However, bigmouthmedia think there is potential for this to change, following recent developments in QR-Codes. QR-Codes, for the unaware, are two-dimensional barcodes that can be scanned by image capturing devices such as mobile phone cameras. These barcodes can advise the mobile phone to perform a specific action - for example, visit a website or download business contact details.So what do Google AdWords Print Ads, QR-Codes and affiliate marketing have in common? The answer is discount codes. Discount codes are codes that are often supplied by online retailers. When the code is provided, often at the sales stage, the user then receives a percentage or amount off their total.
Discount codes are extremely popular in the UK and US as every savvy consumer wants to receive money off when the opportunity arises - especially in today's credit crunch afflicted economy.
So where do QR-Codes enter the equation? QR-Codes can be programmed to hold any kind of data requested. For example, a QR-Code could be created to hold a discount code, such as DISC0009, which would provide a 20% discount off the total basket value of someone's online purchases with a specific site.
A retailer could supply the QR-Code to affiliates, who could then market and promote the QR-Code. This promotional campaign could be done offline, for example using Google AdWords Print Ads or an alternative form of offline marketing.
A user could then capture the QR-Code, save it on their mobile phone, walk into the retailer's offline store and present the QR-Code for a discount at checkout.
This could all be tracked and all sales related back to specific affiliates, to which the retailers (merchants) would pay commission to for aiding to sell their goods.
QR-Codes could really shake up the offline affiliate marketing scene.
Working Example
- Merchant provides offline discount code via QR-Code to affiliates.
- Affiliate uses offline marketing technique to expose QR-Code to users.
- User captures QR-Code containing discount via offline marketing technique.
- User purchases goods, shows QR-Code containing discount and receives discount on goods
- A masked code is included to tie the affiliate to the discount code so that results are trackable
- Merchant pays affiliate commission
Future
Discount codes are not the only form of offline advertising affiliate marketers can work with. The typical website referral is another form of such advertising that the QR-Code can help potentially grow local sales with.
