The Psychology of QR Codes, Part I

Perhaps one key to understanding consumer behavior and QR codes lies in psychology. By looking at how people act and react to QR codes, you could better create campaigns that are more tailored to their preferences. Simply put, the key to successful QR code campaigns, or just about any marketing campaign, is to know what your audience wants and giving it to them.

But first, we must understand the reason why people go and adopt certain new technologies, devices and gadgets, while also dumping or ignoring others.

The psychology of accepting technology

Any new technology like the QR code would have to be perceived useful by the people who use it in order to be accepted and assimilated into their daily routine. This is the reason why almost everybody nowadays carry a mobile phone. But this is not the only thing that matters in the widespread adoption of technology, or else everybody would have X-ray machines, lithograph printers and other complex machinery at home. These are certainly very useful things like the mobile phone, except that the mobile phone is also EASY TO USE.

So in order for QR codes to succeed, it must pass two tests: it should be useful and easy to use.

This is where the instructions accompanying your QR code campaign come in handy. To wit, a good QR code campaign should include instructions on:

1. How to get and install the appropriate reader or scanner

2. How to scan the code

3. What benefits are to be expected when scanning the code

4. Other alternatives available aside from scanning the code such as visiting Web sites or calling a hotline.

A QR code should be easy to scan, with little or no guesswork on the part of the consumer. More than this, the consumer who took time and spent money to scan your QR code should derive some degree of satisfaction and utility from scanning your code.

If you disappoint him by merely showing an advertisement that he had seen on TV countless of times before, chances are he would not buy your product.

However, give him something he can use like a discount coupon that he could download from the mobile site behind the QR code. And he’d be more likely to buy your products.

Make sure that the consumer gets a positive and rewarding experience from scanning your QR codes!