How to Create WordPress QR Code to Increase Online Presence

Using QR codes has become a habitual thing for many of us. The solution that was previously considered a means for entertainment or just another marketing trick has become vital for our everyday comfort. The 2020 pandemic has brought many changes to how we work and live. Scanning QR codes with your vaccination and COVID-19 test results has become a habitual thing. We scan QR codes to view menus online instead of using their printed versions when in the restaurant. This is why QR technology deserves more attention in the modern world, especially for businesses looking forward to delivering high-quality services to their customers. If your company needs to integrate your official website with a QR code, the following guide on creating a WordPress QR code to get more traffic, sales and improve your site’s usability will come in handy for you. 

What is a QR Code?

A Quick Response code (QR code) is a barcode containing the information as a series of pixels organized in a square-shaped grid. Digital devices can easily read QR codes. It’s one of the most reliable and accessible ways of storing information, which lets users access any website, social media profile, or another destination to which the QR code links.

QR codes come in two major types; 

• They can be static, without performance tracking and post-editing features. These are the best choice for geo tags, business cards, etc. 
• The owners of dynamic QR codes can change or supplement them with encrypted information, which can be used for fast payments and ordering. 

Whatever type you choose, you can equip your QR code with a custom UTM tag to track its effectiveness. You can easily personalize and add a branded style to your QR codes using modern QR code generators. 

A Quick Glance at the History of QR Codes 

QR codes started in Japan in 1994, when Toyota’s Denso Wave subsidiary developed it for the automotive industry’s needs. Over time the ability to accommodate large amounts of information in tiny QR codes made them more popular in media and commercial niches. In 2000’s, China, South Korea, and other Southeast countries became the leaders in using QR codes. In 2013, the first Alipay payments via QR codes were launched. Now, almost every Chinese company lets customers pay for selected services after simply scanning QR codes with their smartphones or tablets.

Unlike the Southeast countries that use hieroglyphs, residents of Europe and America that use the Latin alphabet needed to develop software that could read encrypted images. It took some for the QR codes to become widely adopted worldwide. The advent of smartphones and tablets featuring decoders integrated into their cameras solved the issue. 

In the modern post-COVID world, we can see a growing number of businesses starting to implement innovative technologies and QR codes, in particular. Some of the most popular use cases include: 

• Restaurants and cafes started using QR codes instead of regular menus.
• Cities and whole countries switch to electronic methods of paying for tickets, renting vehicles, etc. 
• QR codes give users access to the needed information when printed on banners, business cards, leaflets, etc. 

Mobile data and high-tech personal devices are the main boosters for QR codes. Besides, the simplicity of scanning QR codes with a smartphone’s or tablet’s camera further contributes to the increased demand for the technology among users of all generations, especially young people. According to Juniper research, the number of QR code payment users could reach 2.2 billion by 2025, which is about 29% of all smartphone users. 

QR Codes’ Use Cases for Business Purposes 

There are many cases when QR codes can be useful for business purposes. The QR technology lets you transmit any information, including: 

• Links to websites, apps, images, videos, audio files, documents, and social media accounts; 
• Blog posts, interviews, resumes, and other kinds of texts;  
• An email with a template of the email body and the address where it should be sent; 
• Your company’s contact details; 
• Geolocation that opens a map where your company’s address and coordinates will be displayed; 
• Data for access to Wi-Fi;
• Calendar of events; 
• Chat invitations;
• Paying bills;
• Ticket data, etc. 

QR codes can be used not only for fun. These powerful advertising elements let you effectively promote your brand, services, and personality. Unlike pop-ups or banners that interfere with your customers when they browse your site, the QR technology serves as discreet ads that users want to study independently. 

Considering the growing demand for QR codes for multiple business purposes, let’s see how to add WordPress QR code to your website. 

How to Create WordPress QR Code 

Creating a custom WordPress QR code doesn’t require any special coding skills when you use the right plugin for this purpose. We’ll use the Kaya QR code generator WordPress plugin in the guidelines listed below. The plugin lets you easily insert QR codes to any page, post, slider, WooCommerce product, or any other element of your WordPress site through a widget or a shortcode. 

1. You need to download the plugin to your Local Computer to get started.
2. Login to your WordPress Dashboard.
3. Click on “Plugins” + “Add New” in the left side menu of Dashboard.
4. Upload the “kaya-qr-code-generator.zip” plugin from your computer and click “Install” and “Activate.”
5. You will see the “Kaya QR Code Generator” folder being added to the left side menu in your Dashboard. Click on it. (In case the Kaya QR Code Generator folder doesn’t appear in the left side menu, check it out in “Settings” or “Tools.”)
6. Go ahead and configure the Kaya QR Code Generator Configurations using the video tutorial provided below.

That’s pretty much it! Now you can go ahead and add custom QR codes to any page, post, or a selected section of your site. Do you need to use it for print media? Feel free to add it to your business cards, posters, stickers, flyers, etc. Make your information and services more accessible to your customers with personalized WordPress QR codes!