QR codes for flyers, menus and packaging
Once it’s printed, a code can’t be fixed. Here is what to check while the layout is still yours.
Direct QR or a short link
| QR straight to your site | QR via lnk.ua | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it works | As long as the page lives | As long as the page and the lnk.ua link live |
| Clicks | Not visible | Visible if the link was created from an account |
| The code itself | Long address, dense pattern | Short address, fewer modules, easier to scan |
| Depends on | Your site only | Your site and lnk.ua |
If the address won’t change and you don’t need clicks, a direct QR code is simpler.
When a QR code stops working
There is no trial, no scan limit and no expiry. A code stops working if:
- you deleted the link;
- you deleted your account, which removes all its links;
- the link was blocked for breaking the rules.
Shorteners shut down too: that’s what happened to goo.gl.
Checklist before printing
- 1Create the link from an account. An anonymous link can’t be claimed later, and its clicks aren’t kept.
- 2Send SVG to the printer: it scales without loss. PNG is for screens.
- 3Print the short address as text under the code. People see where it leads and can type it.
- 4Leave a blank margin around the code at least four modules wide.
- 5Make the code at least 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 in) and check it on a proof.
- 6Scan the proof with two or three phones: the iPhone camera, Android and a messenger’s scanner.
- 7Point the code at a page that will stay, like your home page or a section, not a campaign page.
If your site’s address changes
You can’t change where an existing link points. So the code should lead to a page that survives a redesign and the end of a promotion.
If the site moves, set up a redirect from the old address to the new one, and printed codes keep working.
What you’re printing
Menu
Link to a menu page you keep updated, not a PDF with a date in its name.
Business card
A code to your site or contact page, with the address as text next to it.
Packaging and inserts
Link to the store or a category. More in short links for online stores.
Flyer
A separate link for each place you hand them out, so you see where flyers worked.
Free and PRO
QR codes and short links are free. See what PRO adds on the pricing page.
FAQ
No: there is no trial, scan limit or expiry. A code stops working if you delete the link or your account, or if the link is blocked for abuse.
No. Point the code at a page that will stay, and set up a redirect if your site moves.
SVG: it scales without loss. PNG is fine for screens.
No, codes are black and white.
You see clicks on the link if it was created from an account. The counter can’t tell a scan from a click.
If the address won’t change and you don’t need clicks, a direct code is simpler. A short link gives a simpler pattern and a click counter.
