Thursday, March 24, 2011

Getting to Know the QR CodeĆ¢€™s Cousin Microsoft Tags

Microsoft TagWith all the interest in QR codes, it is no surprise that Microsoft wanted a piece of the action. Enter the Microsoft Tag.

The Microsoft Tag is a high capacity color bar code and works much like a QR code. However, unlike QR codes which are typically black and white (though some sites offer an alternate color rather than black), the Microsoft Tag can be created to have two, four or eight colors in a triangular grid matrix. They are designed to support four types of content, with optional passwords for each:

  • URLs
  • Free text - up to 1,000 characters with password optional
  • Dialers - automatically dial the embedded number
  • vCard - the ability to upload all or part of a form's information requirements

 


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Get Queued Up: QR Codes and Your Business

QR CodeIt has been said that the more things change, the more they stay the same and when it comes to business marketing, this is certainly true. After all, in days gone by businesses promoted their services primarily with printed advertisements in newspapers and magazines. Today, those marketing methods are still standard, but they are combined with additional media advertisements like social media sites, e-mail campaigns and television commercials. A newcomer to the marketing scene is the QR Code.
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Tuesday, March 01, 2011

The Do's and Don'ts of Landing Pages

TargetA very popular concept in the world of web design and internet marketing is the "Landing Page." But what exactly is a landing page? While there is much discussion, there is not an exact definition. However, Dave Chaffey of SmartInsights defines landing pages as "Specific pages on a website created for visitors referred from marketing campaigns which are designed to achieve a marketing outcome." Or, one could say a landing page is a place to get targeted online leads.

According to Chaffey, there are five main goals of landing pages. Here are the goals, ranked in order of importance:

  1. Achieve registration to generate a lead
  2. Profile and qualify the site visitors to do more relevant follow up
  3. Answer any questions the visitor may have
  4. Communicate the brand values of the organization running the campaign
  5. In case the visitor doesn't wish to leave their info, have the company contact info prominent

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