QR codes are used to take prospects from an offline experience to an online experience on their smartphones. This specific application model implies certain usage guidelines. We’ve put together a list of our top 10 guidelines to help you give your prospects the best possible experience.

1. QR codes should support your business goals. See our prior post about the taco stand for an example of violating this.

2. Make sure the situation where the QR code appears actually enables your prospects to use it. A QR code on a billboard along a highway makes no sense, but a QR code in a store window or bus stop does.

3. Does your target audience have a smartphone? Smartphone penetration is very low among seniors ages 65 and older, so QR codes don’t make sense for products targeting them.

4. The QR code link should always take prospects to a site that rewards them for the effort of scanning. They took the time to get out their phones, wake them from sleep, open their scanner apps, scan the code, and wait for the browser to open the page. They expect to be rewarded for their time. Provide a uniquely pleasurable experience in the smartphone environment, like a mobile-optimized website or a video with unique content designed for smartphone viewing.

5. Reward scanners with a unique value that’s only available through scanning the code, like an exclusive coupon or a product.

6. Help people avoid unpleasant experiences. A tradeshow attendee may want to learn more about your product, but your booth is mobbed with people. A QR code on a booth wall could enable attendees to learn about your product without entering the booth.

7. QR codes can help extend the reach of your marketing channels. They make print a more valuable medium for an etailer because it reduces the effort required to move a prospect from viewing a printed ad to visiting a website.

8. Short encoded URLs are easier to scan. If a user has to try multiple scanners to capture the code, you will lose them. Ideally, print the short URL right next to the QR code, providing prospects a choice of entering the URL into a browser, photographing the URL for later reference, or scanning the code directly.

9. Provide content on the linked page that rewards prospects for sharing via text, Facebook, or Twitter. If your goal is to get prospects to share, make sure the shared content can be presented equally well on desktops and mobile devices.

10. QR codes can support games and broadcast results. Keep in mind that wherever you host your game, your players will need cell phone coverage.

Do you have a guideline for using QR codes that’s proved successful? Share it with us.