR Code to a book trailer and get people excited for it or use a PayPal QR Code so they can order the new book right from the billboard.

Real Estate

Billboards may be big, but they are limited to how many images you can have on them. That’s where a Mobile Page QR Code can be helpful. Put all your latest listings on a specially designed mobile page so visitors can scan the code and have instant access to all your listings. Update the page regularly so house hunters always have the latest information. Add a WhatsApp QR Code and let people know they can instantly connect with a real estate representative.

Non-profits

The more reach a non-profit has, the better. A billboard with an eye-catching image and some well-chosen text can grab people’s attention. Add a Social Media QR Code and viewers can easily find all the ways to stay in touch with the non-profit. Or, a PayPal QR Code gives the people who scan the code an instant way to donate to the non-profit. It’s super easy!

Any business with a physical location

With the COVID-19 pandemic still going on, you can never be too cautious when it comes to letting customers or employees into your premises. A COVID Form QR Code can help you filter your guests to make sure only healthy people are coming through your doors. When visitors scan the code, they are taken to a form to fill out that asks them to declare they don’t have any COVID-19 symptoms. It will take them only two minutes and the form has been based on the guidelines of the World Health Organization, and is General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant.

Putting it on a billboard advertising your business will give visitors a chance to scan it and fill it out ahead of time.

In these difficult times, we stand by you.
– the uQR.me crew

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