How to Use a QR Code on Craigslist

The kind of QR codes for Craigslist posts that you make will depend on what you aim to achieve as a result. 

There are several different types of QR codes, many of which provide different benefits. These include:

• URL QR codes can be great for increasing your total traffic.
• PDF QR codes can provide a better user experience by allowing you to include further information about your business and/or products and services.
• Phone number QR codes allow you to increase your business’s engagement by making it easier for both customers and potential partners to get in contact with you.
• Social media QR codes (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) can be used to increase your social media profiles’ influence. This is crucial when it comes to social media marketing.

URL QR Codes

URL QR codes can be used to redirect traffic from your Craigslist post. This can be towards:

• Your business website
• Another Craigslist post
• A YouTube video through a YouTube QR code

This is because URL QR codes can be scanned to automatically take users towards a specific URL without them needing to manually type in it.

Phone Number QR Codes

Phone number QR codes can be scanned to automatically initiate a call between a user and your business phone number. 

This means that your prospective clients or business partners will not have to personally look up and find your phone number to get in contact with you, which can make them more likely to get in contact with you. 

At the same time, including a contact phone number QR code is an effective way of letting your prospective customers know that you value their feedback and time, and they can go a long way in improving your brand loyalty.

Social Media QR Codes

Social media QR codes direct users towards your business’s social media accounts. By using our free QR code generator, you can create a QR code that directs users towards your:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram

Social media QR codes increase user engagement in your platforms, which can then be translated towards more advertising power and leverage with potential sponsors. 

At the same time, including these types of QR codes on your Craigslist post can increase the number of individuals that follow you on your platforms, as users will not have to find each one of your social media accounts manually. 

Tip: Use social media QR codes to ensure that your prospective clients do not accidentally follow “fake” or duplicate social media accounts in lieu of your own.

PDF QR Codes

A PDF QR code is a QR code that, when scanned, directs users towards a PDF document. 

Including a PDF QR code can be a very easy way for you to allow users to gain access to more in-depth information about the products and/or services that are advertised on your Craigslist post.

Generally, you will want to use a PDF document format when the nature of the information you are sharing (i.e., its importance or value) means that you do not want anyone to be able to edit it.

Making QR codes for Craigslist posts online is a straightforward process. You will need to follow these steps:

• Find a QR code generator
• Customize your QR code(s)
• Download and share your QR codes on your advertising platforms

Finding a QR Code Generator

Since there are so many different types of QR code generators, finding the ideal one for your business can be quite challenging, particularly if you are just starting out and do not have a lot of free time or any other employees to work with. 

As a small business, you will likely want to consider the following factors:

• Privacy: How much of your personal information must you include in order to use each QR code generator?
• Ease of use: Is a sign-up process required? Is the QR code self-explanatory and easy to use?
• Price: This is particularly important if you are planning to use dynamic QR code generators.
• Number of features: Make sure that any free packages you subscribe to have an adequate amount of QR code types and customization options. 

For more information on finding a QR code generator, see our online review of the seven best QR code generators for 2024. 

Customizing QR Codes

Different QR code generators provide varying customization options for users, and these can also depend on whether you are on a free or priced plan. 

You will likely be able to customize the following factors:

• Colors and contrast
• Logo
• Shape 

The most premium QR codes may include more customization options, but this is generally enough to allow any business to tailor a QR code so that it aligns with their brand image. 

When customizing your QR codes for Craigslist posts, you will want to ensure that you choose a combination of colors that does not contradict the color contrast of a traditional QR code (i.e., lighter background and darker foreground.).

This is because most QR code readers were developed to read such a color contrast, and so changing this too significantly may lead to QR code scanning problems.

As a small business, keep in mind that you will also want to find a QR code generator that does not include its own logo within your custom QR codes. This can make your company look unprofessional and could damage your brand image when starting out.

Downloading and Sharing QR Codes

After you have customized your QR codes, you will want to download them in your preferred format and share them on your offline and online advertising platforms. 

Note that after you have shared your QR codes, you will be unable to change them unless you are using a dynamic QR code generator. 

See our How to Print a QR Code guide for any pre and post-print considerations that you will need to make.

Using a QR code in your Craigslist post can be used in a very similar way to how you would use it on other platforms. 

Primarily, QR codes are great for:

• Redirecting traffic: By including a small QR code image, you can “guide” any prospective clients towards your money-making websites, which can directly increase your sales. 
• Increasing user engagement: This is particularly the case when it comes to social media. 
• Improve your customers’ experiences: Since users do not have to look up your website, contact information, or social media platforms manually, QR codes can be used to provide a much more user-friendly experience. 

This means that QR codes can indirectly provide you with the following benefits:

• Increased sales and total revenue
• Increased advertising power
• Decreased cost of advertising