What an SMS QR code does
An SMS QR code opens the phone’s messages app. Your phone number is already in the To field, and your message is already typed. The person scanning just presses Send.
Ways to use it:
- Opt-ins: “Text JOIN to get our weekly deals.”
- Orders and bookings on a takeaway menu or a market stall.
- Votes and entries at events and quizzes.
- Quick replies on a parcel or delivery note: “Text us if no one is home.”
How to make one
- Choose SMS at the top.
- Type the phone number that should receive the messages. Spaces, brackets and dashes are removed for you.
- Type the message that should be ready to send.
- Check for the green Scans well note, then download.
Tips
- Use a number that can receive texts. Many office landlines cannot.
- Keep the message short and clear, such as “JOIN” or “BOOK TABLE 7PM”.
- Tell people what happens next: “You will get a reply within 5 minutes.”
- Test it: scan the code on your own phone and send yourself the text.
SMS or WhatsApp?
If your customers mostly use WhatsApp, a WhatsApp QR code may suit them better. It opens a chat with you in WhatsApp, with your message already typed. SMS works on every phone with no app needed.
Common mistakes
- A number that cannot get texts, such as a landline or a shared switchboard. Send a test text first.
- A long message. It makes the code dense and people may change it. Short keywords are easier to sort.
- No reply. If people text you and hear nothing, they stop trusting the code. Set up an automatic reply if you can.
- Forgetting consent. If the text joins a marketing list, tell people what they will get and how to stop it.
Example uses
A food truck prints an SMS code on its menu board: the message “ORDER” goes to the truck’s phone. Staff reply with a pickup time. The queue is shorter and nobody has to shout their order.
Where to put it
Counters, menu boards, flyers, delivery notes and event screens are all good places. Print a short line next to the code that says what the text does, such as “Scan to text us your order”, so people know what to expect before they scan.
Questions people ask
Does the text message send automatically?
No. The phone opens the messages app with the number and text filled in. The person checks it and presses Send themselves.
Do iPhones and Android phones both support SMS codes?
Yes. Both open their built-in messages app. On iPhone, if the other person also has an iPhone, it may send as an iMessage instead of an SMS.
Who pays for the message?
The person sending it pays their normal text rate, as for any message they send. Most phone plans include texts.
Should I include the country code?
Yes, if people from other countries may scan it. Start with + and the country code, for example +852 for Hong Kong or +1 for the US and Canada.
Can I use this for a text-to-join list?
Yes. Put a keyword like JOIN in the message. Check the rules for marketing texts in your country before you send people offers.