Page through any magazine and you are bound to spot a little square shape made up of black modules. It looks a little bit like abstract art or perhaps a funky new postage stamp, but what it really is a gateway to information.
A form of mobile tagging, this square is a Quick Response or QR code. This tiny little code makes a big impact. Aimed at mobile users, the matrix (or two-dimensional) barcode is readable by a QR scanner or a camera phone equipped with a QR code reader.
QR code readers are available to download from most app stores. Once the QR code reader is installed anytime you see a QR code, you can snap a picture of the QR Code and seconds later, you are sent to a mobile web browser to view the link inside the QR Code, sent a text message, or prompted to dial a phone number. Organizations can even configure the QR code to a vCard contact to the user's device.
You can easily create QR Codes for free at sites like qrcode.kaywa.com or www.qrstuff.com. While many QR codes are found in printed materials, some ways non-profits can use QR codes in addition to print ads is at conferences or in checkout lines. Some organizations put the QR code on tabletops in restaurants or on T-shirts or mugs.
Put them anywhere people will see the QR code, and with a snap and click, they learn about your organization or fundraising campaign.
