Make Your Own QR Code: A Beginner’s Guide

Imagine creating a point of instant communication with your audience out of your business card, flier, or storefront. A QR Code can easily do this. 

Simple as these little squares may seem, they are a surefire way to increase traffic, engagement, and outcomes. Making one doesn’t require you to be an IT expert. 

In minutes, without coding, we will show you how to make your own QR Code. 

So, let’s get going!

A. How to make your own QR Code

1. Go to Scanova.

2. Once you’re there, pick your QR Code type. Scanova offers a variety of options.

3. Enter the information. For example, if it is a Website URL QR Code, paste your website address and click “Continue.”

4. In the next step, give your QR Code a catchy name and click “Create QR Code.”

5. You’ll see your QR Code preview. The magic happens here – you can customize it using the “Edit Design” option.

6. Click “Edit Design” and get creative! You’ll be presented with two design options to personalize your QR Code.

Scanova lets you ditch the boring and create QR Codes that pop! Here’s how to get started!

I. Add your logo for a personal touch

1. Click on “Customize Logo Design”
2. Here, you can choose between uploading your logo (PNG, JPG, or JPEG) or adding text to your logo
3. You can also resize your logo, add a stroke for better visibility, or even remove data modules for a unique twist

II. Colors and patterns

1. Want to match your brand colors? Look no further! Click “Continue Editing,” and on the next screen, you can change the colors of the “eyes” data modules or even add a gradient for a cool effect
2. Feeling fancy? The “Eyes” tab lets you customize the pattern and color of the QR Code’s “eyes” for added flair

III. Craft a QR Code with a custom background

1. Here, you can upload your desired background image for your QR Code
2. You can choose from various design patterns to personalize it further and make it your own

IV. Go transparent!

If you want your QR Code to blend in seamlessly? Select the “Make Transparent” option in the background tab for a smooth, integrated look.

V. Get creative with shapes!

Forget the classic square! Scanova lets you add frames and shapes to your QR Code. Explore the “Suggested” or “All” options to find the perfect fit for your design.

Once you’re done, follow the next steps to download your high-resolution QR Code:

7. Ensure your QR Code scans flawlessly with different devices and scanners before downloading. You wouldn’t want a masterpiece to go unnoticed!

8. Click that glorious “Download” button and your personalized QR Code will be ready to go.

9. Once you click download, you can choose the format that best suits your needs (like PNG or JPG). 

10. Hit “Export.” Your QR Code is now ready for your use.

B. Why create your own QR Code

1. Streamlining online content access

Let’s say you have a small business event and would like to provide participants with your website. You can show them a QR Code that, with just a short scan, will take them immediately to your homepage, saving them the trouble of typing in a lengthy URL.

Or

Assume you are organizing a community fundraising event. Flyers may be printed with a QR Code that takes readers directly to the event registration page, making it incredibly simple for people to join up at the last minute.

2. Product and service exhibition

You can attach QR Codes to each item you sell in the market to provide customers with access to in-depth product details. For example, manufacturing specifications, user manual, or user reviews.

You could do something similar if you run a brick and mortar store too. Suppose you own a coffee shop and would like to give your regular customers a certain discount. 

To give customers the impression that they are receiving something particularly special, you could design a QR Code that points to a secret page on your website that contains a discount code.

3. Streamlining customer feedback

Say you’re a restaurant owner and want to know how customers feel about your services. Now, rather than rely9ing on survey links or paper-based forms, you can do something better.

Just print a QR Code on receipts that connects to a brief feedback form. Customers can immediately express their opinions from their phones in this way before they leave. Food giants such as mcDonald’s are doing it already!

4. Easy document sharing and payments

– Quick payments: If you’re say, a photographer, copywriter, caterer, or anyone providing services, make payments easy for your customers. Just create a QR Code to receive payments from your customers to scan and pay you right away. No need for them to double (or triple) check your account details to avoid errors.

– Document sharing: Assume you wish to share your presentation slides with others while conducting a workshop. Rather than sending out follow-up emails to everyone, you might provide a QR Code that attendees may scan to download the slides right away.

5. Improving social media presence and campaigns

– Building social media presence: Assume you are an artist with a gallery showing your creations. And you want to increase your reach on social media for better business prospects. 

So, you’d want targeted people to follow you online. Here, make it easy for them to do so by including a QR Code next to your pieces that takes them straight to your Instagram feed.

– Building community support: Let’s say you need volunteers for a charity event you’re planning. Just add a QR code to your marketing assets such as flyers. This would take people straight to the volunteer sign-up form can be distributed to encourage people to support your cause.

6. Improving education and instruction

– Supplemental learning: If you’re a teacher, you can use QR Codes that connect students to relevant articles or videos in your lesson plans. Students can investigate further at their own pace by scanning the codes.

– Onboarding new employees: Let’s say you oversee a small company and recently brought on a new employee. To assist them get up to speed fast, you may provide them with a welcome packet that includes a QR Code that links to all the training materials they require.

7. Improving operations management

– Tracking inventory: You can use QR Codes to monitor your inventory if you are a retail store owner. Stock levels in your system could be promptly updated by scanning the code on each product, simplifying management.

– Internal communication: Let’s say you are the manager of a small business and you have to inform your staff about a new policy. One way to make sure everyone has fast access to the paper without having to go through emails is to send them QR Codes that connect straight to the content.

8. Building engaging and interactive events

– Bringing augmented reality to life: Suppose you want to create a big impression when introducing a new product. You could design a QR Code that, when scanned by users, launches an augmented reality experience, letting them view your product on their phones.

– Gamifying your loyalty program: Let’s say you run a café and have a loyalty program for your patrons. You may design a QR Code that patrons can scan on each visit to accrue points toward a prize. You could even make it into an entertaining game, such as an online treasure hunt!

What our customers think about us:

C. Where to use your QR Codes

1. Business cards

Picture yourself passing out business cards at a conference. Rather than relying on someone to recall to follow up, your card has a QR Code that allows them to be instantly connected to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile. 

Simply scan and connect to eliminate mistyped emails or deleted contacts.

2. Packaging of the product

Say you own a business that makes and delivers eco-friendly candles.

For every oder you deliver, add a unique thank-you note for the buyer with a QR Code that leads to a video showing the candle-making process. A minor detail like that gives their purchase a unique and personalized sense.

3. Posters and flyers

Say you’re planning a music event in your community. 

Every poster you’ve put up around the city has a QR Code that leads straight to the ticketing page. It’s as simple as possible for visitors to join in on the fun; they can scan the code as they walk by and purchase tickets right away.

4. Restaurants and menus

Any restaurant or cafe owner needs to share menus. And QR Codes are smarter way to do it.

Just lay QR Codes on the tables in place of actual menus. Guests scan the code, and their phones display the menu with the ability to place a straight order as well as the daily promotions. It’s a cutting-edge, contactless method to improve their eating experience.

5. Signatures on emails

Do you send emails for better audience engagement? Cool!

As a writer, add a QR Code attached to the signature in each email you send.

This code shall provide a link to your most recent book or blog article. It’s a subdued but efficient technique to increase traffic to your content and let your contacts know about your work.

6. Name tags and event badges

– Seamless networking: Your name badge at a big industry conference has a QR Code that connects to your LinkedIn page. It eliminates the need for piles of business cards and allows others to quickly access your background, projects, and contact information when they scan it.

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D. Advantages of making your own QR Code

Because of their convenience and adaptability, QR Codes are becoming increasingly common. The following are some of the main benefits of employing QR Codes, along with examples to highlight each one:

1. Simple information access

Without having to type anything, users may quickly and easily access information by using QR Codes. With only a brief scan, a museum may, for instance, employ QR Codes adjacent to exhibits to link to audio guides or in-depth descriptions, greatly improving the tourist experience.

2. Improved customer engagement.

QR Codes can convert static materials into interactive experiences. A retail store may employ QR Codes on product tags to connect to videos of the things in use, making the buying experience more interesting and instructive.

3. Data tracking and analysis

Measure Effectiveness: QR Codes enable businesses to track how many users scanned the code, when, and from where. For example, a corporation operating a marketing campaign may use this data to determine which locations or times sparked the greatest interest, allowing them to fine-tune their plans.

4. Environmentally sustainable choice

Lower Paper Waste: By reducing the requirement for printed materials, QR Codes can aid in cutting down on wasteful paper usage. 

To save paper and lessen the impact on the environment, conferencegoers could scan QR Codes instead of printed agendas to view the itinerary on their phones.

5. Personalized experiences

Customized Interactions: QR Codes can be used to give personalized content. A gym might provide members with QR Codes that lead to specific training regimens or nutrition guidelines based on their fitness goals, resulting in a more specialized experience.

E. Troubleshooting common QR Code issues

1. The QR Code doesn’t scan

What’s happening: You’re delighted to introduce your new product to customers at a trade exhibition, but the QR Code on your brochure doesn’t scan.

How to Correct It: Low contrast between the code and the background or poor print quality could be the cause of this. Verify that the code prints clearly and contrasts sharply with the background. Try using a white background if your QR Code is too hard to see, for instance, on a dark green leaflet.

2. The QR Code leads to a broken link

What’s going on: Customers are meant to scan a QR Code as part of your campaign to receive a discount. Nevertheless, they’re receiving an error page in place of a discount.

How to Correct It: Verify again that the URL that is connected to the QR Code is accurate and up to date. Customers won’t be able to access, for instance, if the QR Code on your restaurant’s menu points to a website that has been moved or removed. Before sharing the QR Code, always test the link and make any necessary updates.

3. Slow scanning of QR Codes

What’s happening: Currently, your friend is attempting to scan the QR Code on your wedding invitation, but it’s taking an extremely long time, and they’re becoming impatient.

How to Correct It: An excessive amount of data might make a QR Code difficult to see and slow to scan. Make the information simpler. For example, link to a website where attendees can obtain all the information they need, rather than embedding all the event details. Simplified and shorter QR Codes scan substantially faster.

4. Some devices cannot scan QR Codes

What’s happening: Some attendees are complaining that their phones aren’t scanning the QR Code you set up for your event.

How to correct it: Before going live, test your QR Code across a variety of gadgets and applications. A QR Code that functions well on the newest iPhone, for instance, could not work on an older Android device. To make sure it works with most phones and QR reader apps, try scanning the code with different ones.

5. The QR Code looks distorted or fuzzy

What’s happening: You produced a big banner with a QR Code on it, but people are having trouble scanning it since the picture is hazy.

How to correct It: Usually, blurriness results from incorrect sizing of a low-resolution photograph. For the QR Code, use a high-quality vector image, particularly if you plan to print it large. For example, use a vector format like SVG to make sure the QR Code is clear and sharp when printing it on a banner.

6. The incorrect content is redirected using a QR Code

What’s going on: Customers who scan the QR Code you’ve set up to go to your online store instead go to a different page.

How to correct It: This can be the result of using the wrong link while creating the QR Code. Before creating the QR Code, double-check the URL. Make sure you used the correct URL when constructing the code, for instance, if you intended to send clients to your store’s homepage but they ended up on a blog post.

7. Dense QR Code design

What’s happening: Even though you created a stunning QR Code with your company’s logo, it isn’t reading correctly.

How to correct It: Over-customization might occasionally make it difficult to read a QR Code. Keep the design uncomplicated and refrain from packing the code with extraneous pieces. 

For instance, while a big logo in the middle of a QR Code may appear nice if it covers too much of the code, it won’t scan properly. Before completing the design, test it.

8. Inadequate lighting

What’s happening: Your outdoor event has QR Codes all over it, but your attendees are having problems scanning them in the low light.

How to correct it: For easy scanning of QR Codes, bright lighting is necessary. Think about the surface on which they are printed as well as where you plan to place them. For instance, scanning a QR Code on a glossy poster may be difficult due to excessive light reflection. Select a matte finish and position the codes in areas with good lighting.

9. Outdated information on QR Codes

What’s happening: You’ve distributed flyers with a QR Code that points to an out-of-date page and a special deal that has expired.

How to correct it: To keep your QR Codes relevant, refresh the content frequently. Make sure the link is updated or forwarded to new material once the deal ends, for instance, if you made a QR Code for a seasonal promotion. Think about utilizing dynamic QR Codes, which let you modify the code’s location without having to print it again.

F. FAQs: Create my own QR Code

1. Why should I make a QR Code of my own?

You can customize a QR Code to meet your requirements, be it marketing, information sharing, or improving client experiences. 

To make it simpler for clients to interact with your brand, you might, for instance, include a QR Code on your promotional materials that leads directly to a special deal if you own a small business.

2. What kinds of content are QR Codes able to link to?

In response, QR Codes can connect to a variety of resources, such as Wi-Fi networks, websites, videos, social media accounts, and contact information. 

To help clients access your products instantaneously on their phones, you, as a restaurant owner, may, for instance, establish a QR Code that links straight to your online menu.

3. Do QR Codes expire?

The answer is that static QR Codes, which point to a fixed piece of material, never expire, however, the content they point to might. 

However, dynamic QR Codes provide you more freedom by enabling you to update the linked material without altering the QR Code itself. For example, you may quickly add fresh offers to a QR Code you’ve made for a seasonal campaign when the seasons change.

4. Does the process of making a QR Code come with any costs?

The cost of using web tools to create a basic QR Code is usually negligible. You might need to sign up for a subscription service, though, if you want to use more sophisticated features like tracking, customization, or dynamic QR Codes. 

For instance, a premium service can be worthwhile to pay for if you want a branded QR Code with analytics to monitor its effectiveness.

5. How do I proceed if my QR Code isn’t functioning?

If your QR Code needs to be scanned, look for typical problems such as broken links, thin text, or low contrast. 

Ensure it was printed correctly and try it on several devices. For instance, if a QR Code on your business card isn’t working, it can be too small or the URL might contain a typo. Check everything twice, then try fixing the problem once again.

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Summing up

That’s all there is to it—all the information required to make your own QR Codes from my QR Code generator. 

QRs are an extremely useful tool that may significantly boost your marketing efforts.

As always, the secret to using QR Codes successfully is to keep things simple. Your audience will respond better to it if you can make it easier and more seamless for them. 

Feel free to ask your questions or queries in the comments!