This past week I participated in a green industry conference where I had the opportunity to present on a number of my favorite topics of late, which includes QR codes, social graphs and social search, and social media personalization for small business.
I was surprised to learn that QR codes are indeed one of the hot topics among garden centers, growers, and landscape contractors – as it should be. QR and 2d codes present marketing opportunities for small businesses that are only limited by their imagination.
That's right, the monetary investment is practically nil. So, don't let this one pass you by. I have published a number of articles on QR codes right here on JeffKorhan.com. Just use the Google search in the right column on this blog for QR codes.
For more, mark your calendar for February 7th to catch a comprehensive article that I wrote for Social Media Examiner, one of the top blogs for small business marketing. While you are there, check out some of my other guest posts.
In the meantime, I'd like to share a resource that I believe you are going to like. The question I was asked most frequently about QR codes at this Un-Conference hosted by the American Nursery and Landscape Association – ANLA was how to locate a reliable QR code generator.
Say no more. Meet Kerem Erkan.
Kerem Erkan is an enhanced QR code generator that allows you to create QR and other 2d codes for purposes that range from linking to Web urls, sending an email, creating a vCard or Google Map, and most recently added – creating a code that not only links to your Twitter address, but also embeds your Twitter avatar or image.
Scroll down to "New" Twitter Image Overlay at Kerem Erkan under "Select a Code Action" (see image above) to get this particular code, which is a simple as plugging in your Twitter username.
See mine above. Better yet, give it a scan and follow me on Twitter. What is my favorite scanner? For virtually every mobile device, mine is I-Nigma.
While QR codes may not yet have the customization capabilities of Microsoft's MS tags, this introduction of a QR code that also serves up your Twitter avatar gives you some idea that there is more to QR codes than just black and white encrypted digital data.
What are your thoughts?
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Until tomorrow, Jeff
Hello,
we believe that QR codes will make the connection between offline and online worlds easier. That’s why we created our QR code generator with social features – YouScan.me. You can add all your info like Facebook profile or fan page, twitter, youtube, etc. and connect with others.
Cheers
I think as barcodes revolutionized business in the 80′s, QR Codes will have a similar impact with businesses online. And as it gets past the early adopters and into the mainstream we will see more and more out of the box uses expanding it further than we can even imagine right now.
I agree – not a day goes by when I do not notice or think of a new application for these codes. This may just be the “thing” that helps a lot of those sitting back to get social media.
After all, for the most part, they are tangible.
Jeff
Thanks for your comment. I have taken a look at YouScan.me previously.
What distinguishes your service from some of the others?
Jeff
QR codes are like physical hyperlinks that can take your ‘Like’ and ‘Follow Me’ buttons into the real world.
Have a look at qr.odoa.eu and blog.qr4.nl there are generators that support color and image embedding (some are in Dutch).
Hi Jeff,
we let user embed all the social info they have in one code. For example you can add Foursquare venue and youtube video to greet people who scan your venue code. You can also make all kinds of combinations and track statistics for each code – daily scans, countries, etc.
We are working of letting user to customize the mobile landing page of each code.
Jeff covered QR Codes at National Pavement Expo this week. Great tool for contractors to use QR Codes on their truck door signs.
Jeff,
Kerem Erkan is my name, not my generator’s name!
Well, the generator will be called Qrafter soon enough, will gain its own domain, tracking abilities and more, and also it already has its companion scanner app for iPhone, also named the same.
Initial feedback for the scanner has been incredibly positive. I will even be bold enough to say it’s the best QR Code scanner on iPhone and the one with most complete feature set on any mobile device platform when it comes to QR Code scanning.
Best of all, it’s free. You can get it from http://qrafter.com/get/
Hey Mike – Thank for attending my session. I really enjoyed meeting so many down to earth small business people.
Truck door signs is one of many possible uses for these codes. I’m sure by the end of the week you’ll have considered some other possibilities.
Jeff
Kerem – You have cleverly clarified what I knew, but possibly others did not.
Thanks so much for checking in – I really appreciate it. I am indeed aware of Qrafter and have recently downloaded it to my iPhone.
So, you are merging all of these capabilities into one app? Now that is something that many small businesses will find especially useful. I know I will!
I’ll be especially interested in the tracking capabilities. I believe once small business get comfortable with the novelty of 2d codes, they will begin to focus on the practical aspects of tracking customer behavior.
Thanks for sharing.
Jeff
Interesting – I’ll have to play around with that and learn more. This is interesting – bundling social features … and custom landing pages too!
Please keep me informed of future updates.
I look forward to learning more.
Jeff
Yep, I am branding everything under the name Qrafter and soon the scanner will also gain generator abilities.
I am trying to figure out how to configure tracking. I don’t want to create some half-baked service, that’s why it is going slowly.
Thanks for featuring my generator on your site!
Kerem – Always appreciated when someone takes the time to create a quality product – and with extended capabilities as you did.
BTW, I’m pretty sure I gave your generator a mention at my guest post on Social Media Examiner that posted today (written about six weeks ago): http://bit.ly/ggzn10
Jeff
I you have an Android, you can create this type of custom QR codes directly in your device. http://qrdroid.com/qr-codes-with-your-logo.html
Rolf – I don’t have an Android but I am working on a follow up QR article and have added that link to my resources.
Thank you,
Jeff
Kerem,
Is this available for PC as well? Sagol kardes!