How to Add a QR Code to Your Gmail Signature

Are you using QR codes in your email signature? If not, you might want to start.

While not everyone is in agreement whether to include a QR code in your email signature (as many people read their email on their mobile phone), it's like many other forms of marketing - designed to reach some - not all - of your potential prospects.

If you decide to add a QR code to your email signature, be sure not to violate the cardinal rules of QR codes.

(1) Always direct a QR code URL to a mobile-enabled website. Don't annoy potential business or personal contacts by sending them to a site that appears tiny on their mobile device. The good news is that many websites are easily redirected to simpler mobile sites using a simple WordPress widget.

(2) When you create your personalized QR code, producing a smaller 2D code will reduce the file size for your email recipients.

(3) If you can, make the QR code clickable as well as scannable by a QR code reader. That way readers seeing your email on a mobile phone can easily access the information. (If you're not sure how to do that, we'll show you how below.)

If you're using an email service that includes an HTML editor - think Gmail, Outlook Express - then it's a piece of cake to add a QR code to your email signature. Here's what you need to do to add a QR code to your email signature using Gmail.

(1) First you'll need to create your personal or business QR code. You can link to a website, telephone number, vCard, or any number of things. I used a QR code generator for this example. The nice thing about this free QR code generator is the URL shortener feature that keeps your QR code from getting too large. Download the image when you're finished.

(2) Then you'll need to find a place to host the QR code image. If you have a website, you can add the image to your Media Library. Then copy the URL that's attached to that image.

(3) Next log-in to your Gmail account and click on the gear icon in the upper right hand corner. Select Settings, and scroll down to Signature (under General options). You'll see an HTML editor.

(4) Create the text for your signature, then decide where you want to add the QR code.

(5) Click on the icon to add an image, and paste the URL for your personal QR code. You should see the image appear below. Click OK to close the window.

(6) Now you have the option of resizing your QR code. Select the image, grab one of the handles and drag it. As you click and drag, you'll see the size of the image in pixels.

(7) Now we'll add the finishing touch, allowing email recipients to either scan your personal QR code with a mobile bar code scanner or just click the image to access your information. (That means anyone reading your email on a mobile device can still read the QR code).

(8) Select the image again and click on the "chain link" icon. Add the URL. When you're finished, click "Save Changes" at the bottom of the page, compose a new email message and try out your new signature.

Find More QR Code articles here

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