QR code marketing has become an essential and irreplaceable way to direct target audiences to landing pages, social media channels, calendars, ticket sales, sustainability information, and the list goes on.
But a QR code generator with tracking enables you to evaluate whether people are actually using it and if it’s achieving your initial goals. This detail is necessary for adapting your campaigns and measuring the success of the code.
In this article, we’ll share useful information with you about QR code tracking and how to analyze its performance for marketing campaigns that drive solid results. You’ll also learn how to track QR codes in Google Analytics below.
What are the benefits of QR code tracking?
Depending on your objectives and what kind of code you have made, you can track a QR code based on different insights you want to obtain. Here are a few different examples of the benefits of QR code tracking according to different types of QR codes. But the possibilities remain limitless as your needs will vary.
A Website QR Code enables you to track how many scans were made to your landing page. After that, you can evaluate your drop-off point on your own. This shows you where people lost interest in the content.
A vCard QR Code allows you to see how many people are interested in keeping in contact with you. QR codes on business cards aren’t only fantastic for quick and accurate information sharing, but are also useful for telling you if your networking seminar drove the results you were looking for. Was it your crowd or your presentation that needed modifications? Use a business card QR code the next time you go to a work event and discover how many people stored your contact information in their phones.
Convert a PDF to QR code in no time. They aren’t just useful for PDF files too big to email. QR code analytics will tell you how many people were actually interested in the content promised to them. You can evaluate what they chose to do with that information afterwards.
Multi Link QR Codes are amazing for sharing all types of contact information, maps, landing pages, social media channels, and whatever else you can think of. While QR code tracking is for the entire code in and of itself, you can see in additional tools, depending on where you directed the audience, how many people are engaging and what they are doing accordingly.
If it’s of interest to you, a WiFi QR Code can be tracked if you own a public space like a cafe, to compare how many people are using your free WiFi with how many are actually buying your products.
A barcode QR code generator with a GS1-approved digital link can be used for any supply chain process, so if you want to see scans in real-time, from production to end consumer, you can view QR code scans, locations, devices that scanned, times of day, and on what days they were scanned. This is extremely insightful based on your needs.
You can also batch generate QR codes and receive analytics about each one if it’s useful for your campaigns. Trueqrcode Bulk QR Code generation includes analytics with no extra setup from the QR code creator, just like every other code we offer.
Track a QR code with Trueqrcode
Concentrate on important metrics that indicate how effectively your audience interacts with your QR codes. These QR code analytics will assist you in recognizing trends and opportunities to optimize future campaigns. All of these are automatic and in real-time in your account dashboard. There’s no need for technical skills or setup on your part. Just scan and enjoy your dynamic QR code analytics!
Scan Rate
The scan rate indicates how many times a QR code has been scanned. Although a high scan rate might suggest that your QR code is gaining interest, it’s essential to assess additional metrics to evaluate the real impact of your campaign. A high scan rate along with low conversion rates may indicate that your landing page or offer is not compelling enough for the audience to take action or engage.
Location Data
If you’re running a localized marketing campaign in different cities, understanding the origin of most of your scans enables you to assess if you are targeting the appropriate audience. Or maybe the place you printed the QR code was inconvenient, there’s no foot traffic, or there was a higher head count at a certain event. QR code tracking is included with our dynamic QR code generator. However, QR code analytics must be critiqued by the creator for campaign adaptation and success based on your goals.
Device and Operating System (OS)
Understanding the devices and operating systems utilized by your audience can assist in customizing your landing pages or digital assets. If the majority of your scans come from mobile devices, the connected content should be optimized for mobile phones. This information enables you to improve user experience by guaranteeing smooth interactions, whether on iOS or Android. A barcode QR code with a GS1 Digital Link would have different devices scanning based on moves made in the supply chain.
Time of Scan
Pinpoint peak engagement hours by monitoring when your QR codes are scanned. This is especially beneficial when running time-sensitive promotional deals or campaigns. For example, if your codes are primarily scanned during lunch or after office hours, you can schedule your marketing messages to enhance conversions.
How to track QR codes with Google Analytics
You can also track QR codes in Google Analytics to compare them with other web traffic sources. To do this:
- Select the landing page where the QR code will direct users.
- Add UTM parameters to the URL to track campaign details. (See below)
- Use URL shorteners to shorten the link.
- Copy the shortened, UTM-enhanced link (the UTM URL).
- Go to Trueqrcode’s QR Code Generator.
- Generate a QR code and add said URL.
- Test scan and look at the QR code analytics. Sometimes the data shows up in GA4 a couple of days later.
- Implement the QR code into your print or digital marketing materials.
When users scan the QR code, Google Analytics records the UTM data, allowing you to monitor traffic sources and evaluate the code’s performance in your QR code analytics reports.
What’s a UTM parameter?
UTM parameters (Urchin Tracking Module) are short texts that are added to the end of URLs to measure the success of digital marketing campaigns, which tell analytics tools such as Google Analytics where traffic is coming from, i.e., (source, medium, campaign, term, content).
You don’t need to add these just to track a QR code in Trueqrcode’s dashboard, but you need them if you’re interested in tracking QR codes in Google Analytics.
You need at least 3: a utm_medium, a utm_source, and a utm_campaign.
- A utm_medium could be where the QR code was printed. QR code tracking from a billboard for instance, could use billboard in the description.
- A utm_source could be new_york, if it’s coming from the only QR code you’re tracking on a billboard from New York.
- A utm_campaign would be the most specific description, such as: summer_concert_2026.
You can find a URL builder online and just input the information, and it will generate the UTM URL. Then shorten the URL with another free tool online.
Tips to Analyze QR Code Performance
Here are three tips for evaluating QR code effectiveness once data has been gathered:
Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
What KPIs correspond with your goals? KPIs may encompass scanning frequency, conversion rates, user engagement, etc. Defining clear KPIs beforehand aids in assessing whether the QR code campaign aligns with your expectations or needs adjustments.
Segment Data for Better Understanding
Don’t only focus on your overall results. Instead, analyze the data by dividing it into categories such as device type, location, or time of day. This will help you spot trends and gain a clearer understanding of your QR code’s performance so you can customize your upcoming campaigns for that particular segment.
Adjust Your Campaigns Accordingly
If a specific design or URL is underperforming, update it based on the learnings. Do A/B testing by experimenting with different strategies, such as changing the placement or content of QR codes. Keep tracking so you can see how modifications affect outcomes.
Notice Where Engagement Ends
QR code analytics actually go far beyond only QR code tracking. Did they scan the code, but no one followed your Instagram? Did they not sign up for the newsletter? Are they spending time on the landing pages that the URLs are connected to? Your drop-off analysis is extremely telling about pinpointing where you need more fruitful content. Or maybe the UX on the page wasn’t great. People want to scan codes that lead to enriching experiences.
Common QR Code Tracking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
QR code analytics are necessary for improving your campaign strategy, but many businesses make common mistakes that lead to inaccurate or incomplete data. Here are five big ones to avoid:
Avoiding UTM parameters when tracking QR codes in Google Analytics
Not including UTM parameters in your QR code URLs means you won’t be able to distinguish QR code traffic from other sources in Google Analytics. If these tags are missing, your QR code scans might be categorized as direct or referral traffic, complicating the assessment of campaign success.
Using static vs. dynamic QR codes
It’s important to know the difference between a static vs. dynamic QR code, and that a static QR code does not offer QR code tracking. All of Trueqrcode’s QR codes are dynamic. That also means that they are editable on the backend without reprinting the code so you can adapt campaigns or add fresh content when needed. The flexibility is desired and best for long-term success, especially now with the launch of 2D barcodes. However, this really depends on your use and necessities.
Neglecting mobile optimization
People scan QR codes on mobile phones, period. Therefore, the linked pages need to be mobile-optimized. When users are unable to perform any actions on your site simply because they cannot access certain features, it adversely affects your conversion rates. A slow-loading page, a lack of proper mobile optimization, and dysfunctional links drive visitors away.
Ignoring engagement beyond scan counts
Numerous marketers concentrate solely on the scan counts, but this fails to convey the complete picture. Tracking isn’t analyzing. Monitoring post-scan actions like time spent on the page, bounce rates, and conversions, offers a greater understanding of whether your QR code or the content provided there is genuinely promoting engagement and conversions.
Not testing QR codes before launching them
Not testing your QR code before deployment can result in problems such as broken links, inaccurate UTM tracking, or formatting issues that render the code unreadable. Consistently check on various devices and scanning applications to confirm seamless performance before launching it in your campaign. Just because you can correct content after, doesn’t mean you should launch unedited pages that make you lose credibility with your audience.
By steering clear of these errors, you can guarantee that your QR code tracking yields precise, useful data to enhance your marketing initiatives.
Final Thoughts
QR code tracking and analysis are the keys to marketing campaign success. By monitoring and analyzing important parameters like scan rates, geolocation, types of devices, and conversions, you can understand how your audience engages with your campaigns. Then, using the data, you can fine-tune your QR code strategies to enhance engagement and achieve greater outcomes.
Get started with the top QR code generator and experience the difference!
