QR codes: a mobile entryway for real estate listings
Connect printed marketing materials to smartphones
By Inman News, Friday, July 30, 2010.Real estate marketing is getting ever more mobile, but one of the most effective tools an agent has is still that iconic, printed yard sign.
For those agents interested in directing potential clients from printed materials to the ever-ubiquitous smart phones in their hands, startups specializing in QR (Quick Response) codes are springing up.
A QR code is essentially a two-dimensional barcode that can be read by smart phones or dedicated QR readers, similar to the codes scanned at a store checkout.
The codes can be attached to printed materials -- such as yard signs, fliers, postcards, business cards, etc. -- and consumers can snap a picture or scan the code through a mobile application on their iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or other mobile device.
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There are free QR code generators out there -- Kaywa QR-Code was used to generate this code (see sample embedded in this article) for the Inman News home page.
There are also services such as Clikbrix and Qonnect that offer unique QR codes connected to mobile-optimized websites.
For a monthly $49 subscription, Clikbrix creates both standard and mobile Web pages for an unlimited number of properties that automatically list to a real estate professional's profile Web page. For an example of an agent's mobile Web page, click here.
The property listing pages come with detailed property descriptions, a gallery of photos, a Google Map and Goggle Street View, as well as ways to share the listings through e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter and contact the agent.
The agent's own unique QR code may be attached to any printed material desired so that potential clients can be instantly directed to their mobile Web pages. Options to customize and brand a code are also available. The startup launched earlier this month.
Qonnect offers a similar service that delivers mobile content through unique QR codes, which it calls a "qonnects." The company suggests its codes are useful in offering highly targeted content, virtual tours, and in tracking the effectiveness of advertising through its analytics system.
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Submitted by John Parsons on July 30, 2010 - 12:41pm.
Another interesting player in this area is Warbasse Design (http://warbassedesign.com). They not only do print-to-mobile but also TV-to-mobile QR Code campaigns.
The key to success with this technology is not just creating and printing the tag, it's mainly about the mobile experience behind the code. Just pointing to any old Web site is usually a big mistake. The landing page must be optimized for limited smartphone or feature phone browsers, with their limited computing power and small screens. It must also provide real engagement: a satisfying reason to spend time on the site, plus a meaningful action to choose.
There are both good and bad examples of QR Code campaigns out there. It hinges on the quality of the mobile Web experience, not the tag itself. Let's not build a door without finishing the house!