QR codes for events
Where QR codes earn their place at an event, how to measure which signage worked, and what to do with the codes once the event is over.
Events produce a lot of printed material with a short shelf life and no chance of a reprint. That is exactly the situation dynamic QR codes are for.
Where they earn their place
- Registration and check-in. A code on the confirmation email, scanned at the door.
- Signage and banners. Agenda, floor plan, live updates.
- Stand graphics. A link to the thing you are demoing, not your homepage.
- Badges and lanyards. Contact details or a session schedule.
- Handouts. The deck, the white paper, the trial signup.
One link per placement
This is the difference between "we got 400 scans" and knowing that the entrance banner outperformed the stand by four to one.
Create a separate short link for each physical placement even when they all lead to the same page. Name them clearly — entrance-banner, stand-a12, badge — and the analytics do the rest.
Sizing for the room
Distance drives everything. A code on a badge is read from 20 cm; a banner across a hall is read from 3 m or more.
| Placement | Read from | Code size |
|---|---|---|
| Badge, handout | 20–30 cm | 2–3 cm |
| Table sign | 50 cm | 5 cm |
| Pull-up banner | 3 m | 30–40 cm |
| Hall backdrop | 8 m+ | 80 cm+ |
Full table in QR code size for print.
Practical problems at venues
- Bad mobile signal. Halls are often steel boxes. Keep the destination light, and make the key information the first thing on the page rather than below a hero image.
- Crowds. A code low on a banner is behind three people all day. Put it above head height.
- Lighting. Spotlights on glossy laminate reflect straight back into the camera. Matte finish.
- People walking past, not standing. A code someone has to stop and frame gets far fewer scans than one at a natural pause point — a queue, a seat, a stand.
After the event
Do not delete the links. Badges go in drawers, flyers stay in bags, and photos of your banner sit on phones for months. Point each link at something that stays useful — a recording, a follow-up page, your product — instead of leaving a dead end.
That post-event traffic is often the most qualified you get all year, and it costs nothing to catch it. See Change where a short link points.
Frequently asked questions
How big should a QR code be on a pull-up banner?
Around 30-40 cm if people read it from about 3 m. Work from the 10:1 rule in QR code size for print.
How do I tell which sign got the scans?
Use a separate short link per placement, even when they lead to the same page.
What should happen to the code after the event?
Point it at something evergreen rather than deleting it. Badges and flyers stay in circulation for months.
Last updated 2026-08-24