QR Code Tracking: Measure Campaign Performance

QR Code Analytics: A Simple Guide to Tracking Performance and Exporting Data

Creating a QR Code is the first step of your marketing strategy. To maximize its impact, you need to know how it performs. For instance, knowing who scanned your QR Code, when, and where provides insights to refine your marketing strategy.

Trackable QR Codes offer a window into your campaign's effectiveness. You can use it to make data-driven decisions that boost ROI. Whether you're new to QR Code tracking or looking to deepen your understanding, this guide is your roadmap.

In this guide, we'll cover:

• How does QR Code tracking work?
• Which metrics can you track with QR Code tracking?
• How to export and analyze QR Code tracking data
• Implementing A/B testing to optimize your QR Code campaigns
• How to measure the ROI and campaign effectiveness of QR Codes

Read on to learn more about QR Code tracking.

What is a trackable QR Code?

A trackable QR Code is a dynamic QR Code that collects data about how and when people scan QR Codes. You can use this data to monitor and analyze QR Code performance.

How does QR Code tracking work?

Here’s how the QR Code tracking works:

• Scan event: When a dynamic QR Code is scanned, the device connects to a dedicated server.
• Data capture: The server records essential details about the scan, including the time, location (if permitted), and device type.
• Redirection: After capturing this information, the server redirects the user to the intended destination.

QR Codes can be static or dynamic. While both can store information, only dynamic QR Codes offer tracking capabilities:

a. Why static QR Codes are untrackable

Static QR Codes contain information directly embedded within their structure. This means the data is fixed and cannot be changed, making them untrackable. They are suitable for simple, unchanging information like an image.

b. Why dynamic QR Codes are trackable

In a dynamic QR Code, data is not directly embedded into the QR Code. They contain a short redirect URL that takes users to the desired content. You can, therefore, modify the content at any time without changing the QR Code. This flexibility is the key to QR Code tracking.

Which QR Code metrics can be tracked?

Scan counts, time, and location are some basic metrics you can track using a QR Code generator that supports tracking.

If you use a platform like Uniqode(👋 that’s us), it goes beyond basic metrics, offering data on top-performing campaigns, device types, scan by city, and more insights through Google Analytics integration.

Here’s a glimpse of the metrics that you can use when you use Uniqode’s QR Code generator:

1. Number of scans (total and unique)

This metric gives you a glimpse into the total number of times each QR Code has been scanned and the number of unique users interacting with it. This information helps gauge overall campaign interest and reach.

Note: “Number of scans” is the total number of times a QR Code (or many together) has been scanned—including multiple times by the same person. “Unique scans” refer to the number of distinct individuals who have scanned a QR Code at least once—excluding their recurrent scans.

You can see the total number of scans combined for all QR Code campaigns or filter it based on the specific QR Code or label.

A single user scanning the QR Code multiple times is a possibility. To filter this out, Uniqode distinguishes between total scans (includes repeat scans by the same user) and unique scans to better understand your audience.

💁Picture this: You’re running a Christmas campaign or sale at your furniture store. Using a QR Code on a flyer, you can track the number of scans to assess campaign interest and identify the number of potential customers reached, time of scans (month, week, day, hour).

2. Scan by Time of Day

You can identify the most active hours when people scan your QR Codes by the Scan By Time of Day” metric.

The number of scans coming in at a specific time of day is represented via the gradient bar. The darker end represents soaring scans, while the lighter end represents tanking. This data helps to optimize campaign timing and scheduling.

💁Picture this: A restaurant uses QR Codes on table tent cards to track peak dining times. By analyzing this scan data, they can better staff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner rushes.

3. Location (country, city, GPS)

If you run multiple campaigns across a city or a country, you can see which locations are thriving based on the “Scan by City” metric and tailor your campaigns accordingly.

You can also retrieve the exact GPS location via IP addresses through this metric. All you need to do is enable the GPS option on the dashboard while creating a QR Code and retrieve metrics, provided the permission to share is enabled on the user's device.

💁Picture this: An international clothing retailer uses QR Codes on clothing labels, in-store displays, and promotional flyers. They track “Scan by location” data to identify high-traffic stores and markets and tailor marketing efforts accordingly.

4. Device operating system

Understanding the device split can give you a general sense of which device OS your core customer base has. You can prioritize your marketing and app development strategies accordingly to give them a better user experience.

Are they primarily iPhone users, or do they lean more towards Android? Are people accessing your QR Codes from Windows or Mac?

💁Picture this: You launch an app on both Android and iOS. To maximize app downloads, you include an app QR Code in all your marketing materials. By analyzing QR Code scan data, you identify user preferences—Android or iOS—and tailor your marketing and development strategies accordingly.

5. QR Code performance (campaigns)

To quickly understand which QR Codes are performing the best across all your campaigns, you can use the “top-performing QR Codes” metric.

You can use this data to understand why specific QR Codes perform better than others, filter for specific durations, and implement the same strategy across all your campaigns.

💁Picture this: Burger King compares its "Top Performing QR Code" metric for the QR Code campaigns launched in a year. They compare the Super Bowl QR Code ad vs. other holiday campaigns to identify the best-selling product.

⚡Pro tip: You can integrate Google Analytics with Uniqode to gain further insights into your audience and compare it to other active campaigns. You can understand user behavior, demographics of users who scanned the QR Code, OS, and engagement metrics such as page views, sessions, etc.

How can you use QR Code Tracking Data

You can make data-driven decisions to optimize campaigns, understand your audience, and drive growth by analyzing the information gathered from QR Code scans. Here’s how:

1. Segment audience or identify new audiences

Analyze demographics of people who scan QR Codes, such as age, location, and device type, to discover potential customer segments or emerging target markets. This will help you find fodder for A/B testing and expand your reach.

💡Example: A travel agency sees the most airport scans on weekends. They target weekend travelers with special promotions for last-minute getaways via emails and ads.

📊 Analytics used: “Number of Scans” by day and time, Unique Users, Google Analytics integration

2. Refine campaigns by location

Identify the locations from which scans are happening to understand your campaign's geographical reach. This can be useful for businesses with multiple locations or geographically targeted promotions.

💡 Example: A restaurant compares QR Code scans on billboards in different cities. It notes that a location near an office building has the highest number of weekday scans. It deploys food trucks with special lunch menus in that location and launches a targeted campaign offering lunchtime discounts.

📊 Analytics used: Scans by Location

3. Conduct campaign A/B testing

Create two distinct QR Code campaigns with varying designs (backgrounds, CTAs, etc.) or messages.

Compare both campaigns to see which drives more scans and conversions. This will help you identify winning strategies and refine your approach in real time.

💡 Example:

• Version A: Standard black and white QR Code with your restaurant logo in the center
• Version B: QR Code with a colorful design that incorporates your brand colors and logo

See if a more visually appealing QR Code with branded elements leads to more scans.

📊 Analytics used: Multiple QR Code analytics

4. Track ROI and campaign effectiveness

Use QR Code tracking to predict your marketing efforts' return on investment (ROI). By analyzing total scans, unique users, and conversion rates, you can assess the effectiveness of each campaign. This data helps make informed decisions about future investments in marketing channels that yield the highest returns.

While ROI is crucial, QR Code metrics can also help determine if a campaign achieved its non-monetary goals (brand awareness, engagement) even if it didn't generate immediate revenue.

💡 Example: A local coffee shop places a QR Code on their truck, linking customers to a mobile menu with daily specials and first-time order discounts. A substantial increase in scans reveals that the QR Code effectively attracted new customers and boosted brand visibility. This data informed their decision to expand QR Code usage across other marketing materials.

📊 Analytics used: Number of Scans, Scans by Time of Day, Location

5. Identify the dominant mobile OS and devices for your market

By understanding your audience's dominant OS, you can prioritize optimization efforts for that specific platform (Android or iOS). The "Scans by Device" metric can inform various strategies:

• App Store optimization: If the data shows a higher percentage of Android users scanning the QR Code, you can focus app optimization efforts on the Google Play store
• App development: More focus on iOS features if more scans come from iOS devices
• Marketing strategy: If most users are iOS users, you can invest more in Apple-specific advertising platforms
• Website traffic analysis: If most scans originate from desktop devices (Windows or Mac) rather than mobile devices, you can prioritize website optimization for desktop users over mobile

💡 Example: A fitness tracker company places QR Codes on magazine ads and gyms targeting fitness enthusiasts and athletes. Analytics show a higher scan rate from Android devices. They use this data to prioritize optimizing the app experience for Android users.

📊 Analytics used: Scans by Device Used

6. Do upselling and cross-selling campaigns

Attribute QR Codes to your products and track the scan data. Use it to upsell higher-end versions and accessories or cross-sell related products that complement the initial purchase through targeted ads or similar QR codes.

💡 Example: A footwear retailer notices a more significant number of QR Code scans rolling in from a shoe line. They analyze the scan data and use retargeting ads on social media to recommend performance socks, a water bottle, or a heart rate monitor as upsells.

📊 Analytics used: Top-performing QR Codes, Retargeting

7. Increase ROI on your Facebook ad spend

With Meta (Facebook) Pixel integration, you can track users who scan your QR Code and then retarget them with personalized ads on Facebook and Instagram.

💡Example: If you are wondering, here’s how retargeting works:

• A user scans your dynamic QR Code
• Before redirecting to the destination URL, a cookie is placed on the user's device. This will let Facebook know which user is interested in your content
• You create targeted ads using Meta Pixel based on the data collected. You can create a lookalike audience in Meta Pixel based on the data from QR Code scanners and website visitors. This audience will consist of new users who share similar characteristics with your existing high-value customers.
• Users who scanned your QR Code will see these relevant ads on Facebook and Instagram about your website or product.
• Lookalike audiences help you reach new people likely to convert, maximizing your return on ad spend.

📊 Analytics used: Meta Pixel (Facebook) integration

8. Customer journey mapping

Track how users interact with your brand after scanning a QR Code. Use Google Analytics integration to see where they land (website, app store), how long they stay engaged, and what actions they take (purchase, download, etc). This builds a customer journey map, allowing you to:

• Identify bottlenecks: Discover where customers drop off in their journey and implement improvements.
• Optimize user experience: Enhance website content, product descriptions, and calls-to-action based on user behavior.

💡 Example: A restaurant chain finds high scan rates on physical menu QR Codes but low online ordering. By analyzing user behavior, they discover a complex ordering process was deterring customers. They simplify online ordering and offer incentives to increase online orders.

📊 Analytics used: Compute scans to conversion ratio using “Total Scans” from Uniqode Dashboard and conversions from Google Analytics.

9. Heatmaps

Create heatmaps to pinpoint where your QR Codes are generating the most buzz. By using an online heatmap generator, you can:

• Identify regions with high scan rates to focus marketing efforts.
• Determine optimal scanning times (e.g., lunch breaks, after work) to time promotions accordingly.

How to create a trackable QR Code

One of the easiest ways to create a trackable QR Code is using a QR Code generator. Let’s learn how to do that:

🗞️What’s new?: You can now view aggregate analytics for multiple QR Codes. It will display a combined analytics view for the selected QR Codes with additional filtering options.

Gain insightful QR Code scan metrics with Uniqode

Creating trackable QR Codes requires a reliable QR Code generator. Uniqode ticks the boxes for all things user-friendly, secure, and analytics.

You can easily check QR Code tracking metrics, customize your report, and see individual or combined metrics for all QR Codes on the dashboard. You can also export them and share them with your organization.

All the data you upload to the dashboard and all the user data from scans are safe and secure as Uniqode is GDPR-compliant and SOC® 2 Type 2-certified.

How can you create a trackable QR Code for your next campaign? Get started below.