QR code with UTM tags

Why a QR code needs UTM tags

When someone scans a code with their phone camera, the browser opens the link with no information about where the visit came from. Google Analytics and Yandex Metrica record it as direct traffic, as if the address had been typed in. Your flyers, posters and business cards may be working, but the reports don't show it.

UTM tags fix this. The link inside the code gets parameters such as utm_source=flyer, utm_medium=qr and utm_campaign=autumn_sale, and analytics records the visit with that source. If you have several printed items, make a separate code for each with a different utm_source or utm_content and compare which worked better. For finer control there's a separate UTM builder.

What you can encode

Most QR codes hold a link, but any text works. Phones also understand a few special formats:

• tel:+15551234567 starts a call;
• mailto:info@example.com opens a new email;
• WIFI:T:WPA;S:network_name;P:password;; joins a Wi-Fi network without typing the password.

The generator encodes text as UTF-8, so modern phones read accented letters, Cyrillic and emoji. The shorter the content, the simpler the pattern and the smaller you can print the code.

SVG or PNG

SVG is a vector format. The code stays sharp at any size, so send SVG to your printer or designer: in a layout it can be stretched to banner size.

PNG is a pixel image for websites, slides, messengers and documents. The generator draws each module as a whole number of pixels so the edges don't blur, which means the final size may differ slightly from the one you picked.

If you do need a PNG for print, work from 300 dots per inch: a 3 cm code is about 354 pixels, a 5 cm code about 591.

Error correction level

A QR code stores its data with redundancy, so it can still be read when part of the pattern is dirty, scuffed or covered. There are four levels: L recovers up to 7% damage, M up to 15%, Q up to 25%, H up to 30%. The higher the level, the more modules and the finer the pattern at the same size.

M is enough for flyers, business cards and screens. Q and H help on packaging, outdoor posters, and when you want a small logo on top of the code.

How to make a code that scans

• Dark code on a light background. Not every scanner reads a light code on a dark background, and pale colour pairs may not scan at all. The generator warns you about weak contrast.
• Quiet zone: the standard is 4 modules. Text and images pressed up against the code stop scanners from finding it.
• Size. For a short link on a flyer or business card, 2–3 cm is usually enough. The longer the link, the denser the pattern and the larger you need to print. For a poster scanned from a distance, the size grows with the distance.
• Short links. UTM tags make the URL longer, so keep only the parameters you need.
• Testing. Before a print run, scan a proof with several phones, including older ones.

The code can't change after printing

The link is stored inside the pattern and can't be changed once printed. If the page moves or the site changes its address, the whole print run stops working. So it's better to encode an address on your own domain that you control, such as example.com/promo. If the page moves later, a redirect is all you need, and it keeps the tags. You can build the rules with our 301 redirect generator.

“Dynamic” QR code services do the same thing through their own domain. If the service shuts down or you stop paying, your printed codes stop working.