Free tier, no card requiredDynamic QR codes that update after printGDPR-compliant scan analyticsBuilt for agencies, freelancers & in-house teamsFree tier, no card requiredDynamic QR codes that update after printGDPR-compliant scan analyticsBuilt for agencies, freelancers & in-house teamsFree tier, no card requiredDynamic QR codes that update after printGDPR-compliant scan analyticsBuilt for agencies, freelancers & in-house teamsFree tier, no card requiredDynamic QR codes that update after printGDPR-compliant scan analyticsBuilt for agencies, freelancers & in-house teams
ScanKit
The blog

Notes on trackable QR.

Product updates, QR marketing playbooks, and field notes from the ScanKit team.

A QR code and a chain-link short-URL icon both converging into one landing page marked with a green checkmark.
Comparison

· 15 min read

QR code vs URL shortener: which should you use for a campaign (and when you need both)

A QR code and a URL shortener aren't competing tools: one bridges a physical surface to a digital page, the other compresses a digital address for another channel. The redirect mechanics, the real security difference, and a decision framework for when a campaign needs both.

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A QR code branching, via a globe icon, into three colour-coded destination cards, each representing a different language version of a landing page.
Explainer

· 14 min read

One QR code, every language: how to route international scans to the right page

How does a multi-language QR code know which page to show? A practical guide to device-language detection, IP geolocation fallback, BCP 47 tags and the Accept-Language header, with the failure modes agencies need to plan for.

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A QR code connected to a globe with a location pin and two branching destination cards representing different redirects by location.
Explainer

· 17 min read

Geotargeted QR codes: how location-based redirects really work (and where they break)

IP-based geolocation is reliable at country level (99%+) but shaky at city level (20-75%). GPS geofencing is precise but needs permission. What agencies can promise a client, the GDPR line, and where geotargeting quietly fails.

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A QR code connected by a dotted path through a stopwatch to a fast-loading landing page, in ScanKit's blue gradient brand style.
Explainer

· 14 min read

Why your QR code takes so long to redirect (and how to fix it)

Why does a QR code take so long to redirect? A breakdown of redirect hops, 301 vs 302, DNS and TLS overhead, and how to audit your own redirect chain before your next print run.

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A QR code sending a pixel beacon signal to a small group of dots representing an ad audience, text-free vector illustration.
Guide

· 21 min read

QR code retargeting: turning print scans into ad audiences on Meta, Google, and TikTok

QR code retargeting isn't cookieless, whatever the vendor pages claim. A precise, sourced guide to the pixels, GDPR consent, what ATT and ITP actually restrict, why scans go missing, and how to build a compliant Meta, Google, TikTok and LinkedIn setup.

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A QR code branching into two outcomes: a verified app opening directly, and a browser window opening instead.
Explainer

· 19 min read

Can a QR code open an app directly? Universal Links, App Links, and why most scans still land in a browser

Why a QR scan often opens a browser instead of an already-installed app. How Universal Links, App Links, assetlinks.json and deferred deep linking actually work, and where the chain breaks.

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A QR code connected by a dotted line to an envelope, which leads to a fanned stack of three personalised postcards each with its own small QR code, with an orange discount tag pinned to the front card.
Guide

· 16 min read

QR codes for direct mail: personalisation, tracking, and the 2026 USPS discount

How agencies use QR codes on direct mail: generating a personalised code per recipient, tracking a multi-wave campaign properly, and what the 2026 USPS Integrated Technology Promotion actually requires before a code qualifies for the postage discount.

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Two QR codes side by side: a small compact code and a larger, denser code connected by a tag icon, with three colour-coded labelled tag chips next to the denser code.
Guide

· 16 min read

QR code UTM parameters: a naming convention that scales across every client

Why a scanned QR code shows up as Direct in GA4, a UTM naming convention built for agencies running many clients, and the QR-specific trade-off nobody mentions: tagged URLs make your code denser and harder to scan.

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A roll-up exhibition banner with a QR code on the left, and an event badge on a lanyard with a QR code and a green check on the right.
Guide

· 12 min read

QR codes for events and trade shows: the agency playbook for capture, tracking and follow-up

How agencies should use QR codes at events: a distinct, trackable, dynamic code on every touchpoint, honest opt-in lead capture, per-touchpoint attribution, and fast follow-up. The playbook for turning a booth into a measurable funnel.

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