14 years
HI-USA is adding QR codes to our 2011 Hostel Directory to allow people with smartphones to instantly access hostel web pages.
We are also introducing QR codes on our rack cards that direct people to the hostel's location.
2D Barcodes (QR Codes) for Hostels
Internet Marketing
About three years ago I mentioned something called 2D barcodes:
http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forum/f25/end-printed-guidebook-370.html#post1637
It has taken a while for them to catch on, but I am seeing them in more places now.
If you have a smart phone like an iPhone, Blackberry, or Android, you should be able to take a picture of this barcode with your phone and then automatically get taken to a webpage.
As more travelers carry mobile devices, the barcodes will become more popular.
You can put the 2D barcodes anywhere -- billboards, posters, receipts, products, flyers, etc. There are many possibilities. You could put them on hostel rack flyers and guests could take a photo of the rack flyer and be instantly taken to a mobile version of your Web site that has directions to the hostel with interactive street maps.
To generate a barcode for your hostel's website, try some of these QR code generators.
- Comments
14 years
I've no problem with these barcodes... but is it really that hard to type in a website? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a neat technology but it's only good for single use - beyond that, people remember websites and they dont really carry around flyers. So you can possibly get people to visit your website once with the barcode - though in all honesty, I'd wager that since its so specific to phones, most people are likely to just note the website and visit that directly - and then after theyve visited, theyre still going to remember the website.
Sounds a bit like voice recognition to me - my old iPhone had pretty good voice recognition software but every time I wanted to dial or choose a song, I still use the menus. It's a cool technology that will certainly have its uses but at the same time, its filling a very niche market rather than holding broad appeal and will probably take a while to catch on. The web is still overwhelming built around computers (be they desktops or laptops) rather than smart phones; lets face it, surfing the web on a 3' screen is a pain in the ass. Technologies/software that can be used easily on both platforms are the ones likely to take off in the short to medium term, rather than the ones limited to phones OR computers.
IMHO, that is.
14 years
I don't think its necessarily a replacement for typing in a web address, but perhaps a way to avoid multiple urls for contests, targeted marketing etc., as well as creating a more specialized experience for a mobile user, and providing analytics through bit.ly and other services that can tell you how many people scanned that barcode, as opposed to general data that applies to the entire website.
As you say, surfing the web on a 3" screen is not an optimal experience, but what if the QR code allowed users to jump right to a mobile optimized version of the site that provides information, and booking service without the pinching/zooming etc.
14 years
Down the road from where I am, there was a large billboard with the same kind of barcode; it was for a jeans company. I don't have a smart phone, so how do I know? They had their logo plastered down in the bottom corner of the billboard (I'm in Bangkok btw). I never really paid attention but I find it hard to believe many people were walking down the road and went 'oh, whats that? i'll take a photo and see which website it takes me to'. In fact, I had to explain to a lot of people what it was; including people with smart phones (mostly iPhones). These barcodes have been around for quite a while (over 18 months that I've been accurely aware of, no doubt in some areas far longer) and they havent taken off - why? well, because for most people, the internet is still a computer based 'thing'. Sure, your smart phone is good for email and facebook but in all honesty other web pages are pretty useless. Even the web optimized ones 'know' that you're on a mobile and will redirect.
Is it a pretty neat idea? Absolutely. Will it take the world by storm? No. Is it worth investing time and energy into if you're an independent hostel? Debatable. Most travelers still dont use mobile apps when traveling (has anyone ever looked at data-roaming charges?!?!?) and when they do, theyre using wifi... which isnt where these ads are posted or where mobile technology is most useful.
Give me an app that can read the text of a website and take me there - THAT would be useful. It doesnt double up on the information or exclude those of us without smart phones or incapable of using them given the contest. I can remember a website, if I can take a snap of it and my phone will direct me there, fantastic. If i dont have a phone, I can just remember it. Point being, focusing exclusively on mobile technology isnt that helpful because a) most people use a computer rather than a phone and more importantly b) most travelers use their smart phones in Wifi enabled areas, not remotely. oddly enough, these same people tend to have a laptop/netbook with them.
Now that I think of it... that would be a far better idea; someone go and make a program that can read the text of a website address printed on almost anything and I think you'll be onto a winner! Cool technology =/= useful technology, certainly not in its infancy.
14 years
These barcodes have been around for quite a while (over 18 months that I've been accurely aware of, no doubt in some areas far longer) and they havent taken off - why?
I think it depends on whether a country has mobile phones that are capable of reading the codes. When I was in Japan three years ago, the codes were everywhere already: posters, restaurant menus, convenience store receipts. I think regular Japanese phones have the capability to read the codes, even if they aren't smart phones.
Just brainstorming a few groups who might scan 2-D barcodes:
- Domestic travelers with smart phones.
- Some of the US phone companies offer overseas data plans. A traveler can pay $50 to $100 for a month of data.
- Anyone who takes their phone with them to use with WiFi, could still scan the bar codes on rack cards that they see when they are inside the hostel.
Give me an app that can read the text of a website and take me there - THAT would be useful.
Google has an app for that: :)
[video=youtube;Hhgfz0zPmH4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hhgfz0zPmH4[/video]
14 years
There are some interesting uses of QR codes here, including a hotel to be made from the barcodes:
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/03/18/an-entire-hotel-built-out-of-qr-code-and-other-great-qr-strategies/
More about the QR Code hotel is here:
http://www.soehnepartner.com/projekte/hotel/studio-city-hotel/28-178.htm
13 years
Now there's a website for it -- check it out:
http://hostelqr.com/
It appears to be based in New Zealand.
13 years
Did anyone try to use this website http://hostelqr.com/ ?
I was under the impression I can do it for free but I consider using the payed option.
13 years
I believe TAGOmobile is the best 2D barcode generator that everyone can use in their businesses when it comes to QR Code campaign. At TAGO you can create various types of 2d barcode and modify them whenever you want, you can edit the data and re-link them without creating a new QR Code. What is also good about with TAGO is that they also offer QR Code tracking, with this feature you can trail down if your QR Code campaign is a success or a failure and make a necessary action at once.
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