QR code adoption is growing globally, and QR codes remain an important vehicle for mobile engagement. Here we review the latest QR code statistics that you need to know for 2012.
Mobile Barcode Scanning Platforms Report QR Code Growth & Adoption
Mobile barcode scanning platforms ScanLife and NeoReader, a QR code and barcode reader owned by NeoMedia Technologies, have reported growth in mobile barcode scans, including QR codes.
ScanLife recently published its Q2 2012 Mobile Barcode Trend Report. Here is the data as summarized by ClickZ:
- The largest QR code campaign run via ScanLife in Q2 2012 garnered over two million scans, up from approximately 30,000 scans in Q2 2011.
- The number of mobile barcode scans per minute jumped from 24 scans per minute in Q2 2011 to 120 scans per minute in Q2 2012.
- 4 million new people scanned mobile barcodes via ScanLife in Q2 2012.
- Mobile barcode campaigns that garnered the highest number of scans contained contests or loyalty programs as the primary content.
The most popular QR code campaigns contained social media, app download, and video content.
Additionally, NeoMedia Technologies recently reported growth in QR codes scanned via its mobile barcode scanner, NeoReader. Here are the details and scanning demographics as reported in a July 2012 company press release.
- QR code scans via NeoReader increased by 39% in Q2 2012 over Q1 2012.
- The majority of NeoReader users are male, ages 18 to 34.
- NeoReader’s users are distributed across 193 countries: The US, Spain, UK and Germany top the list of countries scanning most often.
TQR Code Growth & Adoption in the EU5 Countries
(Germany, Spain, France, Italy & United Kingdom) for the Three-Month Average Period Ended July 2012, as reported by comScore MobiLens (n=17.4 MM)
- QR code usage among European smartphone owners in the five leading European markets (EU5) has doubled over the past year.
- EU5 users scanning QR codes via their devices grew by 96% in the past year to 17.4 million users for the three-month average period ending July 2012.
- Germany is ranked first by penetration of QR codes with 18.6% of the smartphone audience.
- Among the EU5 countries, Spain is the fastest growing market for smartphone users scanning QR codes, with 218% year-over-year growth for the three-month average period ending July 2012.
Results of Scanning QR Codes by Percent of Smartphone Scanning Audience in EU5 Countries
(DE, ES, FR, IT and UK) – Three-Month Average Period Ending July 2012
Product information 71.7%
Event information 31.8%
Coupon or offer 19.4%
Application download 13.4%
Charity/cause information 12.1%
Source: comScore Press Release. September 2012. N=17.4 MM consumers ages 13+
Conclusion
- Key Growth Stats: QR code adoption is growing with a 39% increase in QR code scans via NeoReader’s mobile barcode scanning application reported between Q2 2012 and Q1 2012, while QR code usage among European smartphone owners in the EU5 countries has doubled over the past year.
- Key Mobile Engagements: Three in four scans in the EU5 countries link to product information, while recent data from mobile barcode scanning platform ScanLife shows that the most effective mobile barcode campaigns (as measured by the highest number of scans) contained contests or loyalty programs. In addition to consumers scanning QR codes to access product information or discounts and incentives, application downloads are an emergent vehicle for mobile engagement, with 13.4% of QR code scans in the EU5 countries linked to an application download.
How are you using QR codes to drive mobile engagement and interaction with your brand? Stay tuned for our second blog of this series discussing strategies for effectively integrating QR codes into your marketing promotions strategy.
Tags: QR Codes
