QR code on a business card: do's and don'ts

First, decide what the code does

There are two good choices.

Save your contact (vCard). The code holds your name, phone, email and more. One scan saves you to the phone’s contacts. It works without internet. But if your number changes, you need new cards.

Open a page. The code holds a link to your LinkedIn, your website or an online profile. You can update that page any time. But it needs internet, and people must save your details themselves.

For most people, the contact card is the friendlier choice.

Do

• Do keep it at least 2 cm wide. 2 to 2.5 cm fits most cards.
• Do keep a white margin around the code, about four dots wide.
• Do add a few words, like “Scan to save my contact”.
• Do use fewer fields in a contact code. Name, title, one phone, one email and a website is enough. Every field adds dots.
• Do include the country code in phone numbers, like +44 or +1.
• Do send the printer an SVG file. It stays sharp at any size. If they want an image, send the largest PNG.
• Do test a printed proof with an iPhone and an Android phone.

Don’t

• Don’t print it under shiny foil or a glossy coat. Glare stops cameras.
• Don’t use light dots on a dark card. Put the code on a white box instead.
• Don’t let text or lines touch the code.
• Don’t stretch it. Always resize from a corner.
• Don’t use a free trial code that may switch off later. Scan it and check the link first. See Do QR codes expire?

Front or back?

The back is the usual place. It keeps the front clean for your name and logo. If the code is the main reason for the card, like for a shop or event, the front is fine too.

Make it look like you

You can colour the dots in your brand colour, as long as it is dark enough. You can add your logo in the middle. Or put a small photo of your face into the code, so people remember you. Print photo codes a little bigger, at least 2.5 cm. More in How to put a photo or logo in a QR code.

Check every field

When you test, open the saved contact. Is the mobile number saved as mobile? Is the email right? Is your name in the right order? Fix it now, before 500 cards arrive.