Make your QR codes more beautiful

Hamilton Chan is the CEO and founder of Paperlinks .
Using the free iPhone application from Paperlinks, recommended by Apple as one of the most relevant and important applications, users can scan and view the contents of QR codes. Paperlinks also provides a powerful platform for creating QR codes, storing and tracking their attendance.


QR code: beautiful thing or eyesore? Magic barcodes that can be read on a smartphone to run online applications from offline, are often criticized for their black and white poor appearance. Those who doubt that QR codes will quickly go to the masses , argue that the appearance of QR codes will deter marketers and advertisers from using them.

Fortunately, QR codes can be processed in many different ways, while maintaining their readability. Yes, yes, it’s true, QR codes don’t have to look awful at all, we are entering a new “design code” phase, and now they can be used in advertising campaigns, with the name appealing.
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QR codes have such great potential in terms of design, so let's take a look at several techniques and methods that you should keep in mind when developing a code to strengthen your brand and attract an audience.

1. Add a color palette

The easiest way to add style to your code is to color it. Your QR code does not have to be standard black and white in order to be considered. You can use multiple colors or apply a gradient without spoiling readability. The only rule is that the color of the code should be, as a rule, dark against a light background. Make sure that the contrast is sufficient, otherwise the code will be difficult to read.
Light codes on a dark background are generally not recommended.

2. Smoothing corners

One of the main aesthetic drawbacks of QR codes are their numerous sharp corners. You can fix this by smoothing some of the corners. It is not necessary to smooth all corners, but softening the edges of the code will definitely add friendliness to it.

3. Turn on depth for 3D effect

A great way to increase the impact of your code is to place images in front of the code, such as a logo. This way you can fill the code with a sense of depth. A regular barcode suddenly becomes a form of art, and you can really fill the code with personality and style.

An interesting idea is to add a logo to the center of the code, you can also add interesting elements for corners or sides for an even more original look or add images or symbols between the blocks.

4. Use 30% error correction

If you decide to add a logo to create a 3D effect of a QR code, you must decide which part of the code to use for this. The key to creating codes with a stunning design is to use 30% of the QR-code data, which may be missing or corrupted, and at the same time the code is working. QR codes can be generated with 0%, 10%, 20% or 30% of the built-in error correction. Generation with a 30% correction adds a lot of noise (extra blocks), but this way you can clear up 30% of the space in the code and use it to add a logo or other design elements.

If you use a QR code with 0% error correction, the code will look more slender, but the possibilities for code branding are very limited. Removing or hindering one block in such a QR code can make it unreadable.

Application of trial and error

Technically, it is possible to mathematically calculate which blocks in the QR code can be deleted, but such calculations, as a rule, are not needed. By applying a simple trial and error process, anyone can begin to apply design methods to the code, and then check its readability.

Be sure to check the readability of the code on multiple devices, ideally, on three or four. Using code without readability testing is an overuse of diaine and can cause serious problems with customers. Of course, even reasonable precautions in code design can still lead to difficulties, so you should always weigh the complexity of the scan against the advantages of an attractive code design. If reading such a code takes more than a few seconds, it probably should be simplified.

Conclusion

In the end, the creation of branded QR codes is both an art and a science. The mathematical qualities of QR codes and the application of thoughtful design can really raise QR codes to the level where the code becomes one of the central parts of marketing. Applying the best design techniques will increase the speed of reading and increase the efficiency of interaction with the online.

It is only a matter of time when QR codes will become very popular. Sharing technology and design, and implementing it in QR codes is the right way for your business, it will keep your brand at the forefront of marketing and technology.