The Future for QR Codes: Will they be replaced?

The future for QR codes has recently been a hot spot for discussion. The once thriving advertising method, now appears to be dead in the water. But, to others, the future for QR codes remains strong. Who doesn't love the easy advertising with the tiny dots? Simply point your phone and click, right? Not so fast. There are new methods many feel are going to replace QR codes, such as Clickable Paper.

Yes, it's true, QR codes have faded over the past several months, but many feel they are making a strong come back as they are becoming more visually appealing; thus, encouraging users to click the codes. In fact, QR code use has reached an all time high in European countries, but what about in the US?

As marketing firms and companies work to make the on-the-go advertising more attractive, it's believed the future for QR codes will be strong. However, consumer knowledge of the QR code needs some help. Many consumers see a QR code and still have no clue what it is or how to use it. To solve this problem, companies are turning to tutorials and webinars to educate their customers. But, is it more hassle than it's worth? Shouldn't it be easier to market to your customers than having them take a class to even understand your marketing strategy?

Clickable Paper seems to be the answer to this problem. Clickable Paper is still fairly new, yet is gaining in popularity. Basically, Clickable Paper involves a new cross media service that allows Smartphone users to simply point their phone at any printed paper for digital information-- no tutorial needed.

There's no doubt the use of QR codes has changed and their use needs some adjustment if they have a chance of holding up in the future. However, with new web-to-print technologies coming about, such as Clickable Paper, QR codes may in fact be dead in the water. Only time will tell.

What do you think? What does the future hold for QR codes, if anything at all? Will new web-to-print services cause the QR code to become extinct?


Comments