Your Easy-To-Understand Guide for QR Code Tracking

Gone are the days of adding a QR Code to any customer touchpoint and hoping for the best.

Today, it’s not just about getting scans but understanding them. Who scanned it, when, and where? These insights turn one-time interactions into continuous improvements.

That’s why 51% of businesses now prioritize advanced analytics in their QR platforms. With a trackable  QR Code, you can monitor performance in real time, uncover patterns, and refine your strategy with data-backed decisions—all to drive stronger results and higher ROI.

Want to learn how you can use this data to benefit your business? Keep reading to find out how QR Code tracking can uncover new opportunities.

Is it possible to create a free QR Code for tracking?

No, none of the free QR Code generators offer full tracking capabilities. Most free QR Codes are static, so they lack any feature beyond redirecting to a fixed, non-editable URL.

A few QR Code generators may provide basic tracking data, such as the total number of scans, but they lack the advanced tracking features needed for meaningful campaign insights.

For example, free QR Code tracker solutions cannot:

• Track user demographics 
• Give scan location accuracy
• Give real-time QR Code tracking data as they happen
• Segment scans by campaign to analyze data across multiple QR Codes effectively

Hence, if you have a professional use case requiring QR Code tracking to understand user behavior, a premium QR Code generator with tracking is the only option.

A glimpse of what you’re missing out on with a free QR Code generator:

How to create and track a QR Code

You can create a trackable QR Code using a QR Code generator. Here's how to do that:

Before you proceed…

To create trackable QR Codes and export (if you want to) your data for individual metrics, sign up for a free trial on Uniqode—no credit card is required. Basic features and static QR Codes are always free.

You can easily track a QR Code in 5 steps:

Which QR Code metrics can be tracked?

Scan counts, time, and location are some basic metrics you can track using a QR Code generator that supports tracking.

For example, if you use a platform like Uniqode(👋 that's us), you can go beyond basic metrics, such as data on top-performing campaigns, device types, scan by city, and more insights through Google Analytics integration. 

Here's a glimpse of the metrics that you can use when you use Uniqode's QR Codes with tracking features:

Which QR Code metrics can be tracked?

Scan counts, time, and location are some basic metrics you can track using a QR Code generator that supports tracking.

For example, if you use a platform like Uniqode(👋 that's us), you can go beyond basic metrics, such as data on top-performing campaigns, device types, scan by city, and more insights through Google Analytics integration. 

Here's a glimpse of the metrics that you can use when you use Uniqode's QR Codes with tracking features:

1. Number of scans (total and unique)

Total scans show how often a QR Code has been scanned, including multiple scans by the same user.  Unique scans reflect the number of distinct individuals who interacted with the QR Code, excluding repeat scans.

You can view combined scan data for all QR Code campaigns or filter by specific QR Codes or labels to better understand campaign performance. 

💁Picture this: A vehicle manufacturer places QR Codes on different car parts during assembly. Each scan provides real-time data, letting the company track production progress, spot delays, and identify any issues on the line. It also helps them see which parts are used most often in the final builds, keeping everything efficient and ensuring top-notch quality.

2. Scan by time of day

Using the "Scan By Time of Day" metric, you can identify the most active hours when people scan your QR Codes.

The gradient bar represents the number of scans coming in at a specific time of day. The darker end represents soaring scans, while the lighter end represents tanking. This data helps to optimize campaign timing and scheduling.

💁Picture this: A logistics firm places QR Codes on packages and tracks the times they’re scanned throughout the day. Analyzing this data helps the company identify peak shipping hours, those moments when packages are scanned most frequently. 

With this insight, they can adjust their workforce schedules, ensuring enough staff is available during busy periods to handle package loading. This strategy keeps operations running smoothly and ensures delivery teams are always ready during rush hours.

3. Location (country, city, GPS)

If you run multiple campaigns across a city, a country, or even worldwide, you can see in which locations people are scanning most QR Codes based on the "Scan by City, State, or Country" metric and tailor your campaigns accordingly.

You can also retrieve the exact GPS location via IP addresses through this metric. All you need to do is enable the GPS option on the dashboard while creating a QR Code and retrieve metrics, provided the permission to share is enabled on the user's device.

For example, DRMG, a direct mail agency, integrated Uniqode’s QR Code generator and tracking into their campaigns. The initial goal was to provide recipients with immediate access to digital content, such as landing pages and promotional materials, directly from the mailpiece. 

Post the campaigns, however, using Uniqode’s QR Codes tracking feature, the agency could identify high-engagement areas and tailor future campaigns to similar demographics, enhancing targeting and effectiveness

Hear it from the customers:

"The location tracking offered by Uniqode is huge. We can see where people scan from, and we can use that data to better target our direct mail campaigns in the future."
Katie Dyson, Marketing Manager, DRMG

4. Device operating system

Understanding the device split can give you a general sense of which device OS your core customer base has. You can prioritize your marketing and app development strategies accordingly to give them a better user experience.

Are they primarily iPhone users, or do they lean more towards Android? Are people accessing your QR Codes from Windows or Mac?

For example, Davines Group added QR Codes to their professional training materials to provide easy access to multilingual resources like video tutorials and product information. This not only enhanced the training experience but also generated valuable scan data. 

As Andrea Zanardi, ICT Business Partner at Davines Group, explains:

"It’s really helpful to look at overall scans and in-depth metrics like the map, scans by time of day, and scans by device used. With scans by device, for instance, we use that data to help guide our focus when developing apps or features on our website.”

5. QR Code performance (campaigns)

To quickly understand which QR Codes are performing the best across all your campaigns, you can use the "top-performing QR Codes" metric.

You can use this data to understand why specific QR Codes perform better than others, filter for specific durations, and implement the same strategy across all your campaigns.

💁Picture this: A Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand is running a multifaceted marketing campaign featuring a variety of QR Code types, including URLs that direct customers to product pages, codes offering discounts, and those linked to loyalty programs.

As consumers scan these codes, the brand can track which ones generate the most engagement. This scan data then helps the brand refine strategies, prioritize high-performing offers, and optimize future campaigns, leading to better engagement and higher conversions. 

Gain insightful QR Code tracking data with Uniqode

Creating trackable QR Codes requires a reliable QR Code generator. Uniqode ticks all the boxes for user-friendliness, security, and analytics. Want to create a trackable QR Code for your next campaign? Try Uniqode for free.

Frequently asked questions