Ultimate Video QR Code Generator Guide: Easiest Way to Share Videos

Say you’re running a print media campaign wherein you intend to promote a video to market your products or services. Or you want to share a video privately amongst a group of people.

How will you do it? The main challenge here will be getting the audience who is offline to see your content that’s online.

That’s where Video QR Code Generators come into play. If you don’t know what they are, don’t worry we’ll cover everything about them in this article but first let’s understand a few things. Keep reading!

A. How to share a video

There are two common ways to share a video via print media promotions.

One way is by mentioning the name of the video on print media creatives. For example, flyers, banners, brochures, etc.

But to watch it, your audience has to first go to the required video streaming platform. This could be YouTube, Vimeo, OTT platform, etc. Then, they need to type the video name and find the exact video. Only after that, they can watch it.

To overcome this issue, the second method involves adding a link to the video. As people enter it into their phone’s browser, they will be directed to watch the exact video. Of course, you will add an instruction (CTA) that tells your audience what they need to do. It could be anything such as—Visit here to see the video online. Or Watch the trailer here.

But the problem is—a link is not actionable alone. That means to see your video, people will have to pull out their smartphones, open their browsers, tediously type the entire link, and finally watch the video.

But both of these sound like quite long processes, don’t they? Well, they actually are. They’ll need users to put in both time and effort. And to be honest, not many people will bother doing that.

So you must make it easier for them to take action. How?

Well, you can use a QR Code to do it for you. A QR Code is a 2D barcode that, just like a barcode, stores alphanumeric information. But unlike a barcode, it doesn’t store limited information. It can store up to 7,089 characters.

Hence, QR Codes are also called advanced-level barcodes. You would’ve already seen them being used for marketing and payments. Similarly, they can also be used to share videos. And we call it—a Video QR Code.

B. What is a Video QR Code

A Video QR Code, when scanned, takes the end-users to watch the encoded video online. Hence, users do not need to manually type the video’s name or link anymore.

All that they need to do is—open their smartphones and scan the QR Code. It’s as easy as clicking a picture.

And when taking action becomes easier, your conversion rate also improves. That’s because taking an action now becomes pretty easy for the audience. You know, the easier the process, the better it is.

C. Why it makes sense to use QR Codes for videos

Before discussing the use cases of a Video QR Code, let’s see why it makes sense to use one in the first place.

Well, quite obviously, a QR Code makes content accessibility better and easier. Your audience only needs to pull out their smartphones and launch open the camera to take a scan.

That’s why many marketers love adding QR Codes to their creatives. They make the print media creatives actionable real quick.

Also, with a QR Code, it becomes possible to assess the performance of your print campaign. Thanks to dynamic QR Codes!

Yes, you can track the scanning activity of a dynamic QR Code. It’ll help you see QR Code performance in terms of:

• Total number of scans
• Scans by location and even the exact GPS location
• Scans by device, browser, etc.

With such insights, you can learn a lot about your audience. And doing so is the key to optimizing your campaigns for better performance.

D. What are the possible use cases of a Video QR Code

You can use a Video QR Code whenever you want your audience to watch a video. It could be to:

1. Boost the performance of your YouTube Channel

Since you can easily take the audience to your YouTube videos via QR Code, it can help boost channel engagement.

Just create QR Codes and print them on flyers, and posters, or even have it online via social media platforms or email. 

2. Upskill your marketing efforts

QR Codes are one of marketers’ favorite tools. Since they are not only actionable but also trackable, they help you gauge the campaign performance well.

Since we’ve already discussed this in detail in the previous sections of this article, let’s move to the next one.

3. Share tutorials and trailers

If you’re a manufacturer, you’d want to share tutorial-based videos with the customers. These will help them know how to assemble or use the product. In fact, you can also give them videos-based recipes.

And as discussed previously, a Video QR Code will help you do so easily. No need to worry about the limited printing space on your packaging. 

In addition to the above, you can also use them to:

• Share the trailer of an upcoming movie, web series, etc. via banners or billboards
•  Help students in your classroom see the workings of a complex mechanism such as blood circulation
•  Share your work samples (motion graphics, 3D and 2D animations, etc.)

All that you need to do is—create a Video QR Code, add it to your print media creatives, and add an appropriate CTA.

Remember that a CTA is important to guide the users. It clearly tells them what to do and what to expect after scanning the QR Code.

Now that you know what a Video QR Code is and how it works, the next question is—how to create one.

E. What do I need to create a Video QR Code

To do it, you will need an online Video QR Code Generator. Now, again the big question is—how to find a suitable Video QR Code generator?

You must first know what type of QR Code you want to create—static or dynamic.

Based on how the data is stored, a QR Code can be either static or dynamic. A static QR Code stores the data directly. Once created, it cannot be edited. To do that, you’ll have to create a new QR Code altogether.

On the other hand, the data is never directly stored in a dynamic QR Code. It only stores a short URL that redirects to the actual data. Hence, it can be edited anytime you want. Yet your QR Code remains the same.

In fact, a dynamic QR Code also allows you to track its scanning activity. That means you can monitor how many people have scanned your QR Code, where each scan came from, and when it came.

However, a static QR Code doesn’t allow you to track any such details.

So if your use case is promotional, you must create a dynamic QR Code. The analytics it offers will help you understand your audience better for more focused campaigns in the future.

Once, you decide on which type of QR Code you need, you can go ahead to find a suitable Video QR Code generator.

If you look for one online, you’ll see a list of results. How do you then decide the best one for your use case? By comparing all of them, right?

But opening each one of the links and comparing them will take way too much effort and time.

And you don’t need to do that. How? Well, we’ve compiled a detailed comparison chart of top QR Code generators. You can go through it to decide the best one for your use case.

F. How to create a Video QR Code

Now there are two cases where you might want to create a video QR Code using a video QR Code generator:

• If you already have a video uploaded on a video-sharing and streaming platform like YouTube, Vimeo, or Dailymotion, you can copy its link and then create a QR Code that will redirect the users to the video.
• If not, then you can upload your video to a cloud storage service such as Google Drive, Amazon S3, or Dropbox and then generate a QR Code for that. The benefit is you will have access control here. This means that only approved people with the right access can view your video.

To create a video QR Code, you’ll first have to copy the sharable link to the video and head on to a QR Code generator

Using the Scanova QR Code generator for a demo, here’s how you can create a Video QR Code:

1. Go to Scanova. Click on Create QR Code

2. Select the Website URL category from amongst other QR Code categories.

3. Enter the link and click Create QR Code

4. Next, you’ll see two QR Code designs. You can choose a custom QR Code with a logo or with background

Note that a customized QR Code attracts more scans than a black-and-white one. Hence, to attract maximum scans, design your QR Code.

5. Once your QR Code is ready, say after you design it, you can preview it. If everything looks fine, proceed to download.

6. To download the QR Code, you need to create an account. Here, Sign Up to get started with a 14-day free trial.

6. Once you Sign Up, click on the download icon. A pop-up will appear prompting you to specify QR Code image size and format. Once you enter the details, click Export

Note that you must ensure that the image you export is of the right size. This is important to ensure the scannability of the QR Code.

That’s it. Your video QR Code has now been created. You can add it to your print media creatives with an appropriate CTA.

G. How to play the QR Code that is linked to the video

To play a QR code that is linked to a video, you’ll need a device such as a smartphone or tablet with a QR Code scanner app installed.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Open the QR Code Scanner App: Launch the QR Code scanner app on your smartphone or tablet.
2. Scan the QR Code: Use the app to scan the QR Code linked to the video. Position your device’s camera so that the QR Code is clearly visible within the frame.
3. Open the Link: Once the QR Code is successfully scanned, the app will usually display the link associated with it. Tap on the link to open it.
4. Video Playback: The link should take you to the video linked to the QR Code. If it’s a YouTube or Vimeo link, for example, it will open in your device’s web browser or the respective app if you have it installed. If it’s a cloud-based link to a video file, it may take you to the cloud platform, or the respective app.
5. Enjoy the Video: Once the video starts playing, you can sit back and enjoy watching it on your device.

That’s it! Following these steps should allow you to play the video linked to the QR Code. Keep in mind that you’ll need an internet connection to access online videos.

H. How to edit the QR Code

You now know how a QR Code generator can help you create a Video QR Code, and the next question is—how to edit it.

You can do this only if you select the Dynamic option while creating the QR Code. Here’s how you can edit it:

1. Login to your Scanova account and go to My QR Codes.

2. Select the QR Code you want to edit

3. Here you can edit the following things:

Content: You can edit the video link you linked to a QR Code

Advance Settings: You can enable password protection, GPS location, and lead generation

Design: You can edit the design again the way you want to

4. Click Update QR Code

That’s it. Your QR Code will be updated. No need to print it again.

I. Why you should choose dynamic QR Codes instead of static ones

When it comes to video QR Codes, dynamic QR Codes offer several advantages over ones:

1. Editable Content: With dynamic QR Codes, you can edit the content linked to the QR Code even after it has been created and distributed.

This means if you need to update the video URL or make any changes to the linked content, you can do so without having to generate a new QR Code.

This flexibility is particularly useful if the video URL changes or if you want to track engagement metrics by directing viewers to different videos over time.

2. Analytics and Tracking: Dynamic QR Codes typically come with built-in analytics and tracking features.

These allow you to monitor how many times the QR Code has been scanned, when and where it was scanned, and other useful engagement metrics.

This data can help you understand your audience better and optimize your marketing efforts accordingly.

3. Customizable Design: Dynamic QR Codes offer more customization options compared to their static counterparts.

You can customize the design of the QR Code itself, as well as any landing pages or branding associated with it.

This allows you to maintain brand consistency and create a more visually appealing experience for users.

4. Security and Reliability: Dynamic QR Codes offer enhanced security features such as password protection or expiration dates for added control over who can access the linked content and for how long.

So if you have the option to choose, always go for dynamic QR Codes instead of static ones.

J. Best practices for using a QR Code Video

1. Add an appropriate CTA

CTA translates to a ‘Call-to-action’ statement. It is a small instruction that tells the users what they need to do. And this kind of small text nudges them to take the required action.

It could be anything such as ‘Scan here to watch our video’.

3. Add a design to the QR Code

If you are planning to use  Video QR Codes for promotions, you should consider adding design to them. That’s because visually appealing QR Codes attract the audience’s attention to get more scans.

4. Test scan the QR Code

It is always advisable to test scan the QR Codes before putting them out for your target audience. 

And it’s recommended do to so using 4-5 different handsets having different browsers.

5. Choose an optimal printing format

To use the Video QR Code on print media creatives, it’s recommended to download it in high-resolution vector formats such as SVG, EPS, and PDF. These formats ensure that it doesn’t get pixelated no matter whether you zoom in or zoom out.

That’s all you need to know about a video QR Code generator. It helps make it easier for you to share a video with your audience. They don’t need to manually type and search for anything.

They can simply scan the QR Code to access the video. This makes the whole process easier and hence, increases your conversion rate.

K. FAQs: Video QR Code Generator

1. How to link a video to a QR Code?

To link a video to a QR Code, you first need to upload the video to a hosting platform such as YouTube, Vimeo, or a cloud storage service.

Once the video is uploaded, obtain the shareable link or URL. Then, use Scanova’s QR Code generator tool to create a QR Code and link it to the video URL.

2. How to scan the QR Code to watch a video?

To scan a QR Code and watch a video, simply open a QR Code scanner app on your smartphone or tablet and scan the QR.

Once scanned, the app will typically display the linked URL or video, which you can then open and watch in your device’s web browser or video player app.

3. How do I create a QR Code for YouTube for free?

You can create a QR Code for a YouTube video for free using Scanova’s Free QR Code Generator tool.

Simply visit here, input the URL of the YouTube video you want to link to the QR Code and generate the QR Code.

You can then download or save the QR Code image and use it wherever you like.

4. How do I convert a video to a QR Code for free?

To convert a video to a QR Code for free, first, upload the video to a hosting platform like YouTube or Vimeo.

Then, use Scanova’s Free QR Code Generator tool to create a Website URL QR Code and link it to the video’s URL.

5. Where to create your video QR Code?

There are many online QR Code generator websites and apps where you can create a video QR Code but choosing the right one for your specific use case is important.

6. Can I track how many times my video QR Code has been scanned?

Yes, Scanova’s QR Code generator offers analytics and tracking features that allow you to monitor the number of scans, location of scans, and other engagement metrics associated with your video QR Code.

7. What types of videos can I link to a QR Code?

You can link any type of video that has a shareable URL, including YouTube videos, Vimeo videos, videos hosted on your own website, or videos stored in cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox.

8. Are there any limitations to the size or length of the video linked to a QR Code?

The size or length of the video linked to a QR Code may be limited by the hosting platform you choose (e.g., YouTube has limitations on video size and length). However, there are usually no specific limitations imposed by the QR Code itself.

9. Can I customize the design of my video QR Code?

Yes, if you choose to create a dynamic video QR Code, you can customize the design by adding colors, logos, or other visual elements to match your branding or aesthetic preferences.

Still have any queries? Ask them in the comments.