To create a QR code that links to your business website, paste the exact page address into a QR code generator, choose your size and error correction level, download the image in a print-friendly format and test it on several phones before it goes to print. The whole process takes a couple of minutes. What takes more thought is choosing the right destination, sizing the code for the distance people will scan from and deciding whether you need a static or dynamic code.
You can make one now with the QR code generator. The rest of this guide covers the decisions that separate a code customers scan easily from one they give up on.
Static or dynamic: decide this first
A static QR code stores your website address directly in the pattern. It works for as long as that address works, needs no account or subscription and cannot be switched off by a third party. The trade-off is that it cannot be edited: change the URL and you need a new code.
A dynamic QR code stores a short redirect address owned by a QR service, which then forwards visitors to your website. You can change the destination later without reprinting, and the service usually counts scans. The trade-off is dependency: if the subscription lapses or the provider closes, every printed code stops working.
For most small businesses, a static code pointing to a page you control is the safer long-term choice. You can get the editing flexibility yourself by pointing the code at a stable address on your own domain, such as /menu/, and redirecting that page wherever you need. Add UTM tags to the address before you generate the code, and you can measure scans in your own analytics instead of relying on a third party.
Worked example: a sample QR set-up for a bakery’s window poster
A neighbourhood bakery in Portland wants a poster in its window promoting catering orders. Passers-by will scan from the sidewalk, about six feet away. Here is a sample set of settings, with each line explained.
Line 1. The code points to the catering menu, not the home page, so customers land exactly where the poster promised. The UTM tags record every scan as a visit from the window poster in analytics. Build tags like these consistently with a UTM builder before you generate the code.
Line 2. A static code suits a poster that may stay up for years. If the menu page moves, the bakery redirects the old address on its own website rather than reprinting.
Line 3. Error correction lets a code scan even when part of it is dirty, scratched or covered. Level M recovers roughly 15 per cent of damage and keeps the pattern relatively simple, at 41 modules (the small squares) across for this URL.
Line 4. The same address at level H, which recovers about 30 per cent, needs 57 modules across. Each module becomes smaller at the same print size, which makes scanning harder from a distance. Reserve level H for codes that will be handled roughly or have a logo placed over the centre.
Line 5. A widely used rule of thumb is that the code’s width should be at least one-tenth of the scanning distance. Six feet is 72 inches, so the code should be roughly 7.2 inches wide. On a business card read at arm’s length, about 0.8 to 1.2 inches is usually enough.
Line 6. The QR standard calls for a blank margin four modules wide around the code. Designers often trim it to fit a layout, and that is one of the most common reasons a code fails to scan.
Line 7. Phones look for dark modules on a light background. Brand colours are fine if the contrast is strong. Avoid light-on-dark inverted codes, pale pastels and placing codes over photographs.
Line 8. Vector SVG files scale to poster size without blurring. A small PNG stretched for print becomes fuzzy at the edges.
A tip on line 1: shorter addresses produce simpler codes. The bakery’s bare home page, at 31 characters, would need just 29 modules across at level M. If you do not need tracking, a short, clean URL gives you a bolder, easier-to-scan pattern.
Make your own code now: paste your website address into the free QR code generator for business websites, pick your error correction level, download a high-resolution file and test it from the distance your customers will scan.
Before you print: a five-point test
- Scan with several phones, both iPhone and Android, using the built-in camera app rather than a dedicated scanner.
- Test at real size and real distance. Print a proof and scan it from where customers will stand, in the lighting they will have.
- Check the landing page on mobile. Almost every scan comes from a phone. A page that loads slowly or is hard to read on a small screen wastes the scan; a website speed test will show how quickly it loads on mobile.
- Confirm HTTPS. Phones may warn about insecure pages, and customers are rightly wary of codes that lead somewhere unexpected.
- Add a call to action. “Scan to see our catering menu” outperforms a bare code because people know what they will get.
Where QR codes earn their place
The best uses connect a physical moment to a specific online action: product packaging linking to setup guides, restaurant tables linking to menus, trade show stands linking to a booking page, invoices linking to a payment portal, or “leave us a review” cards at the counter. In each case the destination is a single, purposeful page.
QR codes on billboards seen from moving cars, or in emails people are already reading on a phone, add friction rather than remove it. If someone can simply tap a link, give them a link.
Frequently asked questions
Do QR codes expire?
Static QR codes never expire, because the website address is stored in the pattern itself. They keep working as long as the destination page exists. Dynamic codes depend on the provider’s redirect service and can stop working if the subscription ends or the service closes, so check the terms before printing one in large quantities.
Can I change where a QR code goes after printing?
With a dynamic code, yes, through the provider’s dashboard. With a static code, the encoded address cannot change, but you can redirect that address on your own website to a new page. Pointing static codes to a stable URL on your own domain gives you that flexibility without third-party dependency.
How small can a QR code be?
For short URLs scanned close up, around 0.8 inches (2 cm) square is a common practical minimum. Larger distances need larger codes: a rule of thumb is a width of at least a tenth of the scanning distance. Longer URLs create denser codes that need more space to scan reliably.
Can I track how many people scan my QR code?
Yes. Dynamic code services count scans, or you can add UTM parameters to the destination URL before generating a static code. Each scan then appears in your analytics as a visit from that source and campaign, alongside what those visitors did on your site.
A well-made QR code is a small bridge between a printed surface and your website, and it should take the customer exactly where they expect to go. Choose the destination carefully, size it for the real scanning distance, test it, and create it with the TechBullion website QR code maker.
