How To: Get Creative with QR Code Design

How To: Get Creative with QR Code Design · 1 | Colorize · 2 | Use high contrast · 3 | Skip a dark background · 4 | Add an image · 5 | Reshape the edges · 6 | Keep it ... Menu Login SignUp Menu Login SignUp Start Product Learn EmailUs [email protected] HowTo:GetCreativewithQRCodeDesign AcustomQRCodedesigncreatesinterestandvaluetoyourmobilecampaign.WhetherthegoalistocreateabrandedCodethatintegratesyourcompanylogooronethatfollowsaspecifictheme,therearemanypossibilities.ThisisyourguidetocreatingabeautifulyetfunctionalQRCodedesign. 1|Colorize QRCodesdonothavetobestandardblackandwhiteinordertobescanned.Addingcoloristheeasiestwaytomakethemlivelyanddrawattentionfromconsumers.Youcanincorporateyourbrandorcampaignthemedependingonthegoalorcontentyouwanttoprovide.ColorthewholeCodeoronlycertainelementsliketheeyeswhicharethepositioningmarksthatindicatethedirectiontheCodeisprinted(learnmoreabouttheQRCodestructurehere).Playaroundwithdifferentpossibilitiesandknowthatyoudon'thavetosticktoonecolorwithQRCodes. 2|Usehighcontrast WhenitcomestocoloredQRCodes,pickcolorsforyourbackgroundandforegroundthataredistinctlyincontrastwitheachother.ThisisbecausemostscanningappshavedifficultyreadingCodesthatarefadedortoomonochromatic.Alsokeepinmindthatcolorsmayvaryslightlyafterprinting,sopastelhuesthataretoosoftmaycomeoutlighterthanitlooksonscreen.AlwayschoosecontrastingcolorstobeconfidentthatyourQRCodeisscannable. 3|Skipadarkbackground WhenthebackgroundisdarkerthantheQRCode’sforeground,it’scalledaninvertedCode.ThesetypesofCodestypicallyhaveadarkbackgroundsuchasblack,navyordarkgrey.WhileafewscannerscanreadaninvertedCode,someappsarenotabletoscanthem.SamegoesifyourQRCodehasatransparentbackground,sothinkaboutyourcolorschemethenexttimeyoudecidetoprintonadarkposter.TomakesurethatyourQRCodeisscannable,stickwithalightcoloredbackgroundanddarkforeground. 4|Addanimage Anotherwaytocaptureyourcustomer'sattentionisbyplacinganimageintothecenterofyourQRCode.Thiscouldbeashortphraselike“ScanMe!”orassimpleasyourbusinesslogo.Choosingillustrationsforyourlogoisidealsincemoredetailedimages(ex:acompanygroupphoto)cancomeoffdistortedandblurry.Alwaysuseanimagethatissharpandclear.YourimageshouldbeplacedinthecenteroftheCodetoavoidobstructinganyelementswhichareimportantfortheCode’sreadability.YouwanttheimagetoenhanceyourCode,noteclipseitsocustomerscanstillscantheQRCode. 5|Reshapetheedges Aswithcolors,youcandesignyourQRCodebyslightlyreshapingtheedgesor“eyes”.Youcanuseavarietyofshapesbutthekeyissubtlety.Youdon’twanttheedgestocompletelyreshapeyourQRCode.KeepinmindthatextremedeviationfromaQRCode’soverallshapewillmakeitunrecognizableandunscannablewhichultimatelyresultsinfewerscans. 6|Keepitsquare WhenyoucustomizeandresizeyourQRCode,aimtokeepitaproportionalsquare.Creatingdistortionslikeangledslants,bevelsorstretchingtheCodeactuallycausesittobeunreadable.ThisisexactlythecaseforQRCodesthatareextravagantlyreshaped,theyaredifficulttodecodebyalmostanyscanningapp.KeepinganoverallsquareshapewillallowyourcustomerstostillbeabletorecognizeandsuccessfullyscanyourQRCodewiththeapptheyhavealreadyinstalledontheirdevices. 7|Mindthequietzone ThequietzoneisthespacearoundtheQRCodethat’simportantforscannerstodistinguishtheCodefromitssurroundings.IfthedistancebetweenthepixelsoftheCodeandthesurroundingelementsistoosmall,itcan’tbescanned.TheruleofthumbistohaveaquietzonethatisatleastfourtimesthewidthofthemodulesofyourQRCode.Modulesarethe(typically)blackpixelsthatformtheCode.AlsowhenyouenteralotofinformationintotheCode,pixelsgetsmallerandmorecomplextoaccommodatethatamountofdata.Whenthishappens,don’ttrytocompensatebyreducingthequietzoneperimeter. 8|Makeitstandout IsyourQRCodebigenoughtostandoutonyourdesign?SinceCodesprovidehighvalueinformation,theyshouldn’tbetuckedawayinthebackofyourbrochurewherenobodywillbothertoscanthem.ToosmallCodescanendupunnoticedorevenunscannable.Toincreaseyourchancesofgettingmorescans,placeittowardsthecenterofyourlayoutforeasyscanningaccessibilityandmakeitaslargeaspossible.ThegoalistoattractuserattentionandmakethemscanyourQRCode. 9|Includeacalltoaction WhywouldacustomerscanyourQRCode?WiththecaseofCodes,yourcontentisavailableatalltimes,waitingforyourcustomerstotakeactionbyscanning.Initiatebytellingthemwhattoexpectwhentheyscan.YoucaneitherplacethecalltoactioninthecenterofyourQRCodeasanimageorarounditifyourCodealreadyhasalogothere.OurcustomdesignedQRCodeFramesaretheperfectsolution.FramesarecolorfulborderswithdifferentCTAmessagesthathelpyougetmorescans.CheckoutourfreeQRCodeFrameshere. AlwaysTest AfternotingthedifferentwaystodesignyourQRCode,thefinalstepshouldbetotestitwithvariousscanningappstoensurethatitisreadable.Whenyoureready,checkoutourguideonHowToPrintQRCodesCorrectly. AlwaysTest AfternotingthedifferentwaystodesignyourQRCode,thefinalstepshouldbetotestitwithvariousscanningappstoensurethatitisreadable.Whenyoureready,checkoutourguideonHowToPrintQRCodesCorrectly. Sharevia Facebook Twitter GooglePlus Email LearnmoreaboutQRCodesinthenextarticle: Top10TipsforPrintingQRCodes ReadtheArticle BacktoLibrary Getyour14-DAYTRIALofQRCodeGeneratorPRO Testallfeaturesforfreeandwithoutobligation StartNow