WhatsApp QR code

WhatsApp QR Code Generator

WhatsApp is by far the world’s most popular instant messaging service. In this article, find out how you can create and share a WhatsApp QR code with QRStuff, giving your customers and business partners a quick and easy way to get in touch by simply scanning your code.

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What is a WhatsApp QR Code Generator?

WhatsApp QR Code Generator is a free tool that lets you create a QR code for WhatsApp. When scanned on a mobile device, the code will open up WhatsApp on the user’s smartphone with a preformatted message addressed to your contact number. You can customize your WhatsApp QR code to make it stand out from the rest with different colors, sizes and images. And if you want even more functionality, you can use QRStuff’s paid subscriber service to get dynamic QR codes that can be edited at any time, plus analytics data to track how your code is used.

Why should I use a WhatsApp QR code?

If you run a business, you’ve probably considered the idea of using WhatsApp to stay in touch with customers, partners, and suppliers. After all, it’s so convenient, and pretty much everyone seems to have it these days. But what if there were a way to make it even easier for people to reach out to you? By using a WhatsApp QR code, you can take your business communication to the next level. Here’s how!

No more wrong numbers

Normally, a customer has to enter your number manually to send you a message on WhatsApp—an obvious stumbling block, particularly if international dialing codes are involved. With a WhatsApp QR code, this is all taken care of automatically.

Minimum effort required

With a WhatsApp QR code, you can create a pre-written message (e.g. “I would like to make an appointment”). The less effort a customer has to go through, the more likely they are to get in touch!

Customer support anywhere, anytime

Customers love the immediacy of WhatsApp when it comes to getting support from your business. No need for them to be stuck at their computer or waiting on hold for hours: fast support is even faster with a WhatsApp QR code.

What information is stored in a WhatsApp QR code?

A QR code is a type of barcode that can store various kinds of information. In this case, a WhatsApp QR code encodes two key pieces of info: your phone number and your preformatted message. When scanned, it opens WhatsApp on the user’s device (provided they have the app) and brings up a message ready to send directly to your number.

What are the benefits of using a WhatsApp QR code?

If you run a business, then you’ll know that making contacting you as seamless and frictionless as possible is a sure-fire way to drum up more opportunities. Creating a WhatsApp QR code is the perfect way to do this—and what’s more, you can make one totally free of charge with QRStuff! If you’re looking for even more functionality, paid subscribers get dynamic QR codes plus analytics data (more information below).

How to create a WhatsApp code

Creating a WhatsApp QR code is almost as quick and easy as sending a WhatsApp message! Just follow the steps below to get your code in a flash:

  • Visit www.qrstuff.com

  • On the homepage, choose “Website URL” in section 1, Data Type

  • In section 2 (Content), enter your WhatsApp instant messaging link (see below for further details on creating this)

  • Adjust your settings in section 3 (Style) until you’re happy with the color, resolution, and size of your QR code

  • Print, send, or create the code using the buttons below, and you’re ready to go

Creating your WhatsApp QR code instant messaging link

A closer look

Your WhatsApp QR code will encode a link containing your phone number and a message, which you need to enter into section 2 as mentioned above. Your link should be in the following format:

https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=<phonenumber>&text=<message>

For <phonenumber>, insert your fully formatted phone number including ISD country code, local area code, and full phone number as an 11 or 12-digit string, with no dashes, brackets, or other characters, and with the leading zero (if any) removed from the area code.

For <message>, you’re free to insert whatever message you want to automatically appear when the user scans your code. Any spaces in the message string should be replaced with “%20”.

Here’s an example of a complete instant messaging link:

https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=61288886666&text=I%20would%20like%20to%20make%20an%20appointment

Who uses a WhatsApp QR code?

Anyone who uses or is looking to use WhatsApp in a professional capacity can benefit from the simplicity of a WhatsApp QR code. Here are just a few examples.

Personal trainers and physios

If you’re a fitness professional, picture this: a flyer on the wall at your local gym featuring a WhatsApp QR code. After a workout, gym-goers can reach out to you instantly for help achieving their fitness goals.

Tradespeople

For tradespeople such as builders, roofers, and plumbers, regular contact with customers is essential to arrange home visits, provide estimates, and answer any questions. A WhatsApp QR code printed on business cards and even company vans can streamline this process.

Real estate brokers

A QR code in the window of your agency or your latest brochure can encourage customers to send that all-important message that could lead to your next sale—what are you waiting for?

Tailored code, tailored service

The service you provide to every customer is tailored and unique, so why shouldn’t your QR code be? All QRStuff users have the option to fully customize their QR code free of charge, so let your imagination run wild! Tweak the color, shape, and size, and even add your company’s logo for that truly personal touch. QR codes might be everywhere nowadays, but that doesn’t mean yours can’t stand out from the pack.

Go behind the scenes with analytics

Want to make sure your WhatsApp QR code is a resounding success? Paid subscribers get access to analytics data that reveals the date, time, device type, and location in real-time every time the code is scanned. Presented in both table and graph format, this information is also available for download as an Excel or PDF file, so you can view exactly how your QR code is being used and make changes to optimize it where necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Scanning a WhatsApp QR code couldn’t be easier. Users can download a variety of free QR code scanning apps available for mobile devices, and newer Android and iPhone devices also have built-in QR scanning capabilities within the Camera app. It’s just a matter of pointing the camera at the QR code, and away you go!

Generally, if a user who doesn’t have WhatsApp scans the WhatsApp instant messaging link contained within your QR code, they will be taken to a web page where they will be offered two options: either download WhatsApp, or access the chat via WhatsApp Web, a browser-based version of the chat platform.

If you’re concerned that a WhatsApp QR code might not be the right fit for your business needs, you could always try an old-school SMS QR code—a great option if your contacts are less technologically inclined and might not have the app. Alternatively, if you’d rather use Facebook for your customer communications, you can try a Facebook Messenger QR code.

When you’re creating your WhatsApp QR code at www.qrstuff.com, you’ll see a couple of different encoding options in section 2: static and dynamic. What’s the difference, and which is right for you? Let’s take a look.

It’s time to get a bit technical. Your QR code represents a link, and when you choose a static code, this link is the very same one you enter when creating the code. Since the QR code points to the link itself, the final destination for whoever scans the link can never be modified, hence the code is known as static.

A dynamic code, meanwhile, initially sends the user to a short URL, which then transparently redirects to the intended destination site. This destination website can be changed over time, so although the QR code itself never changes, the end result of scanning it can: that’s why it’s called dynamic.

Let’s face it: dynamic QR codes sound a lot more exciting, right? So why would anyone opt for a static WhatsApp QR code? Well, there are pros and cons to both options, as we’ll see below.

The plus point of static QR codes is that they go straight to the target URL, which can be more reassuring for the user than being directed via an unfamiliar short link, so it’s worth bearing this in mind.

As for dynamic QR codes, naturally, being able to modify the link destination over time is a standout feature. Imagine you need to change your cellphone contact number, but you’ve already got a bunch of posters printed with your WhatsApp QR code on them. With a dynamic QR code, it’s no problem—you simply head to your subscriber account history on QRStuff and edit the URL to reflect your new number. What’s more, dynamic QR codes allow for tracking, so you can get analytics data on how they’re performing.

If dynamic QR codes sound like the right fit for your business, why not try our paid subscriber service and see if they work for you?