Should i use a qr code

Reviews are of utmost importance for many industries but getting them can feel challenging at times. One of the strategies for increasing your review count is to outright ask for reviews. Encourage reviews by handing out cards like the one above, posting them on signage on doors, tables or menus, or sending them through email. The code takes the customer to the survey or review site to make it easier for them to leave their feedback.

Use QR codes on product packaging to encourage customers to learn more about a product. They can link to anything from a promotional video to a quick start guide to how to assemble the product. Using QR codes in packaging like those above cuts down on potential paper waste and frees up space for other designs. In addition, if these take you to something like a quick start guide, you can change up the guide without having to reprint thousands of updated booklets.

Besides a good deal, giveaways also get people excited is a good giveaway. In the past, giveaways have lived on a single platform like an Instagram contest or asked people to visit a URL to sign up. Scanning a QR code to lead directly to the entry form is fast and simple. In the example above, you can see how the QR codes were incorporated into the packaging as a contest entry option. Some services allow for basic data QR codes while others lock the features behind a pro plan.

For QR codes that link to a website, generating a specific shortcode will let you track the clicks. Much like social media advertising , QR code data is tracked and displayed in real-time, offering you the chance to possibly tweak campaigns as they are run.

QR codes have seen a resurgence lately. Try it out with your content. Take a look at the different types of social media content you can create to incorporate QR codes for and be armed with data. Sprout Social helps you understand and reach your audience, engage your community and measure performance with the only all-in-one social media management platform built for connection. Send us an email. Send us an email Who are you trying to contact?

Sales Support Other. What are QR codes? The data stored in a QR code can include website URLs, phone numbers, or up to 4, characters of text. QR codes can also be used to:. The development team behind the QR code wanted to make the code easy to scan so that operatives did not waste time getting it at the right angle. They also wanted it to have a distinctive design to make it easy to identify.

This led them to choose the iconic square shape that is still used today. Denso Wave made their QR code publicly available and declared they would not exercise their patent rights. This meant anyone could make and use QR codes. Initial uptake of the idea was slow; however, in , the first mobile phones containing built-in QR readers were marketed in Japan. The use of smartphones led to an increase in the number of companies using QR codes.

In , Denso Wave continued to improve on their original design. Their new QR codes include traceability, brand protection, and anti-forgery measures. There are many new uses for the QR code, from transferring payments to determining objects' positions within augmented reality.

Most smartphones have built-in QR scanners, which are sometimes built in the camera. A QR scanner is simply a way to scan QR codes. Some tablets, such as the Apple iPad, have QR readers built into their cameras. Some older devices may require a particular app to read QR codes — these apps are readily available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Attackers can embed malicious URLs containing custom malware into a QR code which could then exfiltrate data from a mobile device when scanned. It is also possible to embed a malicious URL into a QR code that directs to a phishing site, where unsuspecting users could disclose personal or financial information. Because humans cannot read QR codes, it is easy for attackers to alter a QR code to point to an alternative resource without being detected.

Aside from opening a website, these actions can include adding contacts or composing emails. This element of surprise can make QR code security threats especially problematic. A typical attack involves placing malicious QR codes in public, sometimes covering up legitimate QR codes. Unsuspecting users who scan the code are taken to a malicious web page which could host an exploit kit, leading to device compromise or a spoofed login page to steal user credentials.

Some websites do drive-by downloads , so simply visiting the site can initiate a malicious software download. Mobile devices, in general, tend to be less secure than computers or laptops. Since QR codes are used on mobile devices, this increases the potential risks. QR code-generating software does not collect personally identifiable information. Hackers can create malicious QR codes which send users to fake websites that capture their personal data such as login credentials or even track their geolocation on their phone.

This is why mobile users should only scan codes that come from a trusted sender. The patterns within QR codes represent binary codes that can be interpreted to reveal the code's data. Once it has identified these three shapes, it knows that everything contained inside the square is a QR code. The QR reader then analyzes the QR code by breaking the whole thing down to a grid. It looks at the individual grid squares and assigns each one a value based on whether it is black or white.

It then groups grid squares to create larger patterns. QR codes can be used for multiple purposes, but there are four widely accepted versions of QR codes. The version used determines how data can be stored and is called the "input mode. The type of mode is communicated via the version information field in the QR code. There are two additional modes which are modifications of the other types:. It is possible to create QR codes in many different shapes and styles, but five types are most commonly found.

They all do the same job — they just look slightly different. It's easy to identify by its three finder patterns in the bottom—left, top—left, and top—right corners. If you are concerned about your data and location privacy, why would you ever do this? The contents could contain malware, an exploit or other undesirable content. Outside of a vulnerability in the local calendar application, the contents may be unwanted in a business or personal calendar, and deleting a recurring meeting is an annoyance if it was improperly entered.

Depending on the social media platform, the account being followed may have access to your personal information and be aware that you are following them. If you consider all the threats of open Wi-Fi networks and even closed networks that use WPA2, the introduction of an unknown or insecure network to your preferred list is just a bad idea. App store: Scanning links to a page directly on an app store can make an application simple to download. While this is convenient, the listing could be malicious especially on Android devices or could be a spoofed page using an embedded URL to trick you into loading an unsanctioned malicious application.

Your best bet is to always navigate to an application yourself and not rely on a hotlink. Finally, let's address dynamic QR codes. These codes are generated once, but the data stored on them can be edited at any later date. They can include password protection and embedded analytics so creators can track how they are used. Dynamic QR codes can even add simple logic such as device-based redirection to have different behaviors for Apple iOS devices versus Google or Android.

For example, based on the device, they can be redirected to the appropriate app store or music library. That alone allows a threat actor to target device and application exploits to specific assets to ensure a higher rate of success.

If you are ever out and about and see a QR code on a wall, building, computer screen or even a business card, do not scan it. A threat actor can easily paste their malicious QR code on top of a real one and create their own copies, and based on appearance, you have no idea if the contents are safe or malicious.