InstaHype Blog

Some tech insiders say that QR codes won't take off because augmented realtiy or NFC will replace them. Let's see then, how these technologies will effect QR-code usage?

Augmented reality is when the real world is overlayed with digital data. There are apps, like Layar that does this, and it’s an interesting technology in deed. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that NFC is quite an expensive game, while QR-codes are extremely cheap – it costs what it costs to print the codes. So let’s not bury the QR-code technology.

NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a wireless technology that allows you to exchange data from a 4 cm distance between two NFC-capable devices. The big advantage is that you can pay with it securely. Generally, Augmented reality enhances the real world, NFC empowers it with some features, while QR-codes are simply connecting certain points of the real world to the digital one.

InstaHype is not a QR-code generator. It’s a SOCIAL QR-code generator. We focus on providing the feature to generate QR-codes of social engagement along with a mobile optimized landing page and the tracking and analytics functions. Oh, and we’re free. Other generator sites sometimes offer some features only for a decent monthly fee.

QR Codes (= Quick Response Codes) are 2D Barcodes (two dimensional Barcodes) developed by Denso and released in 1994 with the primary aim of being easily interpreted by scanner equipment in manufacturing, logistics and sales applications. In comparison with other Barcodes, QR Codes combine several advantages:

they can hold a very large capacity of numbers or letters in any language

their printout size can be very small

they offer high speed reading

they can be read from any side (omnidirectional or 360° scan)

QR codes are important because they allow business organizations – from the smallest to the largest - to engage and interact with their customers in a fresh, exciting way.

Customers of your company are willing to share positive impressions with others. However they tend to do this only if the method is simple. Maybe they post on facebook when they go home – but most of the time they will not.

Have you ever seen anybody sitting in a restaurant and typing the www.facebook.com/themostawesomerestaurant to his mobile device?

After you produced the InstaHype QR-code, print it, and place it anywhere (our generator page consists many ideas where to place the code).

Your customers will be able to scan it with any barcode scanner app of any smartphone. When they scan it, they will be prompted to a small mobile-optimized screen where they have to push the like, share, follow, post, etc. button.

This small site is generated automatically by InstaHype when you generate a code. You can produce as many codes as you want, and your old ones are stored by our system – you can find them under the Previous QR-codes menu item.

Of course. Our tracking and analytics tool is just as sophisticated as only paid QR-code generators offer (But we provide it for free). Furthermore, there are a couple of special features on InstaHype.

First, we automatically create a mobile-optimized landing page – this is a cool feature, because one major rule of QR-code usage is to direct customers to mobile optimized landing pages. We thought it would be comfortable for you if we put this page together as soon as you generate your code. Moreover, you can even do some little customization of this landing page if you want. (Function can be switched off in Beta version).

Another special feature is the InstaHype.it logo itself. Since it is important to place some kind of call to action around a QR-code, we prepared this for you. The call to action “InstaHype It” refers to the possibility of engaging on social sites via the scan of this code. We let you use our logo above your QR-code, which is a built-in call-to-action for you, sign of a trusted and appropriate link for your customers and a little marketing for us – seems to be a win-win situation, so we kindly ask you not to remove the InstaHype logo from the printed code.

Soon. But not yet. We're working on InstaHype as a side-project of a much greater idea, so we ask for your patience. But customization of the codes are among our plans, however, we think that the landing page customization is much more important. Here's why:

On one hand, when someone finds a QR-code, all the surrounding information must be learned to get a clear picture what's going to happen after a scan. That's pretty time-consuming and can keep users away. In contrast to this, looking at an InstaHype code makes it clear in a second that that's going to be social engagement option. A quick look above the InstaHype logo - where users can find the instruction line - and everything is clear.

On the other hand, the user experience is determined by the mobile landing page, not the print ad - so we're about to figure out options for that.

Here comes a few basic rules you have to follow when generating a QR-code:

1. Always leave a silent zone.

A silent zone around the QR-code is needed for the mobile scanner apps to be able to identify and properly scan the code. Most generators do this for you, InstaHype offers even different print formats.

2. Give instructions.

Users want to know what happens when they scan the code in advance. The InstaHype logo above your code - which we allow to use above our codes - is a kind of first impression instruction: it means users who scan the code will engage your brand, product, site or service on one of the social channels. Anyone who happens to find an InstaHype code will know that this kind of engagement will happen. Also, InstaHype provides further instructions on the printed code depending which social channel was picked by you during the code generation.

3. MOLP - Mobile Optimized Landing Page!

This is so important and there are so many who just neglect it. The user experience during a QR-code scan is extremely important because - according to multiple surveys and experiments, mobile users spend less time on a web page than average computer users. InstaHype always generates a mobile landing page together with your code, so there's nothing to worry if you're using InstaHype. 

4. Be discernible.

Malicious QR-codes exist. In order to avoid them users need some anchors to decide it is safe to scan or not. Again, we'd like to emphasize the importance of leaving the InstaHype logo above your code. Since InstaHype is a closed system, your users always get what they expect.

5. Social media icons.

Good landing pages need social media icons and the option to be shared. At InstaHype, this feature is simply built in, moreover, the whole InstaHype system is for social engagement.

6. Call-to action.