Tag Archive for: 2021 marketing strategy

Is QR Code Marketing For You?

In a world of smartphones and 5G connectivity, QR codes have finally taken off in the world digital marketing.

QR codes have been around since the 1990s, but their use has only recently become common practice. Governments have played a prominent role in this development, bringing QR codes into the mainstream with their use during Covid-19 pandemic response efforts.

How do you know if QR Code marketing is for you? Let’s find out.

The Origin of QR Code Marketing

QR codes were invented in 1994 by a Japanese automotive company called Denso Wave. They created them for the purpose of tracking vehicles throughout production. The code pattern was inspired by a game called “Go” an abstract strategy game known for black and white pieces. Each QR code is uniquely designed so that it can be tied back to a piece of online data.

Codes can be read from all directions, so that the user can scan it quickly and land on the web page immediately. Before the pandemic, many thought the QR code had failed to reach its potential. However, COVID-19 had made QR codes to the center of public attention. Restaurants quickly popularized QR codes so customers can be instantly directed to their online menu.

Over 83% of American consumers have canned a QR code at least one, and 72% of people have scanned a QR code within the last month. Creating unique QR codes is a simple task that anyone can do. Nowadays, there are many free online QR code generators that can create them in a matter of seconds.

Since anyone and everyone has now jumped on board to QR code marketing, is there creative ways to implement them into your strategy? Let’s explore some examples of QR Code marketing methods.

Examples of QR Code Marketing

  • Coinbase

Coinbase is a great example of simple yet effective. During the 2022 Super Bowl, the brand created one of the most popular ads that displayed a bouncing QR code. Users could can the code and gain access to $15 worth of free bitcoin if they signed up for an account. Even though the ad slot cost them $13 million, their main goal was to attract attention – which worked. Their website crashed shortly after the ad went live due to a massive surge in web traffic.

  • Starbucks

Starbucks is another coffee retailer who has been incorporating mobile into its everyday initiatives. The Starbucks Card mobile application is now accepted at many Target and Starbucks stores, making it one of the largest mobile payment initiative in the U.S.

The mobile application lets Starbucks customers check their card balance, reload the card and view transactions. The new QR code initiative shows that Starbucks is using mobile to further engage with consumers.

Benefits of QR Codes

As the examples showed, QR codes offer a lot more marketing potential than one might initially think. They are cheap, ubiquitous, and can be used very creatively. Brands today are already taking advantage of QR codes in marketing campaigns so think about how you can also use them to achieve:

– Increased brand awareness

– Increased traffic to your website or blog

– More sales of your products or services

Why Onimod Global

At Onimod Global, one of our main goals is to develop ‘Digital Synergy’ for your company. ‘Digital Synergy’ is about having visibility in the places your consumer needs you, including introducing QR codes for your brand. Every search request is an opportunity; each action on a social site is an opportunity. Having the correct brand, product or service positioning is essential.

We align marketing departments with sales and executive directions. Our consultative approach streamlines and organizes the marketing conversation for your business.  Got questions about QR codes or want to learn more about our services? Contact us here today.

What Will Influencer Marketing Look Like in 2021

It’s fairly safe to say that 2020 was a tough year for us all, in personal and professional life. We have all needed to adjust to the new normal. One industry that was heavily impacted was influencer marketing, where they saw a sharp decline in the value of their content as people moved indoors and grappled with the loss that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on the world. What does this mean for the future of influencer marketing in 2021? Experts at Onimod Global took a deep dive into the topic to help you decide when it’s appropriate to use an influencer, and how that will change in the upcoming decade.

Where influencer marketing began

Initially, before brands used celebrity endorsements, they used characters to evoke empathy from consumers such as Santa Claus for Coca Cola and Tony the Tiger for Kellogg’s cereals. The next wave included all sorts of celebrity and public figure endorsements. This helped brands to get their consumers to connect the dots between brand, trust, and recommendations by public figures.

Then entered the influencer era: where celebrity endorsements are still popular, but now they have to compete with “normal” personalities. Influencers are similar to characters in the sense that they still perform the role of someone in an ad on social media but they are, and very well could be, your neighbors; just with hundreds of thousands of followers online. Influencer marketing has boomed in popularity over the last years, especially in the fashion and lifestyle industries. Consumers that would once shop based on cool advertising and customer reviews, have changed their ways and will buy based on a raving review from their favorite influencer. Today, influencer marketing is worth a reported $10 billion dollars, and now every social platform has been involved in some way.

Impact of microinfluencers

While the influencers and celebrities with an established audience of hundreds of thousands of followers can make a significant impact on your overall sales, they can also take a massive toll on your company’s wallet. This is why brands also opt for “microinfluencers”, or social media personalities with a lower follower count.

Their content is usually centered around a very niche passion or community, some examples being health & beauty, trucking & logistics, or travel. The most incredible USP about microinfluencers is that they can have an engagement rate of nearly 60% versus that of a celebrity doing something similar. While being a cost effective option for a brand that wants to get involved in influencer marketing, they are also seen as very trustworthy source of information.

The future of influencer marketing

What’s up next for the future of influencer marketing? The first change we’ve seen thus far is influencers beginning to charge for exclusive content on Instagram and other platforms. Some charge a monthly fee to become a “Close Friend” on Instagram, while others are trialling WeChat’s new paywalls. In effect, content quality is becoming a focus.

However, this has the potential to also be a benefit for brands. If the influencers they work with are more invested in producing high quality content, they could be more likely to develop stronger partnerships with a select number of brands. “It will enable influencers to avoid having ‘one night stands’ with brands and rather focus on creating long-term ambassadorships with brands that are truly authentic to their lifestyle,” says Krishna Subramanian, CEO of influencer marketing and branded content firm Captiv8.

Private fan subscriptions are just one of many changes we predict will happen in the next decade, and Onimod Global experts will be sure to keep you up to date on all new influencer marketing news.

More from Onimod Global

Onimod Global is looking forward to the future and helping your business reach your full digital potential. Interested in growing your digital presence for your company? Reach out to us here!

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