WEDNESDAY AM BUZZ: How to use QR codes in news content

How you noticed these strange digital codes popping up in digital and print advertising in newspapers, magazines and on the price sheets on the shelves of your local discount store chains like Target, Walmart and even Best Buy?

Do you know what they are, and that you can use them to enhance your print products and build a better bridge between the newspaper and your digital news offerings?

They are QR codes, and with the use of a QR code reader app downloaded to a SmartPhone, they can take a reader directly to a certain webpage, video or other digital products related to a story, topic or ad.

Example of QR code

The use of QR codes in editorial products is gaining popularity fast. It is simple for both the newsroom and the reader.

Newsroom: There are several websites that will generate QR codes for website links for free. I use www.qrstuff.com. Select the website URL product, type in your web address, and the code will automatically be generated. Download the code to your desktop or specific folder, if you wish, and place the code on the page. You may need to save the code as a jpeg if you are not able to import .png files.

For the reader, make sure the page designer includes a graph next to the QR code explaining that they can scan the code with their SmartPhone QR code app to go directly to the web content.

Below is an example of how the Neosho (Mo.) Daily News used a QR code to take readers directly to a document that accompanied a story on how health insurance rates will rise for teachers and staff in the local school district.

The use of QR codes are just another great way to build that bridge between our strong print and digital products for the reader.

If you have any questions or comments on the use of QR codes, please comment with this post.

See example of QR code with the Read It Online bug.