Skip to main content
Industry Trends

Google Tests Print Ads With 2D Barcodes For Mobile

By February 4, 2008July 30th, 20238 Comments

In keeping with their aim to capture ever larger markets through innovation and technology Google is testing a cool new feature on their Print Ads platform – 2D Barcodes.

By using 2D Barcode and QR Code technology Google is trying to facilitate business deals between consumers and vendors. The 2D Barcodes are added to Google Print Ads, which can be published in newspapers, magazines, buses, signboards, flyers etc. In addition to the traditional contact details printed on the ads the 2D Barcodes can provide much more details about the advertiser in a small space.

This QR Code will let mobile users reach the mobile version of AccuraCast Search Daily News2D barcodes are similar to traditional barcodes and can be used to encode data about the advertiser. Most 2D Barcodes use either the QR Code or Data Matrix format. A QR code or quick response code enables the contents to be decoded at high speeds.

When a person interested in the product being advertised, sees this barcode, he/she can take a picture of it on his mobile phone. If the device then has the appropriate decoding software installed on it, the phone will decode the information and present it to the user. If the information is in the form of a website URL, the phone could access the encoded URL directly.

This feature is currently in just a beta testing phase, 2D barcode can only be incorporated by a limited number of advertisers who are already running Google Print Ads campaigns. Advertisers wishing to use the service can select the Print Ad details such as the ad space required, the publications desired etc and upload their ad along with the barcode.

Google Print Ads 2D Barcodes

Using innovations like this to improve the adverrtiser and consumer experience will most likely keep Google ahead of the game. Neither Yahoo! nor Microsoft have ad platforms that are anywhere near as advanced as Google’s offerings.