TALLAHASSEE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It is nearly impossible not to notice the odd black and white peppered squares located on advertisements, posters, magazines, and coupons. Those squares are QR codes (short for Quick Response), which are becoming one of the best ways to sell products to interested consumers more efficiently and, by definition, more quickly.
Homes & Land, one of America’s most recognized real estate brands, announced today a new feature that enables Realtors® to easily create a QR code for their magazine ad. When consumers see a property of interest in Homes & Land magazine, they scan the QR code with their smart phone to see more listing details, more photographs, or to watch a video of the property.
QR codes are widely used in Europe and Asia, and are catching on in North America. The popularity of QR codes is linked to the increased use of smart phones by consumers. More than 50% of phones in the US are expected to be web-enabled by the end of 2011.
“Real estate is one industry where QR codes will have a big impact,” says Doug Smidley, President of Homes & Land. “They were a hot topic at the recent National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Convention in New Orleans. Homes & Land has now taken this technology and opened up a new avenue to sell homes in the 30,000 communities we reach every day.”
Some Realtors® are already using QR codes on yard signs, business cards, direct mail, and print advertising. In the past, ease of use has been a sticking point in adoption of new technology by real estate agents.
“We wanted to make adding QR codes as simple as possible,” said Smidley. “Realtors® and agents simply advise us they want a code associated with their ad, and where they want it linked. We do the rest.”
According to Smidley, QR codes are an important initiative for Homes & Land. “We are all about integrating print and the Internet, and QR codes offer a fast and easy way to do this,” said Smidley. “Consumers are becoming more comfortable with QR codes and they will be an essential part of marketing a home. As early adopters of technology, Homes & Land is offering the codes now in order to give our advertisers a substantial edge in the home selling process.”
About Homes & Land
Founded in 1973, the Homes & Land franchise organization is a leading publisher of real estate magazines and online products. The company prints approximately 40 million magazines annually. One testament to the company’s history of innovation is its early adoption in 1992 of online listings for consumers.