Why deep links beat homepages
Someone who scans a code on your bakery's window wants the menu or the opening hours — not your homepage hero video. Every tap between the scan and the answer loses a chunk of people. Match the destination to the context: table codes to the menu, product packaging to instructions, event posters to tickets.
The homepage is the one destination that is almost never right for print.
Counting scans without a subscription
UTM parameters turn your existing analytics into QR analytics. Tag each printed placement with its own utm_source (window, flyer, receipt) and you'll learn which placements work — data that paid 'dynamic QR' services charge monthly for. The parameters make the URL longer, so keep the base short.
If you want both short and trackable, create a short redirect on your own domain that forwards to the UTM-tagged page, and encode the short one.
Keeping codes alive for years
Print outlives websites. Encode URLs you control and, when you redesign or migrate, redirect old addresses instead of deleting them. One redirect rule preserves every code you've ever printed. A code pointing at a page you don't control is a code with an expiry date you can't see.
Mistakes to avoid
- Don't point print codes at your homepage.
- Long URLs make dense, fragile codes — shorten before encoding.
- Don't rely on third-party shorteners for permanent print.
Common questions
How do I count the scans?
Add UTM parameters to the link and read the traffic in your own analytics — no QR subscription needed.
Can I change where the code points later?
The code is static, but if it encodes a redirect on your own domain, you can repoint that redirect any time.
Should I include https://?
Yes — full URLs are the most reliable across readers.
What if my URL is very long?
Shorten it on your own domain or with a reputable shortener; the sparser pattern scans noticeably better.