We all remember those black and white QR codes, that gained popularity about 7 years ago. They gained popularity among brands and marketers due to their ability to store a variety of information including URLs and contact information. And we certainly remember their terrible implementation. Luckily, they disappeared as quickly as they gained popularity.
However, they are back again. This time a little more useful. We can thank the Chinese app, WeChat, for their resurrection. We can also thank Snapchat for popularizing it in the west.
As you’ve likely noticed, Snapchat’s Snapcode has a striking resemblance to the QR Code. In large, they have been used similarly to QR codes. They have been added to brochures, posters, and various marketing materials encouraging people to add them on Snapchat.
Snapcodes functionality in the past has been limited. However, Sncapchat has been testing out new features including the ability to links to websites, unlock unique filters, and access to discovery content.
Facebook is also jumping on the QR code bandwagon. They started allowing you to add people and brands to your contacts on Messenger via a code. While that isn’t too exciting at the moment, as Facebook continues to make Messenger its own platform the technology will come to life. From customer service and shopping, there is great potential for this. Especially when you consider Facebook’s large investment in Messenger bots. Facebook also released the functionality to generate QR codes for Facebook events. The codes when scanned will bring up the Facebook event.
Everything Old is New Again
While it can be hard which platform or technology will be around for the long hull. One thing is certain, history repeats itself. And that certainly is true in the marketing world. From the resurrection of QR codes, and Instagram and Snapchat copying features from Vine to Facebook’s hat tip to Periscope with the ability to go live, everything old will continue to be new again.
While there is no way to be certain which platforms or features will be the next big thing. The moral here is platforms continue to iterate and borrow features from each other. With that said, it’s worth experimenting with the latest trends. These trends will certainly be back. When they do, you will have a bettering understanding of how your audience reacts to them.
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