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Leveraging QR Codes to Drive Traffic to your Website

QR (Quick Response) codes are those barcode-like images that can be scanned by smart-phones, which store more information as compared to conventional barcodes. They can be linked to URLs directly. For example, if you scan the QR code given below, it’ll take you to google.com.

This bar-coding technology is able to easily incorporate social media capabilities, custom landing pages and store text based information such as mailing addresses. These codes can be easily scanned by almost all iPhones, Androids or other camera enabled smart-phones which integrate barcode scanning applications. This will allow you to entice audiences with dynamic engagement strategies.

How your business can incorporate QR codes to build website traffic:

• Print Medium – QR Codes can be printed in newspapers/magazines, posters, CD labels etc, where the person scanning the code can reach the mobile website of the advertiser.
• Websites – These codes can be scanned from the primary website and in turn lead to the mobile website.
• Business Cards - Your potential clients and business associates can scan the QR code on your business card and easily add you to their phone contacts.
• Product Packaging -  Incorporating QR codes on the packaging of your products can help provide vital information such as customer care contact details, user manuals and other vital information.
• Direct Marketing and In-Shop Print Advertising - When used in your  print advertisements, mass mails or email signatures, QR Codes can help drive traffic and a consequent fan following to your social networking profiles on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
• Effective Event Management - You can print QR codes on tickets or invites of your event and link them to Google maps, RSVP pages and all other event related material.

Mobile marketing is inexpensive, immediate and personal. It’s a viable new way to create customer loyalty, increase awareness and boost sales. WSI can assist your business to optimise your marketing strategy leveraging this exciting new trend.

The above is an excerpt from our November 2011 WSI Inside Edge newsletter – to receive a copy of the newsletter contact us today.  You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter using the form on this page.

If you are interested in learning more about QR Codes and how to incorporate this media into your Digital Marketing Strategy in Trinidad and Tobago, give us a call today (868 390 9251).  Also, please share how you are using QR Codes to market your business.

Digital marketing is a vital part of the business landscape. In recent years, it’s been the go-to strategy for reaching a wide audience.

But how do you get your message through to people who are inundated with content daily? You can employ simple tips to help drive your digital marketing in Trinidad and Tobago.

Getting noticed is tougher these days. Make it easier with slight alterations in your messaging for social media, mobile marketing, and website content.

Think about how you prefer to receive information. Is it from someone long-winded, or with a passive voice? Or would you respond better to tightly woven comments that move you?

Use these tips from Content Marketing Institute and engage more potential customers:

* Lead with verbs, not nouns. It is more active and motivating

* Edit, and watch your sentence length. Try using sentences with no more than 14 words, or you’ll lose many people.

* Write 1 – 2 sentences per paragraph. This format is best for the scanning people do when reading online.

* Read your messages aloud. This is a good test for what your audience will experience.

* Provide good content. Is it concise, informative and attractive?

Think about how you come across in the fast-paced world. Don’t let your efforts in digital marketing in Trinidad and Tobago get lost in the shuffle. Get help…be smart, be brief, and be noticed.

It may not be as simple as it seems. Knowing just how social media marketing works, and how best to utilize it, can have a big impact on your social media optimization in Trinidad and Tobago.The following quote out of a recent Convonix social media marketing conference in Mumbai sums it up well. It explains that engagement in social media is more than ads on Facebook or spamming people on Twitter. “It’s a philosophy of being open and interacting with existing, and potential customers”.

There’s no doubt that social media drives much of consumer behavior and influences decisions these days. Consider these statistics.

• Most word of mouth is positive on social media… with 80% of product ratings garnering 4 or 5 out of 5 stars.
• 53% of people on Twitter recommend companies/products in Tweets, with 48% stating their intention to buy.
• 81% received advice from friends through a social site relating to a product purchase, with 74% finding the information influential in their own decisions.

Getting in the game

Developing a plan of action and aligning it with your goals requires assessing your role in the enterprise, and some consideration of why people access social media for business.

• Know the intent of your audience and the reasons they access the various social media channels

• Take stock of your relevance in using Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In and any other platforms
• Understand your industry and competitors and how they are using social media

Once you’ve developed a plan of action, it is vital to integrate your marketing strategy across channels and tie it to your website. Develop a common voice and consistency in your presentation. Conduct a regular, engaging flow of content and commit to monthly reporting of your results.

Monitoring is vital to social media optimization

The statistics above demonstrate the high rate of positive talk on social sites when it comes to reviews…but what if there is a negative review? Don’t fear, instead, use it as an opportunity to address issues. American Express reports 70% of people expect an apology for bad service or support.

If you aren’t monitoring your social media, you miss an opportunity to correct a problem and to keep it from spreading. Go back to the philosophy of being open, and of interacting. Reach out to consumers to have a dialogue, let them be heard, and finally, educate yourself to avoid future problems.

Social media marketing and it’s optimization requires effort, but can truly boost your company’s presence and reputation,and it can generate leads, and inspire new customers and clients. Busy entrepreneurs looking for social media optimization in Trinidad and Tobago may want to hire a firm to develop and conduct a plan… look into it today.

Your competition is doing it. And with more and more mobile users out there, you need a solid plan for mobile marketing in Trinidad and Tobago. After all, it’s become quite an effective tool for engaging customers.

Forecasts show more businesses are planning to ramp up their investments in mobile marketing in 2012.

But just how do you make the shift towards marketing for the device? First, you will need to determine what sort of messages to aim at your target audience.
Knowing how to tailor your messages for the device is equally important. Here are some tips for developing a strategy customized for the smaller screen, and for insuring that your website is friendly for the mobile user.

* Understand that mobile and desktop are not the same.
* Take advantage of the notion that using mobile is a natural, current behavior.
* Make the message condensed… there is typically a 4 to 10 times reduction in space from a desktop.

* Navigation on your site should not be more than 2 to 3 actions beyond your landing page.
* Have quick load times – less than 30 seconds.
* Be brief, make a quick connection and call to action.
* Offer multiple channels to pull from offline to online (QR codes, URL, SMS)
* Be relevant.

Many are researching and purchasing while ‘on the move’. However, the convenience of grabbing a mobile phone to do the same when not out-and-about, seems to be quite appealing . Marketing Pilgrim found that the majority of smartphone shoppers actually do it at home. And for some retailers, the news is even better – most purchases are for digital products, followed by purchases for clothing and accessories.

So look into developing your mobile marketing in Trinidad and Tobago.

Peer pressure works. I think we have all experienced a moment when we became followers, rather than instigators. But in the business world… leading is your goal. So, why aren’t you invested in social media marketing Trinidad? You may be saying, “we already have a Facebook page”, which is very helpful… but are you in the Twitter game as well? It’s not new… Twitter has been around for 5 years, but the potential for it to help your business grow is only recently being discovered, and who knows how far it could take you.

• 88 of the Fortune Top 100 use Twitter daily.
• 80% of customer service Tweets are negative… so you want to be there to monitor, manage, and respond!

• Expertise – these companies routinely put out quality content and information about their field.
• Longevity – if a company has been around a long time, people believe there must be a reason.
• Social conscience – these days, people want to conduct business with companies that create good will, and are socially responsible.