How to Create a QR Code for Google Reviews
Are you looking for a simple way to get more Google reviews for your business? Implementing QR codes that link directly to your Google review page is an effective strategy to make it easy for happy customers to leave you a review.
In this guide, we‘ll walk you through exactly how to create a custom QR code for Google reviews step-by-step. We‘ll also share tips and best practices for promoting your QR code and using it to generate a steady stream of positive reviews.
What is a QR Code?
Before we dive into the tutorial, let‘s start with a quick primer on QR codes. QR stands for "Quick Response" and a QR code is a type of two-dimensional barcode that stores information. When scanned with a smartphone camera, the QR code automatically takes the user to a specific URL destination, like a website or app.
QR codes were invented in 1994 by a Japanese company to track car parts, but have evolved to serve a wide range of use cases. In recent years, QR code adoption has surged, with an estimated 11 million households in the U.S. alone scanning a QR code in 2020.
There are many benefits to using QR codes for your business:
- Contactless and convenient for users to scan
- Instantly connect offline and online experiences
- Drive traffic to specific digital destinations
- Fully trackable and measurable
- Inexpensive to create and deploy
When it comes to Google reviews, QR codes provide an easy way for customers to navigate directly to your review page without having to search for your business. This reduces friction and makes customers more likely to complete a review.
How to Create a Google Review QR Code
Now that you understand the power of QR codes, let‘s go through the steps to generate your own QR code for Google reviews:
Step 1: Claim your Google My Business listing
In order to get reviews on Google, you first need to claim your Business Profile on Google My Business if you haven‘t already. This is a free listing that allows you to manage how your business appears across Google, including Search and Maps.
If you don‘t have a Google My Business account yet, follow these instructions from Google to get started:
https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778
Once your Business Profile is set up, make sure all your information is accurate and up-to-date. Encourage customers to leave reviews by providing great service and reminding them that reviews are appreciated.
Step 2: Get a short URL for your Google review page
The next step is to navigate to your Google review page and copy the URL. This is the page you want to send customers to so they can write a review.
To find your Google review link, search for your business name on Google. Your Business Profile should appear in the knowledge panel on the right side of search results. Scroll down and click the "Write a review" button.
This will open the review pop-up window. Copy the URL in the address bar.
The URL will be long and not very user-friendly, so we recommend using a URL shortener like Bitly to create a condensed link that‘s easier to turn into a QR code. Paste the long URL into Bitly or another shortener to generate a shortened version.
Step 3: Generate a QR code
With your shortened Google review link in hand, you‘re ready to generate a QR code. There are many free online QR code generators available. Some popular options include:
- QR Code Generator by Shopify
- QR Code Monkey
- QR Code Generator by Flowcode
- goqr.me by Mientan
For this example, we‘ll use QR Code Monkey. Go to www.qrcode-monkey.com and select URL as the data type. Paste your shortened Google review link into the content field.
The page will automatically generate a live preview of your QR code on the right.
Step 4: Customize your QR code design
While you can use the default black-and-white QR code as is, customizing the design to fit your brand is a good way to make it more visually appealing and engaging.
Think about ways to incorporate your logo, brand colors, and other recognizable visual elements. Just make sure any modifications don‘t interfere with the QR code‘s scannability. It‘s always a good idea to test your QR code on multiple devices before finalizing the design.
QR Code Monkey offers customization options like adding a logo, changing colors, and selecting different shapes and patterns. Experiment with the appearance settings until you‘re happy with the design.
Step 5: Download your QR code
When you‘re finished customizing your QR code, choose your preferred file format and size and click the "Create QR Code" button. For printing purposes, we recommend downloading your QR code as a vector file type like SVG or EPS to ensure it scales without losing quality.
Save your finished QR code design and you‘re all set! Your QR code is now ready to be deployed on marketing materials to start driving Google reviews.
Tips for Using Your Google Review QR Code
Creating a QR code is just the first step – the key to success lies in how you promote and utilize your QR code. Here are some tips and best practices to keep in mind:
Make It Visible
Your QR code won‘t drive reviews if customers don‘t see it! Incorporate your QR code across various customer touchpoints like:
- Business cards
- Product packaging and labels
- Receipts and invoices
- Posters and signage
- Table tents or check presenters
- Employee uniforms or name tags
- Vehicles or storefront windows
Basically, think about all the places customers interact with your brand and try to work your QR code in naturally. The more people see it, the higher the chances they‘ll scan it.
Provide Clear Instructions
While QR codes are becoming more mainstream, not everyone will automatically know what to do when they see one. Include a short call-to-action (CTA) alongside your QR code that prompts people to scan with their smartphone camera. Something like "Scan to leave us a review on Google!" works well.
You can also add instructions for people who may be less tech savvy, like "Open your camera app and hold it over the QR code to scan." Making the next steps obvious will improve your scan rates.
Incentivize Reviews
Offering a small incentive is an effective way to encourage more customers to scan your QR code and leave a review. For example, you could hand out a coupon or discount code as a thank you to those who complete a review.
Just be careful not to run afoul of Google‘s review policies – incentives should be offered equally to all customers, regardless of whether they leave a positive or negative review. Never attempt to pay for or gate incentives based on review sentiment.
Monitor Analytics
Most URL shorteners and QR code generators provide basic analytics that allow you to track metrics like the number of scans, location of scans, and device types. Monitoring this data will give you valuable insights into how your QR code is performing.
For example, if you notice a large number of scans coming from a particular event or location, you might invest more heavily in promoting your QR code through that channel. Or if you see most scans occurring on iPhones, you could optimize your landing page experience for iOS devices.
Regularly checking analytics will help you gauge the effectiveness of your QR code and make informed decisions about how to optimize your strategy over time.
Test and Iterate
As with any marketing initiative, it‘s important to test, measure, and iterate your QR code approach. Don‘t be afraid to experiment with different designs, placements, and promotions to see what works best for your business and target audience.
Whenever you make a change, be sure to update your QR code to a new shortened URL so you can accurately attribute results. Ongoing testing and optimization will help you fine-tune your QR code to drive maximum reviews.
Start Generating Google Reviews with QR Codes
QR codes are a powerful tool for businesses looking to streamline the process of acquiring Google reviews. By creating a branded QR code that links directly to your Google review page, you can make it effortless for satisfied customers to share their positive experience with others.
The steps to generate a Google review QR code are fairly simple:
- Claim your Google My Business listing
- Navigate to your Google review page and create a shortened URL
- Use a QR code generator to create a code from your review link
- Customize your QR code with brand colors, logo, and design elements
- Download and add your QR code to customer touchpoints
Of course, creating your QR code is only half the battle. To drive real results, you‘ll need to promote your QR code effectively, provide clear calls-to-action, and incentivize customers to leave reviews. Closely monitoring your QR code analytics and testing different approaches will also help you optimize your tactics.
When deployed strategically, Google review QR codes can be an invaluable asset in growing your business‘s online reputation. Leveraging QR codes is an accessible, affordable, and measurable way to transform happy customers into vocal brand advocates.
If you‘re not currently using QR codes to generate Google reviews, give the steps in this guide a try. A small investment of time and effort can pay major dividends in the form of increased review quantity and quality. Make QR codes a key part of your customer experience and marketing strategy to strengthen your online presence.
