QR Codes for Supporter Engagement ... Do Your Homework!

QR (quick response) codes … you have probably seen them and perhaps didn’t even notice. They are those funny, pixilated squares you may have seen on posters, magazines or product packaging. They have been described as looking like a cross between a barcode and a Rorschach test.

QR codes are actually similar to a barcode in the sense that they contain data such as a URL for a Web page, data or a text-based message. The cool thing about QR codes is that they can be read simply by using a smartphone. Many smartphones come with a QR code reader installed, and for those that don’t, well, “there’s an app for that.” I use a free QR code reader on my iPhone called i-nigma. Using the app, I simply scan the QR code, just like taking a picture of it, and it automatically pulls up whatever message, data or Web page is embedded in the QR code.