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Before hiring the right person for the job, you need to decide how you’ll pay them. Two of the most common ways to pay employees is with a salary or an hourly wage.
You’re probably wondering which option is better: the flexibility of an hourly employee or the stability of a salaried one. Of course, the answer is never as straightforward as we’d like.

Let’s compare the pros and cons of hourly vs. salary workers, the different laws for each, and what to look for when determining the right fit for your business.
What is a salaried employee?
A salaried employee earns an annual wage regardless of when they clock in and out. In other words, whether you work 20 hours or 60 hours per week, the number on your paycheck stays the same.
To state the obvious, an employee isn’t paid their entire salary on the first day. Instead, it’s divided by the number of pay periods, often on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. For example, an employee with a salary of $60,000 a year, paid twice a month, would receive $2,500 per paycheck.
Pros of Salaried Employees
Even if an employee clocks additional hours during the week, they receive the same rate per paycheck. Meaning, you don’t need to compensate employees who go beyond the standard 40-hour workweek.
Another advantage of salaried employees is the predictability of payroll. Every salaried employee signs an employment contract outlining their base salary and frequency of payment. When it comes time for payroll, you know exactly how much to pay since there is no fluctuation from week to week.
Cons of Salaried Employees
Since salaried employees aren’t clocking in and out each day, or filling out a timesheet each week, there’s a possibility they’ll work less than 40 hours during some weeks. That said, most salaried employees are critical players in their organization and strive to meet expectations.
What is an hourly employee?
Hourly employees account for a whopping 55.5% of all wage workers in the U.S.
Here’s how it works – an hourly employee earns a certain rate per hour of work. This rate must match or exceed the minimum wage, which will vary depending on your state. If your state’s minimum wage is different from the federal minimum wage, you’re required to pay the higher of the two.
You can pay hourly employees at the same frequency as salaried employees, but their paychecks will fluctuate to reflect the number of hours they work per week. For example, let’s say you’re an hourly employee working at a rate of $10 per hour. You clock in 40 hours one week, which is $400 worth of work. The following week you only work 20 hours — earning a total of $200.
Pros of Hourly Employees
Unless covered in a contract, hourly employees aren’t guaranteed a certain number of hours each week. This means you have the flexibility to set hours based on demand, securing coverage when you need it.
Also, you have no obligation to make an hourly worker a full-time employee. By hiring an hourly worker, you can offset the benefit costs for full-time employees, like healthcare and paid time off.
Cons of Hourly Employees
Arguably the biggest con of hourly employees can be boiled down to one word — overtime. If an hourly worker surpasses the 40-hour threshold, they are eligible for overtime, which accounts for one and a half times their regular pay. This becomes costly if the nature of the position requires more hours than the standard workweek.
Another con is tracking how many hours your employees work, which takes time and careful review. You can verify the hours with timecards, or invest in a time and attendance system. Either way, expect to spend some time crunching the numbers.
Exempt vs. Non-exempt Employees
Salaried and hourly employees have different laws and regulations, which can guide you to determine the best fit for your business.
Hourly employees have non-exempt status — therefore, if they work more than 40 hours a week, they must be compensated under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Employers must abide by the law to avoid fines, fees, and even prosecution.
On the flip side, most salaried employees have exempt status. An exempt employee must earn a minimum of $455 per week, or $23,660 per year, in the form of a salary. And, if you haven’t already guessed, exempt employees are exempt from overtime pay.
Let’s consider this example to demonstrate the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees:
Elizabeth, an exempt employee, is working over the weekend to meet a Monday morning deadline. Despite working “off the clock,” she’s not compensated for these hours.
Meanwhile, Lucas, a non-exempt employee, picks up an extra shift at a retail store over the weekend. He could take the weekend off, but he knows he will get compensated for working overtime.
Determining the Right Fit for Your Business
Back to the question on everyone’s mind: is it better to hire hourly or salaried workers? The answer depends on a variety of factors:
1. Relevant federal and state laws.
Familiarize yourself with relevant federal and state laws. Even if employees are exempt on a federal level, state laws may classify them as nonexempt.
2. The nature of the position.
Consider the type of work an employee will be doing. For example, if you anticipate an employee will need to work more than 40 hours per week, it could be more cost-efficient to pay them a salary.
3. Your business and its needs.
Does your business need flexibility or predictability? Do you have the resources to track hourly workers? Do you need to offset the costs of benefits for full-time employees? These questions, among others, can determine whether your workforce should be salaried or hourly.
Final Thoughts
As you prepare to expand your team, it’s important to decide how to pay the new players. While you must abide by federal and state laws, there is still room to weigh your decision based on your business and its needs.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is critical to help your brand reach the first page of search results and ideally climb into the top 5 positions for your primary keyword.

But what happens when you want to expand outside of local markets? With Google now seeing more than 3.5 billion searches per day, there’s a massive opportunity for brands to capture new customers. The caveat is that existing SEO practices may not translate — and in some cases, may actually hurt your brand in other countries.

To avoid this potential pitfall, a robust international SEO strategy is critical. Here’s what you need to know about what it is, how it works, how it’ll benefit you, and what steps you can take to create an effective plan.
Ready? Shkojme! Idemo! Vámonos! Let’s go!

Effective strategies leverage a combination of geographic and language data to develop SEO plans that drive reliable ROI. A strong international SEO strategy will help your company reach new markets and multiply revenue.
What does international SEO do for company websites?
An international SEO strategy for websites focuses on creating content that’s applicable to local markets, as well as developing a website structure that makes it easy for search engines to find and serve the right webpages to the right users at the right time.
Consider a company that sells window shades in the United States and is making a move into Canada. First, you’ll want to ensure Canadian customers are sent to the right pages on your website — pages that contain information about Canadian locations, Canadian shipping times, and fees and costs in CAD.
You’ll need a website structure that includes both U.S. and Canadian pages and leverages enough metadata that search requests from users will direct them to the right page for their current location.
Does my business need an international SEO strategy?
It depends.
If you have no plans to expand beyond local markets — such as your current city or state — international SEO probably isn’t worth the time and resources required. In fact, international SEO can backfire if your business is entirely local. Customers who land on international pages won’t be happy when they discover you serve a very small geographic area.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to expand beyond country borders, it’s worth spending on international SEO. Given the sheer number of companies competing on the global stage and the increased challenge in ranking highly for relevant keywords, a comprehensive strategy is critical.
Still not sure whether you should go for a local SEO strategy or international SEO strategy?

There are four primary differentiators between local SEO and international SEO:

Cost: Owing to their scale and scope, international SEO efforts come with significant costs.

Content: To ensure international reach, you’ll need to create significantly more content than you would for a local SEO strategy.

Capture: International SEO expands the target market you’re trying to capture, which necessitates in-depth research to ensure your brand aligns with customer expectations.

Competition: Competition for keywords and customers is much greater for international SEO efforts. Instead of simply competing with other businesses in the same local sphere of influence, you could be up against multinational corporations.

Questions to Ask About International SEO
Not sure how to get your international SEO efforts off the ground? Start with these questions.

Where are you headed?
Should you target language or country?
What localization factors matter most?
How can you build local links?
Does social media matter?
Are current keywords good enough?
Do you have the right tools and talent?

1. Where are you headed?
Depending on the part of the world you’re targeting, your international SEO approach will change. For example, if you’re headed to China, the most popular search engine is Baidu, while Yandex is the preferred choice in Russia. Each of these engines have their own approach to SEO, meaning it’s worth doing your research to find out what matters most for rankings.
2. Should you target language or country?
This is a common international SEO question: Are you better-served targeting a specific language or a country? The answer depends on your goals. If you’re looking to appeal to a broad audience regardless of where they live, language optimization may be the answer. If you’re looking to grow brand awareness in a specific part of the world, opt for country-based SEO.
3. What localization factors matter most?
Localization is the process of optimizing your website and content to reflect the local language and culture. Two of the most important factors here are accuracy and common use: First, it’s critical to make sure that translations of any keywords or slogans are accurate — direct translations can open your brand and services to misinterpretations, such as the always-classic “Come alive with Pepsi” slogan translated as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead” in Chinese markets.
Common use is the other concern. The words and phrases used to describe your business and what it does may not be the same in other languages, even if the literal translation of words gives that impression. Find out what words locals use to describe your products and services and use those instead.
4. How can you build local links?
Building local links back to your site also helps with international SEO. Here, it’s a good idea to write articles for local blogs, get a sponsored mention on websites that offer advice or useful information, connect with local social media influencers, and sponsor local events.
5. Does social media matter?
While Google has expressly stated that social media doesn’t factor into international SEO rankings, you can increase brand awareness and local influencer connections with a strong social media presence.
6. Are current keywords good enough?
While your current keywords may help you rank in the top 5 locally, the sheer number of companies competing for these keywords in global markets means you need to take a look at who’s using these keywords, where they rank, and whether other similar keywords might drive better results.
7. Do you have the right tools and talent?
Finally, consider if this is something you can take on yourself or if you’re better off hiring an experienced international SEO company.
Factors That Affect International SEO
Multiple factors affect international SEO, including:
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews on your website or on local review sites can positively or negatively impact your SEO efforts. Better reviews mean better connection with your primary keyword, in turn boosting your visibility.
Mobile Responsiveness
The responsiveness of your website on mobile also matters to overall search rankings. As a result, it’s worth finding a content delivery network (CDN) capable of providing a top-tier website experience no matter where users are in the world.
Google My Business Account
Your Google My Business Account can help boost your SEO efforts — so long as you ensure to update where your company is operating. This acts as a starting point for Google to seek out geographic and language metadata on your site.
Link Building
The more links heading back to your site from international sources, the better. As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to write for local blogs or connect with influencers to point links back to your website.
How to Develop an International SEO Strategy
Ready to develop your international SEO strategy? Start here.
1. Decide where and who you’ll target.
First, pick your target market and target audience. For example, you might decide to target the larger market of Brazil, then hone in on a subset of that market that has the means and motive to buy your product. The more focused your decisions around “where” and “who,” the better your results.
2. Determine whether you’ll hire an international SEO agency.
Do you want to do the heavy lifting of international SEO yourself or outsource this effort? There are advantages to both — you know your brand better than anyone else, but SEO experts are skilled at understanding local customs and preferences and creating a strategy to match.
3. Conduct international keyword research.
Keywords that work for you at home may not work abroad. This may simply be down to keyword volume, or it may be linked to how customers in your target market refer to your business. For example, trial lawyers in the United States are known as barristers in the United Kingdom — if you’re a legal firm looking to expand operations, this is a critical keyword difference.
4. Choose the right international domain structure.
The domain structure of your website makes it easier (or harder) for visitors and search engines to find your content. Different options include:
ccTLD
Country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) are two-letter domains assigned to specific countries. For example, .us is for the United States, .ca is for Canada, and .uk is for the United Kingdom. To improve international SEO, you may choose to create a unique ccTLD site for each country where your products or services are available.
Example: mybusiness.ca, mybusiness.uk
gTLD
A generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD), meanwhile, refers to domain extensions with three or more characters; these TLDs are maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Common examples include .com, .gov and .org.
Using a gTLD means that search engines won’t restrict results based on region, but it may reduce total traffic since many users prefer sites that include their country code TLD.
Example: mybusiness.com
ccTLD or gTLD with subdomains
You can also choose to create subdomains for your site which combine aspects of both ccTLDs and gTLDs.
Example: ca.mybusiness.com
This offers the benefit of a country code and the advantages of a gTLD.
ccTLD or gTLD with subdirectories
Subdirectories, meanwhile, change the location of the country code:
Example: mybusiness.com/ca/
5. Optimize content for the region and language
Finally, make sure all your content is optimized for both your target region and its local language. This includes double-checking all TLDs, translations, and content assets to ensure they’re aligned with local expectations.
Oh, and don’t forget the hreflang tag. This HTML attribute specifies the geographic area and language of a webpage. It’s used to differentiate similar webpages aimed at different audiences so that search engines don’t count them as duplicate content, and it looks like this:

Tools for International SEO
The right tools can also help you maximize the impact of international SEO by providing actionable data around traffic, click-throughs, and time spent on your site. Some of the most popular tools include:
HubSpot
HubSpot’s SEO software allows you to create an international content strategy, gives you live tips to improve your on-page SEO, and lets you organize your website in a way that’s easy for both search engines and users to understand.
Google Search Console
Google Search Console lets you see what queries are driving traffic to your site, determine your position on Google Search, and analyze global site impressions.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO toolset that lets you optimize your site, analyze your competitors’ rankings, and find the best keywords for your brand.
Moz
Moz offers site audits to determine potential issues, tracks keyword rankings across more than 170 search engines, analyzes backlink profiles to evaluate performance, and offers keyword research tools to find out how you stack up against the competition.
Semrush
Semrush lets you identify high-value local and national keywords, analyze the backlink profile of any domain, and track your site’s SERP positions daily.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is an interconnected suite of tools that helps you analyze the impact of your website content worldwide.
International SEO Best Practices
No matter what approach you take to international SEO — language-focused or country-based, outsourced or in-house — the same best practices apply. Let’s take a look at them below.
1. Answer questions in the region’s native language and in the right context.
If there’s one thing to get right for international SEO, it’s making sure you’re speaking the same language as your customers. This means doing your research to ensure you’re always answering questions in their native language and in the appropriate context.
2. Translate existing content carefully.
While translation tools provide a literal conversion of words and phrases, they’re often not used this way by locals, meaning customers will quickly recognize that something isn’t quite right. Instead of translation, what you’re really looking for is “transcreation” — you want to recreate the same content but using the culture and language of your target market as a guide.
3. Consider the entire user experience in your strategy.
International SEO isn’t just about keywords and content. It’s also about making sure the entire user experience — from filling out forms to viewing prices in local currency or accessing multimedia assets that include native speakers — is seamlessly aligned across your site.
4. Avoid automatically redirecting users based on their IP address.
While it’s critical to serve content that matches local user expectations, don’t make the decision for them. Instead of automatically redirecting where they land based on their IP address, give them the option to choose their preferred region.
SEO: Improving Your International Impact
The right SEO strategy sets your brand apart from the crowd. And while this is important in home markets, it’s even more critical if you decide to go international, because it will ensure your website is optimized to support high-value content and keywords across regions and countries. By considering local customs, language, and context, you can boost consumer engagement, improve search engine results, and maximize your international impact.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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I’m always inspired by the creativity that goes into YouTube banners, but if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably wondered how you can create one for your own channel. Well, you’re in luck!I’m here to uncover some of the best-kept secrets about YouTube banners.

In this article, you’ll learn what makes the best YouTube banners so eye-catching, and how you can create your own gorgeous channel art. To answer those questions, I’ve included some excellent resources for YouTube banner templates (spoiler alert: they’re free), as well as 10 creative channel banners that inspire us as content creators.
What makes a good YouTube banner?
A good YouTube banner is eye-catching, readable, and conveys the brand of the YouTube channel. The best YouTube banners include the brand’s logo and channel name. Some great YouTube banners include high-quality photos and graphics to create visual interest.
No matter how good your YouTube banner looks, the last thing you want is for yours to look the same as someone else’s. That’s why the guidelines I mentioned for great channel art are pretty simple. You can build the foundation of your design using those best practices, but your unique creativity is what will set your banner apart from the crowd.
To see these tips in action, let’s look at some fun and creative YouTube channel art examples.
YouTube Channel Art Examples
1. Jillian Harris

Simple, chic, and feminine. Jillian Harris’ YouTube channel art conveys exactly what her brand represents. The banner photo keeps things simple and includes only two pieces of information: her name and the date she established her brand. With a banner like this, the typeface stands out and becomes the design.
Simple channel art works if you’ve got a core following already. Jillian is quite popular on other social networks, and she’s currently migrating her audience to YouTube. The majority of people watching her videos are already familiar with who she is and the content she creates. If they’re not, there’s a welcome video right below the banner where she introduces herself to the new crowd.
2. Learn With Shopify

Shopify understands that building an online business isn’t easy. So, the company offers new and experienced entrepreneurs a library of video content to help them scale to the next level. Learn With Shopify’s banner is straightforward and draws attention to the channel’s goal.
You might think that the YouTube banner dimensions don’t provide enough room to create a dynamic design, but Shopify shows some interesting possibilities in its channel art. The name of the channel is prominent so the viewers know they’re in the right place for all things Shopify, and the green gradient gives this banner depth and creates visual interest.
3. HubSpot Marketing

Maybe I’m a little biased, but our YouTube channel has a pretty cool banner! What we haven’t seen in the first two channel art examples are faces. HubSpot’s banner features full-color images of the creators who present the video content on the channel. Our signature brand art (aka the blobs) are thoughtfully placed behind the creators’ photos so they pop on the banner.
Another fun feature of our channel art is the icon on the far right that points to our free digital marketing certification. If your brand offers more types of content, this is a great way to drive traffic to those other marketing offers.
4. Alphonso Dunn

Alphonso Dunn is a talented and well-respected artist who’s authored several art books. He’s transitioned his passion for educating students to the YouTube screen where he teaches aspiring artists how to hone their craft.
His banner includes samples of his art, his name, logo, and latest books with a link to purchase them. The composition of this banner fits everything in without overcrowding the space which allows the viewer to focus on the rest of his home page.
5. Justin Brown-Primal Video

Justin Brown is the creator of Primal Video on YouTube — a channel dedicated to teaching entrepreneurs how to amplify their businesses with video content. If this is your first time seeing Justin Brown’s YouTube home page, you’ll know exactly what to expect from his content after seeing the banner.
What I like most about this channel art is how energetic it feels without looking too busy. There’s dimension built into the image by stacking the blue and black blocks of color, then breaking that up with a color-graded photo in the middle. Font sizing and colorful backgrounds create a cohesive feel while keeping the design clean and organized.
6. Bright Side

Bright Side provides more than 40 million people with the answers to questions that they never asked, but absolutely have to know. Its YouTube channel art is bright, punchy, and bold — a perfect backdrop for inspirational, creative, and wonderful video content.
If you take inspiration from Bright Side’s banner, choose a vibrant color as your background and think carefully about your typeface. Since those two design elements will be the only aspects of your banner, you’ll want to spend time finding the right balance that represents your brand and draws the viewer in.
7. Epicurious

Whether you’re looking for easy-to-follow recipes, food science education, or cooking comparisons, Epicurious is the channel to watch. The spotlight of this brand’s content is always the food, and that goes for its banner, too. The use of a high-resolution, detailed photo of a common food — broccoli — creates a relevant and intriguing background for the brand name.
To incorporate this banner style into your channel art, choose a subject that’s small enough to be recognized close up.
8. TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is a resource used by millions of travelers to discover and rate lodgings, restaurants, and much more information about endless destinations.
That’s represented in the YouTube banner by portraying what the site is all about — travel. The banner features beautiful photography of different locations which puts the viewer’s focus solely on travel.
This is a great YouTube banner to take inspiration from if you’re just getting started. Simply choose a high-res photo that speaks to your personality and brand, and you’re done.
9. Refinery29

Showcasing the people that make your brand amazing is a great way to form a connection with your viewers. That’s one thing that Refinery29 does well by frequently featuring its writers, editors, and content producers in its videos. As it turns out, they’ve all become quite popular personalities — which is why the brand put them front-and-center in its channel art.
Creating a banner of this nature is two-fold. First, find a way to incorporate your company’s talent into video content in a way that’s engaging and appealing to your target audience. Then, once you’ve produced enough of that media consistently — and if it’s gaining the right kind of attention — you can use those personalities to promote your channels.
10. The Action Lab

Physicists and high school science students alike come to The Action Lab’s YouTube channel for DIY experiments performed by Dr. James J. Orgill. On this channel, you’ll see everyday objects through a new lens thanks to his demonstrations.
The banner for the Action Lab’s YouTube channel is fitting for this type of content. It includes the logo and channel name in the safe zone, along with a photo of Dr. Orgill himself. Similar to HubSpot’s channel art, his photo stands out with a patterned background to really show him in action.
YouTube Banner Size
A YouTube channel banner will take on different dimensions depending on what platform is being used to view it. For example, a banner will have different dimensions when viewed on a TV, desktop, or mobile device.
The YouTube banner dimensions are:

Recommended “TV”: 2560 x 1440 px

Minimum for upload: 2048 x 1152 px

Minimum “Viewable On All Devices”: 1546 x 423 px

Maximum “Viewable On Desktop”: 2560 x 423 px

File size: 6MB or smaller

The recommended resolution seems pretty large for a single file, but think about how YouTube banners would appear on a 30″ smart TV or higher. With a growing number of options to view YouTube videos in this way, you’ll want to make sure your channel art is large enough to display with quality on larger screens.
Here’s a helpful visual representation of those dimensions:

Take note of the “Viewable On All Devices” I alluded to in the first section. Your banner is essentially the biggest branding opportunity when people land on your channel. You’ll want to make sure your logo and supporting text is clearly represented in the channel art. That’s why it’s a good idea to place your company name and logo in that center space.
If you’re not sure how to fill the entire frame with visual content, video production company MiniMatters suggests “build[ing] the image from the middle out,” putting the most important assets in the center, and expanding the design from there.
Finally, follow these best practices to create a professional YouTube banner:

Use a high-resolution image. A pixelated or blurry banner doesn’t exactly signal that there’s a high-quality video to follow.

Keep your banner on-brand. While your channel art doesn’t have to be a carbon copy of your logo or tagline, it should incorporate visual elements that you want associated with your brand, like certain colors, fonts, or keywords.

Update your banner regularly. For example, if you run a bakery and you’re gearing up for summer, an eye-catching banner might be a high-res photo of a brightly-colored work surface covered with flour and a rolling pin, along with accompanying text like, “April showers bring May flours,” but remember to update the banner once the season is over so viewers know you’re consistent.

YouTube Banner Template
By now, you might be thinking, “Where the heck am I supposed to get these beautiful design assets?”
Check out these free channel art templates that will speed up your workflow. And they’re completely customizable, so you don’t have to worry about your channel art looking exactly like someone else’s. Download them now and follow the steps below to upload them to your channel.

How To Make a YouTube Banner
Step 1: Log in to your YouTube account and click on your profile photo. Then select Your channel.

Step 2: Click the blue Customize Channel button. A new tab will open and you’ll see a Channel customization screen.

Step 3: Click Branding in the top menu.

Step 4: Under the banner image section, select Upload.

Then, you’ll see the option to upload a file for your YouTube banner photo.
Step 5: Review the image preview to ensure that your banner image is displayed properly.

Step 6: Click Publish and review your YouTube channel’s new banner image.

That’s it! Easy enough right?
Channel Your Creativity
It’s important to note that cool YouTube channel art is just one part of a comprehensive video content strategy. It doesn’t matter how beautiful your banner is if your channel lacks quality video, or hasn’t added anything new in several weeks. So as you create your YouTube banner, go ahead and create two or three more that you can use throughout the year to keep things fresh and interesting.
And remember, you can always come back to these examples and tips for more inspiration.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

I’ll never forget the first time dining at a restaurant after my pandemic-induced hibernation. Before I could ask for a menu, the waitress nodded towards a piece of paper with a barcode on it. “Open your phone camera and scan it. The menu should pop up.”
QR codes have become a common sight almost overnight — from cereal boxes and billboards to even employee uniforms. With a 94% increase in interactions from 2018 to 2020, there’s no denying QR codes are seeing an epic revival in a new touch-free world.

Let’s explore the origins of the QR code, learn how it works, and discuss ways it can refresh your marketing strategy.
Table of Contents
What is a QR code?
Static vs. Dynamic QR Codes
How do QR codes work?
The Origins of the QR Code [+ Its 2020 Revival]
QR Codes for Marketing

What is a QR code?

Short for quick response, QR codes are scannable barcodes that store data. In the marketing sphere, they’re commonly used to redirect users to landing pages, websites, social media profiles, or store coupons.
For instance, someone can place a QR code on the back of their business card to direct you to their LinkedIn profile. A QR code on a billboard may send you to a landing page.
QR codes vary in design and function, and primarily fall into one of the following categories — static or dynamic.

Static vs. Dynamic QR Codes
A static QR code contains information that cannot be modified once it’s live. This means any typo or misstep will require you to create a brand new one. The good news is that static codes don’t expire — so once the content is set, your work is done.
Static QR codes are ideal for storing fixed or sensitive info — think Wi-Fi passwords, employee ID numbers, or access codes. But they’re not so helpful if you need to update your data regularly.
Dynamic QR codes allow you to change your info as many times as you want. This is because the information isn’t ingrained into the code itself. Instead, it redirects users to a specific URL that can be changed at any time. For example, a restaurant can redirect users to a menu on their website.
A major benefit of dynamic QR codes is the ability to gather scanning metrics. While you can’t access personal information from users, you can see the time, location, and device used for each scan. And as marketers, we know these metrics are crucial to gauging campaign effectiveness.

How do QR codes work?
A QR code works similarly to barcodes at the supermarket. Each QR code consists black squares and dots which represent different pieces of information. When scanned, the unique pattern on the barcode translates into human-readable data. This transaction happens in seconds.
Users must scan the code with a QR reader or scanner, although nowadays most people scan QR codes with smartphones. On the off chance your phone doesn’t have the capability, there are plenty of free apps for QR scanning like NeoReader and QuickMark Barcode Scanner.

The Origins of the QR Code [+ Its 2020 Revival]
Invented in 1994 by Masahiro Hara, chief engineer of Denso Wave, the original purpose of the QR code was to track vehicles and parts moving through the assembly line.
Despite being a mid-90s invention, the QR code didn’t gain any substantial momentum until the era of smartphones. But even then, users had to download a third-party app to scan the codes. A real breakthrough came in 2017 when Apple integrated a QR reader into its phones, and other manufacturers quickly followed suit.
Thanks to accessibility, a new wave of hype followed, then quickly dissipated as marketers’ interest fell to the wayside. That is, until 2020. You can probably guess where I’m going with this.
In the US alone, 11 million households scanned a QR code in 2020 — a significant jump from 9 million in 2018.
With the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the QR code gave businesses a new way to communicate with customers in a suddenly touchless society. From hospitality and food to retail and manufacturing, a variety of companies used them for the first time.
And for marketers, QR codes can strategically bridge the gap between offline and online media. They’ve quickly turned into dynamic, two-dimensional call-to-action buttons — operating as vehicles to engage customers, inspire action, drive traffic, and share info without having to invest a lot of money.
So, are QR codes here to stay? Whether or not they’ve earned a permanent spot in a post-pandemic world is still up for debate, but there’s no denying its incredible journey since its debut on the assembly line.
Here are a few ways to use QR codes to refresh your marketing strategies.

QR Codes for Marketing
1. QR codes can help you stand out from the crowd.
Differentiating your business from your competitors is definitely a marketing 101 lesson. If used correctly, QR codes can spike the curiosity of your customers and prospects alike. Use this opportunity to link QR codes to exclusive offers or valuable content to carry that curiosity through to a sale.
For example, check out SparkPlug Coffee who ran a giveaway where users could enter by scanning a QR code.

2. QR codes let you target consumers on the go.
Retailers, don’t you wish there were a way to interact with customers on the go? Integrate QR codes into your store signage and other print advertising. Whether you’re providing coupons for shopping in-store or an easy way to sign up for your newsletter, QR codes make it super easy for customers and prospects to access your information fast on their phones.

REI, an outdoor sports apparel retailer, had this signage on the front door of one of their stores to pique interest about their frequent shopper program. Instead of calling out the program, they focused on the benefit (dividends) and provided a QR code linked to a list of products people could purchase with their dividends.
3. QR codes make real life interactive like the web.
Many businesses are shifting their time and budgets to digital advertising, which is more interactive and easier to track than traditional advertising.
QR codes add an interactive component by turning static content into dynamic call-to-action buttons. From asking customers to leave a Google review to redirecting them to a branded Facebook page, you have many options to engage customers.
Even museums, libraries, and parks are leveraging QR codes to breathe life into displays and park benches. Check out this example from the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City:

4.QR codes are free and easy to set up.
There are multiple resources businesses can access that will allow them to insert a landing page URL and create a QR code that will direct users to that URL with the click of a button.
Sites like QRCode Monkey and Flowcode allow you to set up QR codes in a matter of minutes and provide you with proper image formats to use in your designs.
QR codes are certainly having a moment in the marketing sphere. If you’re thinking about adding them to your strategy, remember that the best practice is to create value. Make sure each code leads to a source of value — such as a coupon or promotion — and requires as few clicks as possible.

Lead nurturing emails allow you to build a relationship with your leads and move them down the sales funnel until they are ready to become a customer. It’s one of the best lead nurturing tactics you can use and an essential part of an email marketing strategy.
Why? Because lead nurturing emails radically increase the chances of your leads making a purchase. You no longer have to hope that they will buy your products. Rather, you’ll slowly warm them up until they make that decision.
In this post, you’ll learn best practices for creating high-performing lead nurturing emails to drive your leads to make a purchase.

How does lead nurturing work?
A potential customer may have several types of interactions with your business. They may add something to their cart, subscribe to a mailing list, take advantage of a promotion, or set up a meeting with one of your salespeople.
Lead nurturing refers to the process of staying in contact with your customer throughout each of these stages. You provide valuable resources, discount codes, or reminders to make a purchase.
Overall, to nurture a lead is to build and maintain a helpful, mutually beneficial relationship with them. The goal is to guide them toward making a purchase.
(Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with lead nurturing, we encourage you to take our free lead nurturing course.)
Are lead nurturing emails effective?
Yes. As social media has grown over time, using lead nurturing emails to market your business can sometimes feel like the less fun or hip option. But, it’s still an effective way to expand your market, convert leads, and connect to your target audience, especially if it’s done correctly. 99% of email users check their inbox on a daily basis, often multiple times a day or first thing in the morning. This makes using email a great tool to nurture a lead toward conversion.
As time passes, the lead may not click on your CTA, interact with your business, or make a purchase. Certain leads with an interest in your business will need ongoing engagement to continue down the sales funnel toward conversion. For that, you’ll need to create a lead nurturing email sequence.
Lead Nurturing Email Sequence
A lead nurturing email sequence is a series of emails that is automatically triggered when the lead takes a certain action. For example, once a customer adds an item to their cart, a lead nurturing email sequence could include a purchase reminder, a limited time offer, or a list of similar products they may like.
These sequences keep the lead engaged until they are ready to go forward with a purchase. See this example of a sequence after a lead has abandoned their cart.

The process of lead nurturing occurs over some time with your continuous effort. Building that relationship needs trust, understanding, and consistency. Using emails to nurture your relationship with potential leads can be highly effective. Follow these best practices to make them work best for you:
1. Provide valuable content with include expert insights.
The first priority is to make sure you have something valuable to teach your leads. Think of your lead nurturing emails as mini blog posts. For example, if you sell data backup software, your first nurturing email might focus on the “top six considerations to make before purchasing data backup software.” Remember, you are an expert within your industry. Continue teaching your leads something new, and they will be more than happy to receive your emails and continue engaging with your business.
2. Focus on one relevant topic per email.
Each nurturing email should be focused around one topic and include a call to action. Put yourself in your lead’s shoes when creating your emails, as they are bombarded by messages all day long. Keep the content of your email tied directly to the topic the lead initially converted on. For example, if your lead downloaded a FAQ white paper on data backup software, they are likely near the top of the funnel, researching a future purchase. Your first email’s topic could be “selling the importance of data backup software to your management team.” Speak directly to the problem your lead is trying to solve.
3. Keep it short.
This is not the time to worry about fonts, or adding images or custom HTML. The lead should be able to glance at your email and know within five seconds the value it provides to them. Information overload happens quickly in an email. Adding secondary calls-to-action or unrelated links will increase your unsubscribe rate and subtract from the effectiveness of your campaign. While data suggests that emails should be between 50 and 125 words, it’s okay to extend your message to fully connect with your leads. But keep it concise whenever possible.
4. Ensure the emails progress naturally.
Carefully planning the flow of your emails will help you create well-rounded campaigns that pull your leads through the sales funnel. The first email after the initial conversion might be educational, while subsequent emails should continue to educate while giving the lead an opportunity to convert a second time. This is a perfect opportunity to promote a free trial or the download of a demo. Work with your sales team to determine what qualifies as a “sales-ready lead” and craft your lead nurturing campaigns accordingly.
5. Test your emails and track key metrics.
Email testing is key to fine-tuning your campaigns. As you test your emails, be sure to track key metrics to measure the success of your efforts. Click-through-rate (the percentage of people who clicked a link in your email) and unsubscribe rate are two of the key metrics to track on a regular basis. A strong campaign will generally have an unsubscribe rate of less than 5%. If your unsubscribe rate climbs above 5%, it’s time to re-evaluate your campaign. Try testing new content or a stronger subject line, or adjusting the timing of your emails.
6. Personalize the emails.
You should be sending different emails to different types of leads and personalizing them to who they are specifically. This not only includes who they are as a consumer, but also what their interactions have been with your business thus far. Did they sign up for updates? Have they gotten an automated welcome email? Did they purchase from you once already? How long has it been since you acquired their email address or last had contact? Those are all things that should influence and change the content of the email.
7. Stay consistent to your brand.
Your business has an image, a voice, and a brand. The emails that you send to leads should continue to represent all of those things about your business. Continuing to establish your brand to a lead helps build a relationship that pushes them toward becoming a customer. The familiarity over time will build valuable trust and brand loyalty.
Before you start writing a lead nurturing email, focus on who your lead is and what your goal is for contacting them. Spamming leads with countless emails is more off-putting than it is nurturing. So, ensure your content is worthwhile for leads to read and for your business to send. Follow these tips to get started:
1. Choose a purpose.
Have a goal in mind for your message, whether it is answering an FAQ, delivering on a promised reward, introducing a new product, offering a discount, or sharing other content to engage the lead.
2. Personalize the greeting and subject line.
An attention-grabbing subject line and a personalized greeting are the initial hooks of a lead nurturing email.
3. Address pain points.
How can this product or service improve this lead’s life if they were a customer? Point out a problem that they have that you can solve.
4. Include testimonials.
Knowing that someone else was pleased with your product or service grows the lead’s trust in your business.
5. Share a knowledge bomb.
Including a striking piece of information or research will give your lead something that they’ll remember later on their path to becoming a customer.
6. Use a CTA.
Encouraging your lead to interact with your business through a call-to-action pushes them toward a conversion.
7. Include an unsubscribe button.
Leads that have no interest in your business, product, or service can’t be nurtured into customers. Allow those to unsubscribe so that you can focus on the good-fit leads.
8. Follow up.
Once the email is sent, track what happens next. Did the lead click on your CTA? Did they continue interacting with your business? Did they do nothing? Use that information to determine the effectiveness of the email and to influence what you send to them next.
Make a Seamless Lead Nurturing Strategy
A potential customer’s first interaction with your business is just the beginning. As they proceed down the sales funnel from lead to repeat customer, you will need to continuously engage them. Lead nurturing emails build trust between leads and your business. The sales funnel you create through nurturing emails should smoothly guide your leads into doing business with you.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2010 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.