"How to Track QR Code Scans: A Practical Guide for Marketers"

The easiest way to know if your QR codes are actually working is to use dynamic QR codes. Instead of sending people straight to your website, they route through a special tracking URL first. That momentary detour is invisible to the user, but it’s where all the magic happens—capturing invaluable data that turns your marketing from guesswork into a precise, data-backed strategy.

Why QR Code Tracking Is a Non-Negotiable Marketing Tool

Before we get into the "how," let's talk about the "why." For a small business owner, marketer, or event organizer, tracking QR code scans isn't just a neat feature; it's essential for understanding what works.

Imagine knowing exactly which flyer drives the most website traffic. Or what time of day your audience engages most with your product packaging. This is the power that tracking unlocks.

When you use a dynamic QR code generator like QR Code Maker, every single scan becomes a data point. This information finally bridges the gap between your physical marketing materials and your digital analytics, giving you a clear, unified picture of customer behavior.

Measure Campaign ROI

How do you prove that the money you spent on flyers for a local event actually led to ticket sales? Without tracking, it's a shot in the dark. With QR code analytics, you can attribute website visits, sign-ups, and even purchases directly to a specific physical campaign.

This direct attribution lets you calculate a clear return on investment (ROI). You can finally answer questions like:

• Did our in-store poster generate more leads than our magazine ad?
• How many people who scanned the code on our coffee cups actually visited the new menu page?
• Which of our trade show banners was the most effective at driving booth traffic?

Understand Customer Behavior

QR code tracking offers a window into your audience's habits. The data you get goes way beyond just the total number of scans. You can see when and where your customers are most receptive to your message.

For example, a restaurant owner might discover that the QR code on their takeout bags gets scanned most often on Friday evenings. That's a powerful insight. They could use it to run targeted social media ads promoting weekend specials during that exact time, meeting their customers where they are—both physically and digitally.

The trend is clear. By 2025, the United States is projected to dominate the global market with 42.2% of all scan volume. Data also shows that 93% of marketers are already increasing their use of QR codes, focusing on metrics like unique users and geographic locations to better understand their audience. You can dig deeper into these numbers and what they mean for marketers who want to learn more about QR code statistics.

Practical Tip: Tracking isn't just about counting scans. It's about collecting data that reveals who your customers are, what they care about, and how they interact with your brand in the real world. This data is the foundation for smarter, more effective marketing.

To really get a handle on tracking QR code scans, you have to understand the first and most important choice you'll make. Your ability to see any data at all boils down to one thing: whether you create a static or a dynamic QR code.

This single decision is what separates a simple, scannable image from a measurable marketing campaign.

Think of a static QR code as being set in stone. The destination URL or data is burned directly into the code’s black and white pattern. Once it's generated, that’s it—you can't edit it, and you certainly can't track it. It's the digital equivalent of printing a web address on a flyer; you know people see the flyer, but you have no idea how many actually visited the site because of it.

Static codes are perfect for simple, permanent information where you don't need any feedback. Good examples include:

• WiFi Access: Sharing your network details with guests in a café or office.
• Business Cards: A vCard for your personal contact information.
• Plain Text: Displaying a permanent message or a serial number on equipment.

The Power of Dynamic QR Codes

A dynamic QR code, on the other hand, is your key to a world of analytics. Instead of encoding the final destination, it holds a unique, short redirect URL that's managed by a platform like QR Code Maker. When someone scans it, their phone first pings that short URL.

In that fraction of a second, the platform logs the scan—capturing the time, location, and device type—before instantly sending the user to your actual destination, like your website or a sales page. This invisible pit stop is what makes all the tracking possible.

The redirect is the engine of QR code analytics. Without it, you're flying blind. For any marketer, business owner, or event organizer needing to measure performance and justify their budget, dynamic QR codes are the only viable option.

This redirect magic also means you can change the final destination of a dynamic QR code whenever you want, even long after it's been printed. Imagine you’ve just printed 5,000 brochures for a huge event, only to discover a typo in the URL. With a static code, you'd be looking at a costly reprint. With a dynamic code, you just log into your dashboard, fix the link in seconds, and save yourself a massive headache.

When to Choose Dynamic Every Time

For pretty much any professional use case, the benefits of dynamic codes are a no-brainer. If you need to measure the effectiveness of your marketing, dynamic isn't just an option—it's a necessity.

Just think about these real-world scenarios:

• A restaurant owner wants to know if the new QR codes on their table tents are actually driving more online orders.
• An event organizer needs to see which of their promotional posters—the one in the coffee shop or the one at the bus stop—is generating more ticket sales.
• A marketer is testing two campaigns and wants to compare the engagement from a magazine ad versus a direct mailer.

In every case, the data from dynamic scans delivers clear, actionable insights that help you make smarter decisions. If you're still weighing the options, our detailed guide on static vs dynamic QR codes goes even deeper to help you pick the right tool for the job. But for any campaign where the results actually matter, the choice is clear.

Kicking Off Your First Trackable QR Code Campaign

Alright, let's move from theory to action. This is where you start getting real data. Setting up a trackable QR code campaign sounds technical, but with the right tools, it's a surprisingly straightforward process. You'll be collecting valuable insights in minutes, not hours.

The entire foundation of tracking hinges on one key choice: using dynamic QR codes. This is the non-negotiable first step that unlocks the analytics dashboard where all your scan data will live.

Think of it this way: static codes are a dead-end for data, while dynamic codes open up a direct line to powerful analytics.

As you can see, that small redirect step in the dynamic code process is the magic ingredient. It’s what allows a platform like QR Code Maker to log every single scan before seamlessly sending the user to their final destination.

Launching Your Campaign: A Practical Walkthrough

Let's walk through creating a dynamic QR code for a real-world scenario. Imagine you run a local bookstore and you're promoting a new loyalty program. The goal? Drive sign-ups using a QR code on in-store flyers.

Here’s how you'd do it, step-by-step:

1. Sign Up and Pick Your Code Type: First, you’ll need an account on a platform that supports dynamic codes, like QR Code Maker. Once you're in, you'll choose the type of QR code you need. For our bookstore, a simple "Website" QR code is perfect, since we're linking to the loyalty program's sign-up page.

2. Enter Your Destination URL: This is where you paste the link you want people to land on after they scan. For the bookstore, it’s the URL for the loyalty program form. The most critical part of this step is selecting the Dynamic option. This tells the platform to generate the special, trackable short URL that makes all the analytics possible.

3. Customize the Design: A generic black-and-white square works, but a branded code builds trust and just plain gets more scans. You can easily add your bookstore's logo to the center, change the colors to match your brand, and even add a frame with a clear call-to-action like "Scan to Join." This little visual cue tells people exactly what to expect and why they should scan.

4. Download and Deploy: Once you're happy with how it looks, download the QR code in a high-resolution format. SVG is fantastic for print because it stays sharp at any size. Now you're ready to add it to your flyers and get them out in the store.

And just like that, your first trackable campaign is live. Now for the fun part: watching the data come in.

Making Sense of Your Analytics Dashboard

After your QR code has been out in the wild for a bit—even just a few hours—you can log back into your dashboard to see how it’s performing. This is where you stop guessing and start understanding your customer behavior.

Here’s what you can expect to see. A good dashboard gives you a clean overview of your campaign's performance at a glance.

This screenshot shows how raw scan data is turned into a digestible report, telling a clear story about how your audience is engaging.

Pro Tip: Don't just set it and forget it. Check your data early and often. If you see surprisingly low scan numbers after a day, you can quickly figure out if the flyer's placement is bad or if your call-to-action isn't compelling enough to make people pull out their phones.

Within the dashboard, you’ll find a few key data points that paint a full picture.

• Total Scans: The raw number of times your code has been scanned. It’s your main metric for gauging overall interest.
• Unique Scans: This tells you how many different devices scanned your code. If one person scans it five times, it still only counts as one unique scan. This gives you a much better sense of your actual reach.
• Scan Location (by City/Country): The dashboard will show you where scans are coming from. For our bookstore, we’d expect to see all scans from their city. But for a national campaign, this data could reveal unexpected hot spots of customer interest.
• Time of Scan: Are people scanning your flyers during their lunch break or on Saturday afternoons? This data helps you figure out when your audience is most active and engaged with your materials.
• Device Type: You’ll get a breakdown of scans from iOS versus Android devices. This is super helpful for making sure your landing page is optimized for the mobile OS your audience actually uses.

By checking these metrics regularly, the bookstore owner can answer real business questions. Are the flyers by the coffee bar getting more action than the ones at the front door? Did that weekly email newsletter cause a spike in scans? Each data point is a clue, helping to refine and improve marketing strategy for the next campaign.

Tying QR Scans to Google Analytics with UTMs

While the analytics dashboard in a platform like QR Code Maker gives you fantastic insights into the scan itself—where it happened, when, and on what device—the story doesn’t stop there.

To really understand your campaign's impact, you need to see what users do after they scan. This is where Google Analytics enters the picture.

By connecting your QR code scans with Google Analytics, you bridge the gap between your physical marketing efforts and your digital performance. This powerful combination lets you track the entire customer journey, from a flyer in their hand to a purchase on your website.

The key to unlocking this deeper level of tracking is a simple but powerful tool: UTM parameters.

What Are UTM Parameters, Anyway?

UTM parameters are just simple tags you add to the end of a URL. These tags don't change where the link goes, but they feed Google Analytics specific information about where that visitor came from. Think of them as a digital breadcrumb trail, showing you exactly which marketing effort led someone to your site.

There are five standard UTM parameters, but for QR code tracking, you’ll mostly focus on three:

• utm_source: Identifies where your traffic came from. For a QR code, this could be something like flyer, business_card, or product_packaging.
• utm_medium: Explains the marketing channel. A great choice here is simply qr_code so you can easily filter for this traffic later.
• utm_campaign: Names your specific campaign, like winter_special, grand_opening, or conference_2024.

Combining these tags lets you create highly specific, trackable links that tell a clear story inside your analytics reports.

Building Your Trackable URL

You don't need to be a developer to create a URL with UTM tags. Google provides a free and easy-to-use tool called the Campaign URL Builder. You just fill in a few fields, and it spits out the final URL for you.

Let's use a practical example. A local coffee shop is running a promotion for a new winter blend. They're placing QR codes on table tents to encourage customers to learn more and sign up for a discount.

Here’s how they would fill out the Campaign URL Builder:

1. Website URL: https://yourcoffeeshop.com/winter-blend
2. utm_source: table_tent
3. utm_medium: qr_code
4. utm_campaign: winter_blend_promo

The tool then generates a new, longer URL that looks something like this: https://yourcoffeeshop.com/winter-blend?utm_source=table_tent&utm_medium=qr_code&utm_campaign=winter_blend_promo

This is the link you'll use as the destination when creating your dynamic QR code in QR Code Maker. Now, every single scan from that table tent is tagged and ready to be tracked in Google Analytics. To make this even easier, check out our guide on the QR Code Maker Google Analytics integration.

Important Takeaway: The UTM-tagged URL becomes the destination for your dynamic QR code. When a user scans it, the QR platform logs the initial scan data, and then Google Analytics logs the website visit with all your campaign details attached.

This level of detail is becoming essential. Globally, QR code scans recently surged by 57%, with another 22% growth projected by 2025. Yet, only 31% of marketers track the post-scan journey, despite seeing 37% higher click-through rates when they do. You can find more insights on this rapid adoption and learn about QR code statistics.

Finding Your Data in Google Analytics

Once your campaign is live and people start scanning your code, where do you find all this valuable data?

Inside your Google Analytics account, navigate to Acquisition > Traffic acquisition. From there, you can filter your reports by "Session campaign," "Session source," or "Session medium."

Because you used qr_code as your medium, you can instantly isolate all traffic that came specifically from your QR code campaigns. This allows you to see what these users did after they landed on your site:

• How long did they stay on the page?
• Did they visit other pages on your site?
• Did they complete a goal, like filling out a form or making a purchase?

By tracking QR code scans with UTMs, you transform a simple scan into a measurable part of your marketing funnel. You can finally prove that the flyer you printed directly contributed to online sales, giving you the data needed to make smarter, more profitable decisions.

Turning Scan Data into Actionable Business Insights

Collecting scan data is just the first part of the puzzle. The real value isn't in the raw numbers but in how you interpret them. Turning this data into smart business decisions is what separates a good campaign from a great one. It’s time to move beyond simply looking at "total scans" and start asking what the numbers are truly telling you about your customers and their behavior.

This is where your analytics dashboard becomes your strategic command center. With a clear view of your metrics, you can refine your marketing, optimize your budget, and connect with your audience more effectively.

Moving Beyond the Total Scan Count

The "total scans" metric is often the first number people look at, but on its own, it can be misleading. A high number might come from a handful of very enthusiastic users scanning the same code repeatedly. To get a clearer picture, you need to dig into more nuanced data points.

Over 2.2 billion people actively use QR codes, which represents 29% of all smartphone users. With the marketing sector driving 40% of this usage, the scan data you collect is gold for proving campaign ROI. Recent trends show that while many marketers track total scans, a growing number (54%) are focusing on unique users to accurately measure their campaign's true reach. You can discover more insights about these trends in the 2025 QR code industry report.

Let's break down the key metrics that provide truly actionable insights.

Unique Scans: Your True Audience Reach

Unique scans tell you how many individual devices have scanned your code. If one person scans your code ten times, it still counts as only one unique scan. This metric is a much more accurate measure of how many different people your campaign has actually reached.

• Real-World Scenario: An event organizer places QR codes on posters around the city. The "Total Scans" count is 1,000, but the "Unique Scans" count is 250. This reveals that their reach is 250 individuals, some of whom are highly engaged. This insight helps them set more realistic goals for future ticket sales based on actual audience size.

Scans by Location: Informing Your Ad Spend

Knowing where your scans are coming from is incredibly powerful. Analytics platforms like QR Code Maker can show you scans broken down by city and country. This geographic data helps you identify hotspots of customer interest you might not have known existed.

• Real-World Scenario: A national e-commerce brand includes a QR code on its product packaging. They notice a surprisingly high volume of scans originating from Austin, Texas, a city where they have no physical presence. Armed with this data, they can confidently launch a targeted social media ad campaign specifically for the Austin area, capitalizing on an already engaged audience.

Key Takeaway: Data without action is just noise. The goal is to connect a specific metric to a concrete business decision. Ask yourself, "What can I do differently now that I know this?"

Scan Time: Optimizing Your Schedule

When are people most likely to engage with your marketing materials? The "Scan Time" metric answers this question by showing you the days of the week and even the hours of the day your codes are most active. This helps you align your promotional efforts with your audience's natural behavior. You can learn more by exploring our detailed guide on understanding scan analytics.

• Real-World Scenario: A restaurant places a QR code on its takeout menus linking to a feedback survey. After a month, the data shows a massive spike in scans every Friday and Saturday between 6 PM and 8 PM. The restaurant manager can now schedule an automated follow-up email with a "weekend special" offer to be sent to their mailing list at 5 PM every Friday, catching customers right when they are most engaged.

Real-World Examples of QR Code Tracking Success

Theory and metrics are one thing, but seeing how tracking actually plays out is what makes it all click. Let's look at a few examples of how different businesses are using QR code analytics to make smarter decisions that lead to real, tangible results.

These aren't just about collecting data for the sake of it. This is about gaining insights that drive growth and make the customer experience better.

The Neighborhood Restaurant

A local Italian spot wanted to figure out which items on their new happy hour menu were actually hitting the mark. They put QR codes on table tents that linked to a quick digital feedback form. Smartly, they used a unique UTM tag for each special, like utm_campaign=aperol_spritz_promo.

It didn't take long to see a clear winner. By tracking scans and form submissions in Google Analytics, they saw the Aperol Spritz special was generating 40% more feedback than anything else. Armed with that data, they gave the drink a prime spot on their main menu and ran targeted social media ads for it. The result? A serious bump in weekday evening sales.

The Savvy Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent needed a better way to gauge interest in listings across different neighborhoods. She added a dynamic QR code from QR Code Maker to every "For Sale" sign, linking people directly to the property's virtual tour.

Her analytics dashboard painted a clear picture. Properties in the "Northwood" neighborhood were getting twice as many scans as those downtown, with most of the activity happening on Saturday afternoons. This insight was gold. She shifted her marketing budget to focus more ad spend on Northwood and started scheduling open houses specifically on Saturdays to catch that peak interest.

The scan data took the guesswork out of her strategy. Instead of guessing where to focus her efforts, she had a clear, data-backed roadmap to where the buyers were.

The Independent Gallery Artist

An artist wanted to bridge the gap between her physical gallery displays and her online store. She placed a small, elegant QR code next to each painting, linking straight to its purchase page. She tracked everything—raw scan counts and post-scan activity using UTM parameters.

The data revealed something interesting. One particular abstract piece wasn't a huge seller in the gallery itself, but it was generating the most online traffic by a mile. People were scanning the code, saving the link, and buying it later from home. Realizing this, she created a limited series of prints for that specific piece and promoted them online, opening up a new and profitable revenue stream born directly from QR code insights.

And it’s not just small businesses. A global restaurant chain found that tracking QR menu scans helped them understand customer habits so well it boosted sales by 30%. It’s no wonder that 95% of businesses agree that QR codes provide incredibly valuable first-party data. You can explore more about the growing trust in QR codes and see how they're changing the game.

Common Questions About Tracking QR Code Scans

Even with a solid plan, a few questions always pop up when you start tracking QR code scans. Here are the most common ones from business owners and marketers, along with some straight answers.

Can I Track a QR Code That Is Already Printed?

This is a tough one, but unfortunately, the answer is no. You can't add tracking to a QR code after it's been printed.

Analytics are only possible if the code was created as a dynamic QR code from the very beginning. Static codes have the final destination URL permanently baked into the pattern, so there's no way to intercept the scan to collect data. This is exactly why using a dynamic QR code generator is so critical for any serious marketing campaign.

Do I Need Technical Skills to Use UTM Parameters?

Not at all. The term "UTM parameters" sounds intimidating, but creating them is surprisingly simple.

Google has a free Campaign URL Builder tool that does all the heavy lifting. You just fill out a few fields, like your campaign's source ("flyer") and medium ("qr_code"), and it instantly spits out the full, trackable link. All you have to do is copy that link and paste it into your QR code platform when creating your code. No coding required.

Can I See Who Specifically Scanned My Code?

No, and that's a good thing. For critical privacy reasons, you cannot see personally identifiable information like a person's name, phone number, or email address from a scan.

QR code analytics provide powerful marketing insights through aggregated and anonymous data. You'll see things like the scanner's city, the time of day, and the type of device they used (like an iPhone or Android). This approach gives you everything you need to make smarter marketing decisions without ever compromising user privacy.

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Ready to stop guessing and start measuring? You can create your first trackable QR code campaign in just a few minutes with QR Code Maker. Start for free and finally see what your customers are trying to tell you.

Get started with QR Code Maker today