One of my favorite marketing tricks is the Quick Response (QR) code. I love the fact that it’s simple and inexpensive for a company to create, and it lets consumers use their beloved smartphones (which is probably what they’re doing when they see advertisements anyway). For someone like me who has zero eyes for good design and has had a smartphone for quite a few years, the QR codes seem perfect.

However, as I continued to research the codes and all their benefits, many people brought up the fact that the codes have a few limitations. First, they only work if you have a smartphone. Second, they are apparently very ugly. And third, you can’t email the URL destination to yourself. This makes the codes great for immediate viewing, but getting back to the site or looking at the site at another time isn’t really convenient for consumers.

With these downfalls at the forefront of the mind, mobile developer SpyderLynk developed the SnapTag. SnapTags hold the same function as QR codes, but without the limitations:

Why SnapTags Work for Everyone (and Every Phone)

 A snap tag is about the same size as a QR code but looks like the company logo with a ring around it. There are breaks along the surrounding ring that hold a specific code—the different the breaks in the ring, the different the code. The photo below shows four snap tags for Coke Zero; all with different breaks in the rings. This means that each of the tags will send a user to a different website on their phone.

SnapTags have a few benefits that set it apart from other quick response technology:

1. Phone – You do not have a smartphone to use SnapTags. As long as your phone system has a camera, you can take a picture of the code and then text it to an email address. Then when you get to a computer, you will have the URL ready for you in an email. You also have the option to text the URL to your phone or the phone of a friend as opposed to through email.
2. Branding – Because the codes look exactly like the company logo (because they are the company logo), they will help your branding efforts. This will help improve the visibility of your logo and make a difference when it comes to recognition from consumers.
3. Metrics – SnapTags allow you to measure how many people snap a photo of your code and how many snaps a code receives. According to SpyderLynk, the metrics and codes are highly customizable, so you can make sure you’re getting the data that interests you.

The only thing that QR Codes offer that SnapTags do not is the price. While QR Codes are free, SnapTags come at a price. Prices differ based on the number of codes you want, so you can check out prices on the SpyderLynk website. However, there are many reasons that these little codes are worth the extra pennies.

Why SnapTags are Worth the Extra Pennies

SnapTags are great because they offer another medium for users to access your website. This will help drive traffic to your website and make it easily accessible to those on the go. They are small, easy to create, and easy to print, so they work great in brochures, newspapers, billboards, and other ads you might find while away from your computer.

The technology also capitalizes on the popularity of cell phones. Whether it’s a smart phone or what my sister likes to call a “dumb” phone, people are attached. People are constantly checking their phones for messages or surfing the Internet; there is rarely a time when Americans aren’t carrying their phones. This makes SnapTags all the more appealing. Then give individuals a reason to use their beloved phones, and people are comfortable doing so; thus making SnapTags quite popular.

Photo Credit: digitalbrandmarketing.com

Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to voip phone systems. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including document software to small businesses and entrepreneurs for the top lead generation company, Resource Nation.