QR Codes versus SMS Responses

Giselle Tsirulnik, writing for Mobile Marketer, asks “Is there a point to QR codes in an SMS-dependent society?”

QR codes are quite popular nowadays, with a lot of large brands incorporating the technology into existing marketing collateral to increase engagement. But, adding an SMS call to action to existing media can also connect consumers to richer experiences, so is there really a need for QR codes?

I see the following issues:

  1. QR codes are cheaper to implement. The biggest drawback with SMS responses are the cost and availability of short codes. A QR code is free; a short code, not so free.
  2. QR codes are faster to use. It takes fewer clicks and less time to respond to a QR code — assuming, of course, that you have the correct app already on your phone, enough time to stand still and take a picture, and good lighting.
  3. QR codes require handset apps. This is the biggest drawback to QR codes. SMS is ubiquitous; QR codes aren’t. Maybe someday they will be, but not today. It’s likely that residents of San Francisco and London will latch on to the belief that they are ubiquitous, leading to scenes like this.
  4. SMS responses are standardized; QR codes aren’t. Do you, as a marketer, use QR codes, Microsoft Tags, Data matrix bar codes, Bee Tag Codes, ScanLife codes, or JagTags? Or do you say “Reply INFO to 654321″?
  5. QR codes appear to have higher response rates than SMS responses.

Let’s dig into this last item.

I can say that personally I’ve responded to more QR codes than SMS short codes, and that product interest has nothing to do with this. My high response rate to QR codes has been driven almost entirely by curiosity. When I see a QR code in a magazine, I often scan it just to see what happens next, and I suspect that’s what motivates a large number of responders. I’d love to see the number of leads generated by QR codes in a campaign compared to the number of leads generated by an SMS response. I suspect that it’s much more even — or, perhaps even higher for SMS.

You could counter-argue that curiosity about a QR code could push someone toward interest in a product; for example, I see a QR code, click out of curiosity, see the landing page, then become interested in the product. That’s never happened to me. Has it happened to anyone else? Please leave a comment with details; I’m genuinely curious.

Posted on March 25, 2011 at 1:50 am by mark · Permalink
In: Mobile Advertising