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4.2 billion people worldwide use social media, according to Hootsuite’s research.
Additionally, the number of smartphone users worldwide stood at 7.1 billion in 2021 and is expected to rise to 7.26 billion by the end of 2022 (Source: Statista).
Social media plays a major role in consumers’ lives. And due to the rising adoption of smartphones, omnichannel experiences are a vital aspect of a brand’s marketing strategy.
There needs to be a bridge that connects digital social media to physical brand experiences.
This is where social media QR Codes come into the picture.
Consumers can scan these QR Codes to view your brand’s social media channels. Whether it’s in-store, at events, on product packaging, or a business card — the ability to visit a page without manually entering the username impacts the brand experience positively.
Not to mention that these social media QR Codes help your brand gain significant visibility, engage users effectively, and build stronger relationships with your target audience.
Table of contents
- What is a social media QR Code?
- Social media platforms that have in-built QR Code generators
- How to create an all-in-one social media QR Code
- Why should I use an all-in-one QR Code for social media?
- How can you use social media QR Codes?
- Best practices for social media QR Codes
- Analyze and track the performance of social media QR Codes
- FAQs
What is a social media QR Code?
A social media QR Code is a type of QR Code that links to a landing page of all your social media usernames. Users can click on their preferred platform’s icon and view the respective profile on their smartphones.
Social media platforms that have in-built QR Code generators
Facebook lets you create a QR Code for your business page. You can access this QR Code while editing your page’s info.
Check out: Facebook QR Codes
Instagram creates a unique QR Code for your profile, which you can find from the platform’s navigation panel. Users can scan the QR Code to visit your page and follow you online. Currently, the app is testing out a brand-new feature – sharing Instagram posts via a QR Code.
You can find the QR Code that links to your LinkedIn profile in the mobile app. All you need to do is tap the QR Code icon on the right side of the search bar. You can save the QR Code and share it.
Similar to Instagram, Twitter creates a QR Code for your profile. You can access the Twitter QR Code from the app’s navigation bar.
WhatsApp lets you create QR Codes to let others add you as a contact, and start a conversation. You can also generate a QR Code in WhatsApp to invite people to your group.
Snapchat
Snapchat creates its own version of a QR Code called Snapcodes, which links to your username. You can share this code with others to add you as a friend on the app.
TikTok
TikTok also generates a QR Code that links to your profile. You can find the TikTok QR Code from the app’s settings page.
Pinterest also has its own version of a QR Code called Pincodes. You can create these codes to link to your profile or a specific board.
Drawback of generating QR Codes on each social media network
While it’s convenient to have QR Codes generated on various social media networks, it’s a hassle to print and share each QR Code at a time.
You can create one QR Code for all social media profiles as a quick alternative to the above. Users can scan the QR to find all your social media handles in one place.
Uniqode’s QR Code generator lets you generate an all-in-one social media QR Code to display all social media channels on one landing page.
You might also like: How to use QR Codes for social media marketing
How to create an all-in-one social media QR Code
Here’s how you can add all social media in one QR Code –
Step 1: Log in to the dashboard
Log in to the Uniqode dashboard and select ‘QR Codes’ from the left navigation bar.
Step 2: Create a QR Code
Click on ‘+ Create QR Code’.
Step 3: Select campaign type
Select ‘Social Media’ from the list of campaign types.
Step 4: Set up your social media QR Code
Under the ‘Header’ section, you can add a logo, title, image, and message for the social media landing page.
Below the ‘Data’ section, fill in your username in the fields for each social media platform.
Note: You need to fill in at least one field.
You can view a preview of the social media landing page on the right side of your screen.
Click Next.
Step 5: Customize your QR Code
Select a predefined template, customize the eyes, add a logo, select a data pattern, background, and frame text for your social media QR Code.
Click Next.
Step 6: Download the QR Code
Your social media QR Code is now ready. You can download it in any of the 5 available formats – PNG, JPG, SVG, EPS, and PDF.
Why should I use an all-in-one QR Code for social media?
Let’s say you want to promote your brand’s Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook profiles on your product packaging.
If you create a QR Code for each platform, it can look cluttered on your packaging. Not to mention that consumers would have to scan each QR Code separately – definitely not an ideal experience.
Instead, you can deploy one QR Code for multiple social media channels. Consumers can scan the QR to visit a landing page containing all your social media usernames.
Depending on which platform is their favorite, they can click and visit your page on their smartphones in an instant.
This ease of experience appeals to consumers, and they can easily engage with your brand hassle-free.
Related: How to create all-in-one QR Codes
Create Social Media QR Codes
Enhance consumer engagement & improve brand visibility using social media QR Codes.
How can you use social media QR Codes?
#1 Let customers submit user-generated reviews
According to Stakla’s report, 79% of people say that user-generated content on social media impacts their purchasing decisions.
A great way to get your customers to post reviews about your products or services online is with the help of a QR Code for social media.
You can place them at various points in your store, such as the billing counter, near product aisles, or on the storefront windows.
As customers enter your store, they can scan the QR Code to visit your store’s social media profiles. This adds engagement to the customers’ in-store experience.
They can post their review online and tag your store during the post-purchase stage. This helps increase your brand’s social media presence and improve customer acquisition.
Animoto’s research mentions that 1 in 4 consumers have made a purchase after viewing a story on Instagram. This confirms the impact of UGC on social media platforms.
Bonus tip: To increase the amount of user-generated content on social media, provide incentives to customers such as a free sample or a coupon they can redeem on their next sale.
You can add a frame text to your QR Code that says, ‘Post a review and win a free sample’ to prompt customers to submit a review.
#2 Include social media QR Codes on business cards
Promoting your business via social media is vital for improving brand awareness and enhancing engagement with leads, business partners, and existing customers.
According to a report by The Harris Poll and Sprout Social, 68% of consumers agree that social media enables them to interact with brands and companies.
One of the most useful ways to promote your brand using social media is via business cards.
Printing all social media handles on your business card can affect its readability and often goes unnoticed.
Instead, add a QR Code for social media to your business card that links to all your social handles in one place.
These social media QR Codes on business cards come in handy during business meetings, conferences, and networking events. Potential business partners and customers can scan to view your social media profiles and interact with your business online.
This not only makes it easier for people to access your business page but also helps you stand out from the competition.
#3 Digitize contests and giveaways
According to a study conducted by Easypromos, 55.82% of brands run contests across social media networks.
The key drivers for running these contests are increased brand awareness and growth in the number of followers.
In order to receive a good amount of visibility and participation for these social media contests, it’s essential to connect the physical experiences to digital ones.
You can achieve this by using QR Codes for social media placed on print media, in-stores, and packaging to gather more contestants.
Interested participants can scan the QR Code to visit their favorite social media channel to enter the contest.
This omnichannel experience will help increase brand recognition, set you apart from other businesses, and grow your customer base.
#4 Add social media QR Codes on product packaging
Your brand’s product packaging is the first thing consumers notice when they enter a store.
According to a study by MarketingProfs, it takes 7 seconds for a consumer to make a decision about your product.
This means that your brand needs to leverage the product packaging in innovative ways to capture consumers’ attention.
42% of individuals use social media channels to research products.
You can embed social media QR Codes on the packaging to let consumers learn more about your brand and its offerings.
For instance, you can include your YouTube channel along with the other social media platforms while creating the QR Code. Upon scanning, consumers can check out your brand’s videos and view product tutorials while they shop.
This helps them explore the benefits of your product, engage with your brand online, and make smarter and faster buying decisions.
You might also like: YouTube QR Codes
Bonus tip: To grab consumers’ attention towards your social media QR Code, custom-brand it. Add your brand logo, color scheme, and an actionable CTA to gather higher scan rates.
#5 Elevate engagement at tradeshows and exhibitions
Trade show attendees spend an average of 8.3 hours visiting the displays and stalls (Source: Skyline).
Due to the amount of time attendees spend at a trade show, brands must provide the best experiences.
In order to engage visitors and create a memorable experience for them, have social media QR Codes placed at your stall.
Potential customers can scan the QR Code and view all your social media handles on one dedicated landing page.
Attendees can check out your profiles, learn more about your business, and engage with your content.
This can lead to an increase in your brand’s follower count and nudge potential customers to purchase from you in the future.
#6 Employ social media QR Codes on print media for an omnichannel experience
According to ReportLinker’s research, the global print media market is expected to reach $342.81 billion in 2025.
Based on the above statistic, print is definitely not dead.
Embed a social media QR Code on billboards, newspapers, magazines, and posters.
Consumers can scan the QR Code on a billboard or newspaper ad to visit your profile. They can book an appointment for your services or find out your store’s location.
These QR Codes for social media add a digital element to print media and cater to the current consumer behavior.
For instance, let’s say an individual is flipping through the pages of a magazine.
They notice an ad about your brand with a QR Code next to it with a frame text that says, ‘Follow us on social media’.
They scan the QR Code using their smartphone and learn more about your brand within a short span of time.
While this does help improve online visibility and engagement, this potential consumer is now more aware of your brand. Therefore, this strategy helps spark interest among individuals and can lead to more conversions.
#7 Boost your loyalty & rewards program
Loyal customers spend 67% more than new ones, according to a study by Markinblog.
In order to motivate consumers to climb the loyalty ladder and earn more rewards, include social media QR Codes in your loyalty program.
Let consumers gain loyalty points for scanning the QR Code and engaging with your brand online. They can also post user-generated content in the form of an Instagram story, TikTok, or a Facebook post to reap more rewards.
These activities help delight consumers, leading to higher engagement levels with your business on social media.
Your brand’s online social media presence improves, you gain more conversions, and your loyal consumers get to earn more points. It’s a win-win situation.
This method helps foster long-term brand loyalty with your customer base.
Check out QR Codes for loyalty programs
Best practices for social media QR Codes
#1 Customize your QR Code to represent your brand
Customize your QR Code to match your brand’s design to increase brand representation.
Add a logo, and modify the color scheme. You can also change the shape of your QR Code to fit well with your brand’s aesthetic. This helps customers recognize your brand and quickly scan the QR Code.
#2 Pick the right QR Code size
The size of your QR Code is vital to ensure its scannability.
To be rendered readable by smartphones, the QR Code should be at least 1 cm x 1 cm in size.
You can also use the following formula to figure out the minimum size of your QR Code:
QR Code size = Distance between the QR Code and the mobile device/10
For example, if the distance between your smartphone and the QR Code is 30 cm, the size of your QR Code should be at least 3 cm.
Check out our QR Code sizing guide!
#3 Add an actionable frame CTA
Add an actionable frame text to your QR Code to let users know what to expect upon scanning. This can also lead to higher scan rates since users are aware of the content linked to your QR Code.
Learn more about QR Code frames
#4 Select a suitable format
Download your QR Code in the right format to avoid pixelation. Formats like PNG and JPG are more suited for smaller print media, such as magazines or brochures.
If you wish to increase the size of your QR Code, we recommend you use scalable vector formats such as SVG, EPS, and PDF. These formats are resolution-independent and would not affect the quality of your QR Code.
#5 QR Code placement
It’s important to place your QR Code appropriately to be visible to users and easily scannable.
Placing it between the fold of magazines or uneven surfaces can distort your QR Code and affect its scannability.
For the best experience, place your QR Code on a flat surface.
Analyze and track the performance of social media QR Codes
Once your social media QR Code campaign is live, it’s crucial to measure its impact. This will help you optimize your campaign to better cater to your target audience.
With Uniqode’s QR Code analytics dashboard, you can track the number of scans, the QR scan locations, how many users scanned your QR Code, and the devices used.
Moreover, you can export and email these reports to your team for analysis.
If you wish to receive deeper insights about your audience, you can integrate with Google Analytics. With this integration, you can monitor user behavior, view demographics, and measure the levels of engagement in more detail.
Carry out an in-depth analysis of your social media QR Code’s performance, and understand your audience’s behavior and preferences. This enables you to refine and personalize your social media marketing campaigns to suit their needs.
FAQs
Can QR Codes be used on social media?
Yes, QR Codes can be used on social media for a variety of purposes. You can link users to your brand’s website, product catalog, exclusive content, and so much more.
How do I get a social media QR Code?
You can sign up for Uniqode’s 14-day free trial to create dynamic social media QR Codes.
How to create a QR Code for social media?
To create a QR Code for social media:
- Log in to the Uniqode dashboard.
- Click ‘+Create QR Code’.
- Select ‘Social Media’ as the campaign type.
- Set up your social media landing page and fill in your username in the required fields.
- Customize your QR Code.
- Test and download it.
What are the benefits of using a QR Code for social media?
- Higher consumer engagement levels
- An improved online social media presence
- Ease of use
- Access to first-party data to measure campaign performance
- Increase in brand awareness
A happy writer with a fascination for technology, a passion for marketing, and a love for good literature. Feel free to reach out to her on LinkedIn to spark conversations about any of the above.
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