We are entering the golden age of QR codes. When the pandemic hit and everyone got rid of paper materials like menus, handouts, flyers, and pamphlets, they replaced those physical materials with QR codes linking to a webpage with the same information. That means you can confidently assume your readers might not know the name “QR code”, but they definitely know how to use one to find your writing.
What Are QR Codes
QR, or quick response, codes are the square barcodes we’ve all had to scan with our phone cameras to read restaurant menus during the pandemic. You just open your phone’s camera app and use it to scan the qr code. Once scanned, these codes usually lead to a webpage or app, but they can also connect to WiFi or contain a phone number or other type of data.
As users, we should only scan QR codes from trusted sources because they can lead to a phishing site or some other malicious website. However, you don’t need to worry about QR codes collecting your personal data. At most, a QR code can report how many times it was scanned, at what time, and with which type of device (iPhone, Andriod, etc.). That’s way less information than website cookies store about you.
As a QR code creator, you don’t have to worry about someone hijacking your QR code, so as long as you created the code yourself from a trusted software, you’re safe. However, if you plan on posting QR codes publicly like on a filer, check the code periodically. A hacker might tape their QR code over yours to get people to scan it.
Use QR Codes to Connect Readers to Your Writing
The amazing thing about QR codes is they connect our physical and virtual worlds. How likely are you to type in an author’s website after reading a paperback book they wrote to see their other books? What about clicking on a link after reading an ebook? If you’re like me, you’re far more likely to click the link. QR codes are essentially a clickable link on our paper products.
Where to Link Author QR Codes
When it comes to where your QR codes send people, think about your ideal reader and what they’d want. Do they want more writing from you? To be notified when the next book in your series is out? Or to learn more about your inspirations? Here are some places you can send your readers with a QR Code:
Your Website
Your Sales Page
Your Newsletter Sign Up
Free Short Story
Free Worksheet
Your Reader Magnet
Next Book in a Series
Audiobook Version
Your Social Media
Quiz or Test Related to Your Book
Place They Can Leave a Review
Photo Gallery
Special Event
More About Your Book/Series
Where your QR code links is entirely up to you, and you aren’t limited to just one QR code. I have codes that link to a fairy tale quiz, a free short story, and my website. As an editor, I use them to connect to a free writing prompt, my editing services webpage, and my freebies.
Your QR code should lead somewhere your reader actually wants to go and deliver what you promise. If you scan my fairy tale quiz code, you aren’t taken to my books page on my website. Your codes should take readers where you say they will.
Where to Put QR Codes
As an author (even if you haven’t published yet), you should be putting QR codes on all of your physical marketing materials and products. You want to make it as easy as possible for your readers to find your other books, your email list, and any other products you might offer. Here are some places you should put QR codes
Read More Page/Also by Page
Bookmarks
Business Cards
Banners, Flyers, and Other handouts
End of a YouTube Video
Swag (Chapsticks, Lotion, Candy Wrappers, etc.)
Media Kit
Anything Physical
If you want something in your printed books to be more dynamic, to be able change overtime, use a QR code. Think about your “Also by Page”. You need to update this page every time you publish, but readers who bought an earlier printed edition won’t have the updated list. A QR code linking to a sales page with all of your published will be current and updateable. No matter when your reader finishes your book, they can use that code to find all of the other books you have out.
QR codes are especially good at connecting potential readers to your reader magnet (what you give away to get people to sign up for your email list). If you do a book signing, book fair, speaking engagement, conference, comic con, or some other in-person event, you’ll need an easy and fast way to connect your readers with your freebies. A bookmark or other bit of swag is something they can take home and scan when they are ready to read your writing.
If you have some sort of promotional video that readers might see on a tv, a QR code at the end will make it easier for them to get to your link as well. I watch YouTube videos on my tv all the time, so I can’t go to the link in the description, but I can scan a QR code.
How to Make a QR Code (It’s Easy)
All you need to create your QR codes is a QR code generator. All you’ll have to do is drop your link into the generator and download your QR code. However, don’t use just any generator. Many of the “free” versions create codes that expire or have a limited number of scans. To use their codes indefinitely, you have to pay a monthly fee. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to worry about my QR codes expiring.
The best site for a basic, black and white QR code is Kindlepreneur. All you have to do is copy and paste your link into the field and click “Download QR Code”. You can also upload an image for the center of your code.
If you want to get a bit fancier, I recommend QR Code Monkey. This generator can do the basic black and white, replace the black with a color of your choosing, add a gradient, and include your logo/image if you wish. I love the gradient option, but if you’re going to use this, remember your code needs to be scannable. Stick with darker colors that highly contrast with the white space in-between, so the code is easy for a phone camera to read.
An Editor and Author’s Tips for QR Codes
QR codes are an opportunity for you to get creative and connect with your readers. If you use them to create a fun experience, your readers will be more likely to remember you and your books and purchase your next book. Have fun with it. Make a quiz about your book. Giveaway a short story about your protagonist’s pet or grandmother. Create a scavenger hunt for your readers related to your story. Play.
Then get in the habit of putting your QR codes everywhere. One nice thing about the pandemic is everyone knows how to use a QR code now, even my dad who in his first ever text wrote “or” instead of “ok” and confused everyone.
Also, remember that where the QR code leads can’t change, but what’s on that webpage can. My current reader magnet is a flash fiction, satire fairy tale from Snow White’s prince’s point of view. I can switch that story out at any time and the link will still work. You can do the same.
And now it’s up to you to create and use QR codes to connect your writing and your readers and Ignite Your Ink.
Readership Building Checklist
To connect with your fans, you'll need an online and offline presence. Subscribe to Ignite Your Ink for a free checklist with the steps you need to find readers online and receive weekly writing tips.
What’s the most clever way you’ve seen an author use QR codes? Share it the comments. For more tips on sharing your writing and a free Readership Building Checklist, subscribe to Ignite Your Ink.
Featured
Author: Caitlin Berve
Caitlin Berve is a multi-award-winning fantasy author, editor, and speaker. Through Ignited Ink Writing, she edits novels, creates video tutorials, and writes. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics and teaches writing at colleges and writing organizations/ conferences. Her collection of modern fairy tales When Magic Calls won the CIPA EVVY Herb Tabak (best fiction) book award in 2021 and is available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook formats. When not writing or reading, Caitlin runs the Colorado trails or teaches Pop Pilates and makes color changing potions. She seeks to fill the world with the kind of writing that lingers with readers and find magic in modern times.
Related Articles
Pen Names: When Should You Consider Using an Awesome Author Pseudonym
As long as people have been writing down stories, they have been using pen names. Some used a nom de plume to avoid persecution; others just didn’t like their given name. To decide if you should use a pen name, you need to consider what you write, your career, and your personal preferences. But first, let’s cover why many people chose to use pen names historically.
Read More →
How to Use QR Codes to Help Readers Find Your Books
How do you get readers from your physical book or bookmark to your sales page? One of the quickest and easiest ways is to provide a QR code – those square bar codes you can scan with your phone’s camera. They are easy to make and can link to the next book in a series, a free short story, or anything else you’d like. Here’ how you can use QR codes to market your book.
Read More →
What to Do After You Win a Book Award
If you won a book award, it’s time to celebrate and share that win with the world! A book award is both a form of validation and opportunity to market your book. In order to get the word out, you’ll need to update everything from your book cover to your social media bios. Here’s how you can get started sharing your book award.
Read More →
How to Apply for Book Awards as an Author
Authors may write for lots of different reasons, but we all crave validation. One way to get validation is through book awards. They are also great marketing tools. However, awards can be pricy, so when choosing awards to apply to, think about your niche, budget, and priorities.
Read More →
How to Create Merchandise to Sell Alongside Your Book
In today’s print-on-demand world, it’s easier than ever for authors to offer merchandise in addition to their books. T-shirts, stickers, tote bags, and more are simple to create and customize. If you’re looking to build a brand, add more revenue streams, and offer more to your fans, you should consider making merchandise related to your book.
Read More →
What Is Effective Author Swag and How Does It Help Your Book Sales
Have you ever gotten a bookmark or sticker with your book? How did it make you feel? Did you smile for just a second? If yes, then you have received effective author swag. When authors include small gifts with their books, they are giving away swag intended to improve the reader’s experience and lead to word of mouth marketing. Before you can understand how that works, let’s dive deeper into what counts as swag.
Read More →
How to Voice Your Own Audiobook
Many authors today hope to have an audiobook version of their book to reach more readers and be more accessible, but production costs can be daunting. If you’ve decided to narrate and/or master your own audiobook, you need to do more than read out loud. You need to understand pace, clarity, and more to give your listener the audiobook experience they crave. Here are the tips you need to get started.
Read More →
How I Marketed my Book During the Pandemic
In 2020, I released my first book When Magic Calls: A Collection of Modern Fairy Tales, so I want to share how I decided where to focus my marketing efforts. I want to reveal my thought process, so you can see why I choose to market in some places and not others. Hopefully, my experience will help you make those decisions for your books.
Read More →
Things I Learned Publishing my First Book During a Pandemic
On April 1, 2020, I released my book When Magic Calls: A Collection of Modern Fairy Tales. I had two book release parties, conferences, and signings scheduled. All of that was cancelled. I was disheartened and very, very disappointed, by my book’s “new release” status was counting down. So I got creative and turned this into a learning experience. This is what I learned releasing my first book during a pandemic.
Read More →
How to Approach Social Media as an Author
If you’ve started looking into publishing, you’ve probably heard you need a platform as an author. Social media is one piece of that platform. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be everywhere or spend a bunch of time on it, but you do need to know how to pick a social media platform and what to post on it.
Read More →
What to Send Your Loyal Email Subscribers as a Fiction Author
If you’ve been wondering what the heck you’re supposed to write in your author emails, you’re not alone. Many writers draw a blank when they think about email marketing and connecting with their readers virtually. There are three main pieces to an author email campaign – you, your books, and your research. Learn more in this article.
Read More →
Why You Need to Start Your Author Email List
Many authors groan when they think of building an email list, but if you want the best chance at building super fans and having a successful book launch, you need one. Luckily, there is software available to help you build your list and automate your emails, so connecting with your readers isn’t as time consuming or difficult as you may think.
Read More →
How to Design an Author Website Readers Want to Visit
An author website is a necessity in today’s technological world, but you don’t need a super complicated one. All you need is to design a website that will appeal to your target readers, so you can build your email list and sell more books.
Read More →
Who Is Your Ideal Reader and How to Identify Them
Your ideal reader is the person most likely to fall in love with and champion your writing. Knowing your ideal reader will help you attract them with your marketing efforts and land a traditional publisher. If you don’t know who will want to read your books, how will you know where to find them? Learn more about your ideal reader here.
Read More →
Why You Need an Author Brand and How to Build One
An author brand makes you, your books, and your other products instantly recognizable and appealing to readers. A reader might be drawn to you because of your brand. So if you haven’t started building your author brand yet, now is the time.
Read More →
Where to Spend Your Time, Money, and Energy as an Author
Writing and publishing your book is not free. Even if you choose to do the majority of the work yourself, you’re still spending other resources. Time and energy are just as valuable as money. Whether you decide to traditionally or self-publish, you need to understand that you will be spending all three and where’s best to do so.
Read More →
How to Make Your Book Signatures Exciting
Before you sell a hard copy of your book, you should think about what you might write if someone asks you to sign it. Will you stick with just your name or add a personal note? Instead of drawing a blank in the moment, look over these tips, so you’ll be prepared.
Read More →
How to Speak Your Reader's Language: Review Books Like a Reader
When you’re entrenched in the writing world, you can forget readers aren’t writers. They don’t know technical writing terms or talk about subverting tropes with form at book clubs, so you need to speak your reader’s language when talking about your books. One way to remind yourself how readers talk is to review books like a reader.
Read More →
How to Effectively Blog Your Nonfiction Book
One reason to blog is it forces you to get your book ideas down on paper. However, not everything you blog will make it into your book, and not everything you include in your book should go on your blog. Learn the purpose and structure of nonfiction blogs and books, so you can transition smoothly from one to the other.
Read More →
Why I Blog as an Author and Editor
While a blog isn’t right for every author, I’ve decided to take the plunge. Learn why I started blogging, why I continue writing Ignite Your Ink, and what hasn’t worked about it. That way you can better decide if blogging is right for you and what to expect from it.
Read More →
What to Write About in Your Author Blog
Authors can have a never-ending stream of ideas for books, but when they think about starting an author blog, that creative river dams up. Blogging is different than book writing. You need to learn the blogging basics to understand which topics might be best for you, so you can use an author blog to gain and maintain readers.
Read More →
Should You Start a Blog as an Author in 2020?
Maybe. To blog or not to blog is up to you. Don’t start an author blog because you’re a writer or some marketer told you to. Blog because it is the right choice for you and your readers. An author blog is a commitment of time and creative energy, so you need to understand it’s purpose, pros, and cons before you jump in.
Read More →
Talking about Your Book: How I Found my Confidence
Being an author means you are a bit of a public figure. You need to interact and build relationships with your fans and industry professionals to have your writing read. Some people find this terrifying. I get it. I used to be extremely shy, so I want to share how I got over that shyness and developed confidence in myself and my writing so you can too.
Read More →
Celebrating Your Book: What to Do at a Release Party
You’ve finally published the book you’ve spent months, years, even decades dreaming about. Now it’s time to celebrate! One way to celebrate your writing is to throw a book release party, but before you dive into event planning check out these tips on publication parties to decide if you even want one, where to host, and what to do at your book release.
Read More →
What to Do at an Author Event Besides Read
Author events don’t have to be only about reading your work. Your readers are there to get to know you and your writing better. These gatherings are more fun for everyone when you create space for questions, conversations, sneak peeks, and other activities.
Read More →
Reaching Your Fans: How to Give an Author Reading
Your readers want to hear from you. Readings are an opportunity to connect with fans and turn attendees into readers. Which excerpt you choose will determine whether your listeners are hooked and invested in your reading or bored and internet surfing, so learn how to make your selection wisely.
Read More →
How to Publish: Pros and Cons of Traditional and Self-Publishing
The decision to traditionally or self-publish your book is not easy. The book industry is in a period of transition, meaning both options have pros and cons and are constantly evolving. To decide if you prefer creative control or payment upfront, you need to understand the benefits and pitfalls of traditional and self-publishing.
Read More →
Why the Inside of Your Book Needs Professional Design
After you’ve written an irresistible book blurb and put together a captivating cover, you still have one more piece of design: the interior of your book. Your book’s inside design disappears when done correctly and jars readers when incorrect. Interior book design is essential to your book’s success.
Read More →
How to Write an Irresistible Book Cover Blurb
Whether you’re self or traditionally publishing, the aspect of your book cover you have the most control over is the blurb, where you describe what your book is about. As the author, it is your job to find a short, impactful way to communicate your book’s concept and convince readers to choose your story.
Read More →
How to Design a Sensational Back Book Cover
When people say your cover sells your book, they aren’t only talking about the image on the front. The elements of your back cover convince a reader to buy because that is where they are introduced to your story, your characters, and you. Your back book cover is essential to selling your book.
Read More →
Marketing Tips
Caitlin Berve
qr code, qr codes, book marketing, reader magnet, freebie, swag, book swag
Comment
