Imagine combining the power of the internet with your real-world experiences. What if you could look at a piece of furniture in a store and visualize it directly in your home, or be transported to eras past at a history museum? It’s all possible with augmented reality technology.
Many brands are already using augmented reality experiences as part of their marketing campaigns. QR Codes for marketers are a very effective way to facilitate these campaigns. Users can scan QR Codes with their smartphones to transport directly to augmented reality content. Here’s how to use QR Codes for augmented reality and what to expect from this exciting new technology.
Note: The examples in this article were found during our online research.
What is augmented reality?
Augmented reality (AR) blends technology with the user’s environment. AR experiences use cameras and sensors to capture images, sounds, and more. This technology imposes images, video, sounds, and text on top of your environment to enhance it. While AR technology is relatively new, it’s gaining traction as 32% of adults have already used some form of mobile augmented reality.
You may have heard the terms “augmented reality” and “virtual reality” used interchangeably before. AR and VR often use similar software and imaging technologies. However, augmented reality interacts with the world around it, while virtual reality does not.
How augmented reality works
Augmented reality is often used in smartphones, tablets, and smart glasses. There are options available for both iOS and Android systems, so there’s a good chance you already have AR technology available at your fingertips. It’s also sometimes used in video game consoles.
Cameras and sensors in these pieces of technology collect information about the world around them. Then, they use software to interpret and respond to that environment. The software then generates responsive digital content.
Real-life examples of augmented reality
We’ve already seen augmented reality used in many different industries to create interactive experiences. Some popular examples include:
- AR Gaming: Pokémon Go was the first major video game to use AR technology. You can interact with the AR map to catch Pokemon in their environment. Since then, many franchises have launched similar AR games of their own, including Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs, Jurassic World Alive, and The Walking Dead: Our World.
- Interior design: Industry leaders like Wayfair, IKEA, and Amazon use AR technology to help you visualize how a piece of furniture would fit in your home. This is particularly helpful for virtual apartment staging, as it allows you to picture how your existing decor would fit in a new space before moving in. QR Codes for realtors make it easy to share these AR experiences during showings.
- Healthcare: Medical schools can use AR to help students learn important medical procedures without practicing on real patients. For example, New York University now offers entire courses in AR and VR technology. This market is projected to see a 22.5% compound annual growth rate between 2023 and 2027.
- Beauty: Beauty brands like Sephora have launched AR apps where you can “try on” makeup products before making a purchase. This makes it easier for consumers to find the right shade.
- Cars: Car manufacturers like Kia and Mercedes-Benz are now including AR technology in their vehicles. For example, many vehicles now have parking assistant tools, which superimpose lines on a rear-view camera for more precise parking. Some new vehicles even have AR features on the windshield so you can check their speed and navigation while driving without looking down.
- Tourism: Augmented reality is very effective for self-guided tours in new cities. As you walk through new areas, you’ll get information about the history and culture of the area, as well as helpful directions and recommendations. For example, the World Around Me app allows you to scan your environment with a camera and find restaurants, shops, transit options, and more.
Why should you consider integrating QR Codes with AR?
Give your audience easy access to your immersive AR experiences with QR Codes. Scanning an AR QR Code sends users to your content in seconds. Here are some of the benefits of combining these two exciting technologies.
Elevating user engagement
With QR Codes, you can send consumers directly from your brick-and-mortar stores, events, social media pages, or website directly to your online AR experience. This boosts engagement with your AR app and streamlines the customer experience.
Improving marketing strategies
You can pair QR Codes with many of your existing marketing strategies, including social media marketing, email marketing, and even in-person marketing. This connects your AR technology to your existing marketing strategy to enhance it and make it more interactive.
Increasing accessibility
QR Codes make augmented reality more accessible to your audience. There’s no need to remember long URLs or app names—instead, customers can just scan the code with their device. Additionally, many people already know how to use a QR Code, making the user experience a simple and intuitive one.
Gaining valuable insights
Dynamic QR Codes track user data and analytics, which provides valuable insights about your AR content. For example, you’ll be able to see the number of scans you’ve received, where they’re coming from, and the types of devices they’re on.
This information will help you identify who is scanning your QR Codes to learn more about your audience. You can also use this data to improve your AR marketing strategies for even more success.
Adopting emerging technologies
AR is a cutting-edge technology, so using it can boost your brand image. Investing in AR will help you get ahead of your competitors and show that you care about offering high-quality immersive experiences. Using augmented reality QR Codes will add to this and make your marketing strategy even more tech-forward.
Potential use cases for QR Codes in augmented reality
There are so many ways to use QR Codes with augmented reality features—the opportunities for creativity are endless.
Retail
Augmented reality can enhance an in-person shopping experience with e-commerce features. For example, you can place QR Codes next to product displays in your store. These QR Codes could lead to product tutorials, interactive product testing, or responsive store guides.
This puts so much helpful product information at your users’ fingertips to help them make better shopping decisions. It also makes your store the place to be and incentivizes in-person shopping trips, rather than online browsing.
Education
Augmented reality can help bring your educational content to life for a more impactful learning experience. Many people learn best with interactive content, rather than just reading or listening to new information. AR helps schools teach these kinesthetic learners more effectively.
We’ve already mentioned the use of AR in medical schools, which helps students practice healthcare procedures digitally before performing them on real patients. However, there are many other ways to implement this concept in schools. For example, AR could assist in animal dissections in biology classes or help students create 3D models of engineering prototypes.
To facilitate these exercises, schools can put QR Codes linking to AR technology in classrooms. This could take the form of printed QR Codes on desks or QR Codes on a smartboard.
Museums and galleries
Many museums already use QR Codes to share guided audio tours and other informational materials with their visitors. Take this a step further with augmented reality technology that immerses visitors in your content.
For example, visitors could hold their cameras over an ancient artifact to see photos and animations depicting how it looked when it was new, transporting them to a bygone era. Natural history museums could use QR Codes to superimpose images and videos on top of reconstructed skeletons and other biological artifacts. You can even make your museum more fun and exciting for kids with augmented reality scavenger hunts and games.
Make sure your content is accessible to all visitors by placing QR Codes conveniently throughout the museum. Include clear labels and place them in highly visible areas so everyone can join in.
Advertising
Brands can use augmented reality to advertise their products, allowing the audience to try things before making a purchase. With an AR ad, your users could interact with a digital 3D version of the product and see its features in action. You can also add some novelty with interactive video content superimposed on real-world environments.
To use AR content as part of your advertising strategy, include QR Codes linking to the URL in your ads. QR Codes are very easy to place on billboards, print ads, or TV ads to help you reach your audience.
Entertainment
Augmented reality has proven to be very effective in the entertainment industry. Behind-the-scenes content and fan experiences for popular movies, TV shows, and music are sure to get your audience excited. AR could even be used to create immersive movie trailers, make live concerts more interactive, or bring video game content to life.
To use AR in this context, place QR Codes on signs throughout your entertainment venue. You can also place QR Codes in video games or in movie trailers for easy scanning.
The future of interactive technology: QR and AR
AR technology is just getting started, and we can expect to see it used in more creative ways in years to come. Data sensors are becoming increasingly precise, which results in a more realistic AR experience. We’ve also seen generative AI go mainstream over the past few years, which will make it easier to develop responsive and generative AR experiences.
QR Codes will play a very important role in the expansion of AR technology. These digital barcodes are a natural fit for AR, as they also use smartphone cameras. Today’s QR Code technology is sophisticated, with advanced customization and tracking options to help you do more with your marketing campaigns.
Explore the unmatched potential of QR Codes and AR with Bitly
AR is a groundbreaking technology that can open up so many possibilities for unique and memorable consumer experiences. With Bitly’s QR Code generator, you can create stylish custom QR Codes for your AR experience. Add your logo and other branding elements to make your Dynamic QR Codes more personal, and edit them whenever you need to for flexible marketing campaigns.
With Bitly, generating powerful QR Codes and bringing your AR experience to your audience is easier than ever. Find the Bitly plan to help you reach your marketing goals!