Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve seen those black-and-white patterned codes. QR code ordering became all the rage during the pandemic. But did you know there was a way to get even more creative? QR code shapes are one way to transform your approach to marketing.
By adjusting the shape, you can make a code unique to look at and entice more scans through sheer novelty. It can also feed into your overall branding goals through a consistent theme. For instance, you could use a pizza shape or an outline of Italy at a pizza restaurant. You get the idea.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to take your QR code marketing to the next level creatively. We’ll cover a general “how-to” so you can make an immediate start and a handy definition to solidify your understanding.
Let’s get started!
What Are QR Codes?
QR codes are black-and-white patterns that uniquely take anyone who scans them to web pages, documents, or software. The pattern encodes data packages that your camera then interprets. How clever is that? It’s like a map of clues to take scanners to a hidden treasure.
People and businesses use QR codes for all sorts of reasons. You could use it instead of physical menus so customers can access a digital menu with code readers. You could also use it for marketing campaigns to showcase exclusive content or request Google reviews. The options are truly endless.
Part of the allure of using a QR code generator is its ease. It literally takes seconds. You can also find plenty of free QR code generators online. Since creating a custom-shaped QR code is such an easy extra step, why not create one? It’s just a simple adjustment to make your code even more special.
3 Benefits of Using a QR Code Shape Generator
Custom shapes are an effective way to adjust your campaign and achieve even more success. There’s something about novelty that’s just extra enticing. Did you know that novelty actually prompts the release of dopamine, the happy hormone? What a spectacular association to pair with your marketing campaign!
The royal question is always, “Why should you even bother?”. It’s a valid question — why should you add that extra step for custom QR codes? Here are the top three benefits of using a QR code shape generator.
1. Novelty Sells
We’ve already touched on this with our dopamine fact. But did you know that novelty is one of the most effective investments you can make? It helps your business to pair positive associations with your services and branding through behavioral psychology, like classical conditioning.
Instead of just being like any other business out there, you are suddenly ultra-creative. Or associated with the symbol of your QR code. Of course, this brings us to…
2. It Improves Branding
Many design elements are massively complimentary to your existing campaign theme. For instance, allowing you to emphasize things like authenticity or a specific image. These are helpful ways to create clearer associations of your business in people’s minds. It’s like McDonald’s and the ‘H’ for Happy Meals.
Improved branding is one of the main benefits of investing in QR codes for business. It’s just another way to reinforce the cornerstones of your strategies.
3. It Boosts Morale
Lastly, it isn’t just about customers and their experience. Taking a creative approach to running your business is a fun way to tackle daily life. This will undoubtedly rub off on staff and boost overall team morale.
Remember that an inspired team actually requires conscious inspiration! Think of small ways to introduce creativity and fun into your business operations.
How To Create a Heart-Shaped QR Code
Creating a heart-shaped QR code is a surefire way to spice up standard codes ahead of events like Valentine’s Day. You can use this process for all types of custom shapes, but it’s useful to have one example when learning. So, we’ll stick to the heart example for now.
These are three steps to take when creating a heart shape for your next QR code.
1. Find a Custom Generator
Instead of Googling any old QR code generator, you need to search for a custom-shaped QR code generator. This may take a little longer, as most free generators simply give you a basic square. Finding software to customize the code’s appearance can be pretty challenging.
QR Code Chimp is a fantastic choice, with a vast selection of shapes, from steaming drinks to hearts and guitars. Definitely check that one out!
Before you finalize that shape, you’ve got to input all the other details. You decide what to link to (usually a webpage, video, form, etc) and attach all the necessary information. The whole process is simple and should only take a few minutes at maximum. However, it’s good to be mindful and detail-orientated so you get it right the first time.
Selecting the heart shape is the easy stage. You just go ahead and pick it from all the shapes. You can even browse the color options, which would be great if your campaign had a color scheme. What’s more iconic than a red heart, anyway?
3. Download
After all your hard work, all that’s left to do is download. You can then print your code or distribute it digitally. It’s your call.
FAQ
Whether you’d like to consolidate your understanding or still have burning questions left, these FAQ should help. Let’s run over the essentials a final time.
Can you change the shape of a QR code?
It’s hard to change the shape of a QR code once you’ve already made it. Instead, create your QR from scratch in the shape you want by finding a custom generator. You just select the shape of choice in the pre-generation stage.
Can QR codes be different shapes?
Yes, QR codes come in all different shapes when you use custom generators. It could be in a coffee cup or sunshine shape or even incorporate extra design elements like different colors. There’s lots of flexibility through custom generation.
Are custom QR code generators free?
Yes, many custom QR code generators are free. This means you can get cool designs at no cost at all. What a win-win. QR Code Chimp is an excellent choice if you’d like a recommendation of where to start looking.
Beambox: Steps Before QR Code Shapes
Learning how to create a QR code for your business is just the next step. Before you embark on your mission to vary QR code shapes, there’s something you should know. What on earth is captive portal WiFi marketing?
It just so happens to be the single-handedly most effective form of customer data collection. Captive portals act as temporary barricades, blocking customers from immediately accessing your network. Why would you do this? In a word, tactical leverage.
When a customer clicks on your network, it whisks them away to a web page pop-up. This webpage has a form requesting customizable details. You can request whatever information you want, stocking up on things like email addresses for marketing. You then grant your customer WiFi once they’ve completed the requested details.
You can use this strategy to get more people over your threshold. Or you can use a QR code to trigger the captive portal and allow customers to join your WiFi. How clever would that be? You’d just set the link to your captive portal webpage.
At Beambox, we specialize in captive portal software. Start your Beambox free trial today and launch your QR codes shapes today!
