QR codes for flyers
know which batch got scanned.
Print a different code on each batch of flyers, posters or postcards and see which street, venue or mailing people actually scanned. The codes open a short link you control, so you can change the page when the offer ends without reprinting.
Quick answer
To track a flyer, print a QR code that opens a tracked short link instead of your website address. Every scan is recorded before the page loads, with the time, approximate location and device. Give each batch its own link and code, one per street, venue, drop or mailing list, and the dashboard shows which one people scanned. Divide what a batch cost by its scans for a cost per scan.
Door drop, north
go.yourshop.com/fly-north
Door drop, south
go.yourshop.com/fly-south
Noticeboards
go.yourshop.com/fly-boards
One code per batch
A single code on every flyer tells you the total and nothing else. To learn which drop worked, each drop needs its own code. Make one tracked link per batch, name it after where the batch is going, and make a QR code from each. All of them can open the same page.
To have Google Analytics split them too, add a different utm_content to each link's destination, such as utm_content=north. The UTM parameters for QR codes guide has a naming scheme.
| Batch | Link | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|
| Door drop, north | go.yourshop.com/fly-north | Letterboxes on the north side of town |
| Door drop, south | go.yourshop.com/fly-south | Letterboxes on the south side |
| Noticeboards | go.yourshop.com/fly-boards | Posters on café and library boards |
| Postcard mailing | go.yourshop.com/mail-oct | Your October customer mailing |
Cost per scan
Scans per batch mean more next to what each batch cost. Divide a batch's printing and distribution cost by its scans for a cost per scan you can compare across streets, venues and formats. The figures below are made up to show the arithmetic, not results from a real campaign.
- Compare batches only once each has been out for the same length of time.
- If the page records sales or sign-ups with conversion tracking, you can compare cost per sale too. Sales take longer and need more volume to read.
| Batch (example) | Cost | Scans | Cost per scan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door drop, north | $120 | 48 | $2.50 |
| Door drop, south | $120 | 15 | $8.00 |
| Noticeboards | $30 | 20 | $1.50 |
Posters and direct mail
A poster is a fixed placement, so one code per location tells you which wall gets attention, and the time of each scan shows when people stop to look.
For direct mail, give each mailing its own code: one per list, region or drop date. A postcard to past customers and one to a new area can open the same offer page and still be counted apart. That is how to track direct mail without asking every customer where they heard about you.
Print the short link under the code for people who would rather type it. Typed visits are counted on the same link, mixed in with the scans. The print marketing guide covers leaflets, cards and mail side by side.
Change the page when the offer ends
Flyers outlive the offer printed on them, and get scanned weeks later from a fridge door or a café table. Because the code opens your short link, you can point it at your regular page when the offer ends, so late scans land somewhere useful instead of an expired page.
On Pro and above, an expiring link does this on a date you set, forwarding late scans to a fallback page.
Change the destination, never the slug. The slug is part of the address inside the printed code, so changing it breaks every flyer already out there.
Before you print
A code that doesn't scan wastes the whole run. Check these before you send the file.
- Size: about 2 cm (0.8 in) across is a common rule of thumb for a flyer held in the hand; for posters, roughly 1 cm of code for every 10 cm of viewing distance.
- Keep the quiet zone, the blank margin around the code, free of artwork, and keep the contrast strong: dark code, light background.
- Say what the scan gets people, such as "Scan for this week's offer".
- A logo is fine: codes with a logo are generated at High error correction, with the logo size capped, so phones can still read them.
- Test-scan the printed proof, not the file on your screen, with an iPhone and an Android phone.
How to track flyers with QR codes
- 1Decide how to split the run: by street, venue, drop date or mailing list. Each split gets its own code.
- 2Create one tracked link per batch, all opening the same page if you like. Add a different
utm_contentto each destination if you also use Google Analytics. - 3Make the QR code from each link and download it as SVG or a large PNG for the printer, each file named after its batch.
- 4Test-scan the printed proofs, then send each batch where it belongs.
- 5Compare scans per batch in the dashboard, and point the links at an evergreen page when the offer ends.
What flyer tracking can't tell you
- How many people saw a flyer and didn't scan it. Only scans are recorded.
- Who scanned. A scan records the time, approximate location and device, never a name or identity.
- Exact headcounts. One person can scan twice, and some phone camera previews and apps load a link without anyone opening it.
- Free includes 3 saved QR codes and 7 days data retention. A campaign with more batches, or one you want to compare over months, needs Starter (25 saved QR codes, 6 months data retention) or above.
Questions people ask
How do I make a trackable QR code for a flyer?
Create a tracked link to the page the flyer promotes, make the QR code from that link in your dashboard, and print it. Every scan is recorded before the page opens. A code made straight from your website address can't be tracked or changed.
How do I track direct mail?
Print a QR code on each piece that opens a tracked link, with one link per list, region or drop. Scans per link show which mailing got a response. Add conversion tracking to the page to count sales, not just scans.
Can I use one QR code on every flyer?
You can, and it will count the total. To see which street, venue or mailing worked, each needs its own code. All of them can open the same page.
Can I change where the QR code goes after printing?
Yes. Change the link's destination in your dashboard and the printed code opens the new page. Don't change the link's slug, because it is part of the printed address.
How big should a QR code be on a flyer?
A common rule of thumb is at least 2 cm (0.8 in) across for a flyer read in the hand, and roughly 1 cm of code for every 10 cm of scanning distance on a poster. Test-scan the printed proof before the full run.
Will my flyers stop working if I cancel?
No. Track Link never deletes or switches off a QR code because a trial ended, or because you downgraded or cancelled. Your flyers keep opening their page, and you can still change it. The exception is a link that breaks our terms, such as one used for phishing.
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Find out which flyers got scanned
Start free with 10 tracked links and click analytics, no credit card.
Create a trackable QR code