The Beginner’s Guide to Adding QR Codes in WordPress for Smarter Marketing

WordPress is one of the most popular open source content management systems (CMS). As per Kinsta¹, WordPress powers approximately 43.66% of the websites on the internet. 

On the other hand, QR (Quick Response) codes have now become a powerful marketing tool. Marketers use them to provide seamless, instant, and contactless experiences to their audience/customers. 

Many of the marketers are now using these two-dimensional (2D) codes on their websites for various purposes. 

A common question is how to incorporate QR codes into WordPress for marketing purposes. This blog post is meant to answer this question. So, stick along to learn the ways to add QR codes in WordPress. 

Ways to Add QR Codes in WordPress

There are many ways you can opt for adding QR codes to a WordPress website. Three popular among them include:

1. Using a QR Code Plugin
2. Adding QR Code Manually
3. Writing a Custom Code

The third method, “Writing a Custom Code,” is quite challenging and requires highly professional coding skills. For that, you might have to hire a developer as well. 

Well, in our view, WordPress is meant to eliminate manual coding or keep it to a minimum level. That is why in our post, we are going to address only two of the top methods in detail. 

I. Using a QR Code Plugin

The first method is using a WordPress QR code plugin. Many such plugins are available in the WordPress repository. To install one, do the following: 

• Go to your WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New.
• Search for “QR Code”. Choose one with good reviews. 
• Install and activate. 

Once installed, go to the plugin settings and look for Add QR code. A better way is to follow the instructions mentioned in the plugin’s manual/screenshots. 

Many plugins will provide you with a short code that generates a code. Simply place the short code where you want to showcase your QR code. 

II. Adding QR Code Manually

There are many limitations of using a plugin, such as:

• They slow down the website speed. 
• Require subscription for customization features. 
• Prone to viruses and attacks. 

Due to the reasons mentioned above, many people avoid installing extra plugins just to add a QR code. But there is no need to worry. You can still manually add fully customized QR codes to your WordPress. 

Here’s how:

• Open your browser. 
• Search for QR Code Generator. 
• Open a reliable QR Code Generator. 
• Generate Code. 
• Download/Save as PNG. 

Once you have the QR code downloaded, go back to your WordPress dashboard. Open the page or post on which you want to embed the code. 

At the place (section/column) where you want to showcase the QR code, insert a new image block. If you are using the WordPress block editor, you can do this by pressing “/” and choosing “Image”. 

After adding the image block, you will see an upload option inside it. Click on it, upload your QR code image, and then click save. Next, do the dimensions adjustment for the block if needed. 

Once done, click the Update button at the top right side and open the page in a new window to check whether the QR code is appearing correctly or not. This is how you can add a QR code manually in WordPress. 

Why Add QR Codes Manually?

As we mentioned earlier, using a plugin to generate a QR code might involve costs, especially in case you need customization features. Plus, adding an extra plugin can also impact your website speed. 

By manually adding a free online QR code generator, you can save both cost and maintain your website speed. 

Smart Marketing Use-Cases for QR Codes in WordPress

So now you know how to add QR codes in WordPress. Now let’s talk about how you can use them for smarter marketing. Do not think of these codes as just a techy add-on. They can serve you for various marketing purposes. Below, we have addressed a few of them. 

1. Grow Your Social Media Following

Place QR codes on your website at prominent positions linking to your social media pages. Beneath these codes, add CTA’s like “Scan to Follow Us on Instagram.”. This reduces friction compared to writing handles manually. 

2. Newsletter Subscriptions

We have seen many WordPress admins complaining about fewer newsletter subscriptions. But when we conducted an audit, we found a common blunder that many have made – lengthy sign-up forms. 

However, by embedding a subscription link inside a QR code, you can make the process seamless for users. When someone scans it, they land right on the subscription setting (on/off). This eliminates the need to fill out lengthy sign-up forms. 

3. Collect Feedback or Reviews

Instead of asking customers to “visit your site and leave a review,” you can make use of a QR code. The one that leads your website visitors straight to your feedback form or testimonial page. The fewer steps they take, the more likely they are to share their thoughts.

4. Offer Discounts or Coupons

If your WordPress website is meant to sell products or is an e-commerce store, QR codes are meant for you. You can generate a QR code that points to a special landing page or coupon page on your WordPress store. 

By scanning this code, customers can access discount coupons and explore offers. Many of the e-commerce stores are doing the same. According to their experience, QR codes helped them boost conversions. 

Good Practices to Follow

Using QR codes for marketing is a great choice. But it only gives you better results when used strategically. For your convenience, we have shared some good practices to follow when using QR codes in WordPress for marketing purposes. 

• Keep the design of your QR code simple and scannable. Make use of good contrast but avoid clutter. 
• Must test your QR code before publishing. An online QR scanner will help you find out what information the code leads to. 
• Place the QR codes inside prominent sections of your website. For example, headers, side banners, pop-ups, etc. 
• Must write a CTA alongside or beneath your QR code. It will make your code more effective by clearly communicating its purpose to users. 

Final Talk

Using QR codes on WordPress websites for marketing purposes is a good strategy that many marketers are opting for. By following the two methods we shared in this blog post, you can generate and add QR codes to a WordPress website easily. Follow the steps as mentioned, but do not forget to stick to good practices while publishing it. 

Frequent Asked Questions About QR Codes In WordPress