Recently, AdAge announced that not only are QR codes dead; they have been usurped.

While the Augmented Reality apps mentioned in the article definitely have a place in the marketing tool belt, I believe that QR code usage will continue to grow, or at least stay steady.

Admittedly, when they first came on the scene, QR codes were often overused (and incorrectly so) by advertisers, who slapped them on packaging and ads without much thought on the payoff for the consumer. Also, since they were relatively new technology, many consumers didn’t know how to use them, and many marketers didn’t explain how. Not to mention the lack of uniformity and compatibility among QR code scanners.

But, now that they have become a little more ubiquitous and the consumer understands them, how can anyone claim that they are dead? Advertisers just need to make sure they are doing them right. Because folks, until better and more uniform technology comes around, these are the closest thing we have to links in print and other static advertising.

Marketers, lets try to be a little more creative and relevant in our QR code usage so they don’t go the way of the dinosaur. Don’t use a QR Code unless you can say yes to all of the following questions:

1. Is there a useful payoff to the consumer? The QR code should serve a purpose to the consumer, whether it’s a promotion, discount, instructional video, or a unique experience. Don’t be anticlimactic.
2. Are the benefits and the “how to” clearly explained to the customer? It’s simple .”Scan this code to…” receive a free sample, be entered to win tickets, etc. And, it doesn’t hurt to add where the user can get the scanner.
3. Is the landing page mobile friendly? Minimize effort and confusion by making custom landing pages that are simple and to the point.
4. Are you tracking performance? What’s the point of getting the user online if you’re not continually collecting and analyzing data to refine your ad campaign?

The more marketers work at using QR codes correctly, the farther QR will be from the grave.

So far, the award for most creative QR code usage goes to Guinness, one of the brands that keeps QR codes alive. You can read about it here.