QR codes have been around since the 1990s but their practical use for Irish businesses expanded dramatically after 2020, when contactless menus and check-ins made them mainstream. Most business owners now recognise one on sight — but fewer understand the difference between a basic QR code and a trackable one, or how to use them effectively across different types of print.
What Is a QR Code?
A QR code — Quick Response code — is a type of barcode that can be scanned by any smartphone camera. When scanned, it directs the user to a destination you define: a website, a menu, a booking page, a social media profile, a phone number, or a Google review page. From a print perspective, it converts a physical piece of paper into an interactive link — bridging the gap between something held in the hand and something viewed on a screen.
QR codes are free to generate and straightforward to include in any print design. The question for most businesses is not whether to use one, but where and how.
Static QR Codes vs Trackable QR Codes
There are two types of QR code relevant to print design.
Static QR codes link directly to a fixed URL. Once the code is printed, the destination cannot be changed. They are free to generate and have no ongoing cost. For most standard use cases — linking to a website, a menu, or a social media page — a static QR code is perfectly adequate.
Dynamic or trackable QR codes link to a redirect URL that can be changed after printing, and they record scan data — how many times the code was scanned, when, and in some implementations, from which location. This is particularly useful for businesses running print campaigns who want to measure performance: how many people scanned a poster versus a leaflet, or how a December campaign compared to a November one.
At GotoPrint.ie, we include a standard static QR code on any print design at no extra charge. Trackable QR codes are available as a paid add-on for businesses who want campaign measurement built into their print.
How to Use QR Codes Effectively on Different Print Items
Business Cards
A QR code on a business card can link to your website, your LinkedIn profile, a contact page, or — most usefully — your Google review page. A business card handed over after a job is done with a direct link to your Google review page removes every barrier between the satisfied customer and leaving a review. No searching, no navigating, one scan.
Posters
A QR code on a poster typically links to a booking page, an event ticketing page, or a website with more details. For restaurants and venues, a QR code on a window poster can link directly to a reservation system. For event promoters, it can link to a ticket purchase page. The key is that the destination is immediately relevant to whatever the poster is promoting — not just the homepage.
Leaflets
A QR code on a leaflet is most effective when it links to something the leaflet has already mentioned — a specific offer, a menu, or a landing page that continues the conversation. A door drop leaflet for a restaurant with a QR code linking to a Christmas booking form is more useful than one linking to the homepage.
Table Tents
Table tents are arguably the most natural home for a QR code in print. A seated customer has time to scan — they are not in passing, they are stationary. A table tent QR code can link to a digital menu, a loyalty scheme signup, a Google review page, or a social media follow. The friction between a seated customer and any of those actions is minimal when the code is right in front of them.
What Makes a QR Code Work on Print
Three practical points worth knowing before including a QR code in your print design.
Size matters. A QR code needs to be large enough to scan reliably — a minimum of 2cm × 2cm at print size, ideally larger. A code that is too small or reproduced at low resolution will fail to scan on some devices.
Contrast is essential. QR codes require strong contrast between the code and its background — typically black on white. Placing a code on a dark or patterned background significantly reduces scan reliability.
Test before printing. Always scan the QR code from the final print file — or at minimum from a high-resolution proof — before sending to print. A code that works on screen at 100% zoom may fail at actual print size if the file resolution is insufficient.
The Practical Case for Including QR Codes on Print
The value of a QR code on print is that it connects a physical touchpoint — a card, a poster, a leaflet on a table — directly to a measurable digital action. For businesses that currently have no way of knowing whether their print marketing is generating results, adding a QR code that links to a dedicated page or a tracked URL is the simplest way to start measuring.
For businesses already satisfied with their print, a QR code to a Google review page is often the single highest-return addition they can make — particularly for trades and service businesses where the volume of jobs completed every week represents an untapped source of reviews that never get asked for.
Get a Print Design Quote