Sgt Kraut
Regular Member
- Jun 22, 2012
- 329
- 295
Hi blackhats,
after receiving so much positive feedback for sharing my method on how to earn money online through selling word clouds, I decided to show you an even better method.
This method is about creating custom QR codes, meaning QR codes with colors and a logo inside. You can create these for your own projects or sell them online to businesses around the world.
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Investment needed:[/TD]
[TD]None![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Working hours:[/TD]
[TD]A few minutes for creating a custom QR code + time for promoting and selling[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Earning possibilities:[/TD]
[TD]Between $4 (Fiverr) and $60+ (own website) per sale[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Skills needed:[/TD]
[TD]None! Optional: design skills[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
What is a QR code?
QR is an abbreviation for Quick Response. QR codes have been developed in the 90s by a Japanese automotive company. Originally, they were used to track vehicle parts during the manufacturing process. QR codes can be compared to barcodes (you know barcodes from the back of supermarket products).
This is how a standard QR code looks like:
QR codes are superior to barcodes as they are tolerant to damages and can contain up to 4.000 (!) characters.
Data you can save in QR codes:
Who needs a QR code?
I wrote above that QR codes are used in some industries to automatically track physical objects. However, for us internet marketers something else is more interesting.
Many businesses use QR codes in their advertising campaigns. QR codes act as a convenient way of getting customers to a website while being on their mobile phone. Typing in long URLs on a mobile phone sucks, however, with a QR code there is no need to type in anything. The customer scans the QR code and then gets redirected to the website or landing page. Also, there is no chance for the customers to mistype the URL and get redirected to some porn site with a similar domain name
How to read QR codes
Most people use a mobile phone with camera to read QR codes. To do that as well, you just have to install a free QR reader app on your mobile phone, e.g.
Start the app, point the camera in the direction of the QR code and you?ll be shown its content.
If you don?t have a phone with camera, you can use an online QR reader such as onlinebarcodereader.com or zxing.org.
How to create a standard QR code
To create a standard QR code, you can use online generators such as goQR.me. Choose the type of QR code you want to create (URL, plain text, vcard, SMS, phone number, location, event data, email or WiFi data), put in the corresponding data in the fields that pop up and press ?Download?.
You?ll then be shown numerous options that I?ll quickly explain below.
The higher the error correction code (H is the highest), the less data can be saved on the QR code, but the higher is the tolerance to damages. Check out this QR code with highest error correction; I cut off the edge, wrote on it and it still works!
Choose a size according to your needs. Not too small or it will be difficult to scan it. The size you can choose is in pixels, meaning choosing 350 will create a QR code with the measures 350x350px.
You can also change the colors for background and foreground. However, I?m showing you other QR code generators with better color customization options later.
Press .png or .jpeg, or SVG if you need a vector graphic. The QR code will be downloaded to your computer.
How to create custom QR codes
Now, you can either watch my YouTube video or read all you need to know in text form.
YouTube video: Create and Sell Custom QR codes
Text: Create and Sell Custom QR codes
Black and white QR codes are very fast and easy to create, but they also look very boring. Why not add some colors? Also, it will be even nicer when the QR code contains the logo of the business or website it is linking to. Check out this one I just created, it has the BHW logo inside and links to blackhatworld.com.
Here are some other examples:
The first QR code links to my homepage, the second to my YouTube channel and the third one to my Facebook page. There are endless design possibilities!
To create such a custom QR code, you can use these generators like these ones:
For this tutorial, I?m showing you how to create a custom QR code on QRHacker.com.
1. Go to QRHacker.com.
2. Choose the content the QR code should contain (text, URL, phone number, vcard or WiFi access).
3. Put in the data in the field below, e.g. the URL.
4. Press ?Generate?.
5. A standard QR code will appear. Add your logo at ?Add my logo/photo? (the option is on the right side).
6. You can now change the size and position of the logo by dragging it. The bar below the QR code shows if the QR code works (red = not readable). Sometimes it?s a matter of millimeters until you find a position that works. If it?s not working at all, you most of the time just have to adjust the size again.
7. It?s time to beautify the QR code by choosing colors and the roundness of pixels. With ?Pixel by Pixel? you can draw on pixels you choose. Check below for an example. I?m not a designer at all, but I think it still looks 1000x times better than a black and white QR code.
8. Remove the checkmark if you don?t want your QR code to be shown in the public gallery and download the QR code by clicking on ?Save QR?.
How to create a custom QR code in Photoshop
If you plan to use a custom QR code in a commercial context, you?re often bound to a licensing system that restricts commercial uses. QR codes you created with Photoshop, on the other hand, are fully belonging you and you can do whatever you want with them.
Check out this video tutorial (not mine):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifilLWcY0Ns
or read a similar way to do it in text form here.
Earn money online through selling custom QR codes
Not everyone knows how to create custom QR codes ? or that something like this even exists ? so it?s a good idea to sell custom QR code design to those people. I will be showing you three ways to do so.
Hint: Each QR code generator has another licensing system. Some do not allow to sell QR codes created by them, some do and others allow it only for paying users. You might want to check which license you get before selling the QR codes.
1. Fiverr
Open a gig and offer to create custom QR codes on Fiverr! Do it like this seller:
2. Own Website
Open your own website on which you offer custom QR code designs. Sites like qrlicious.com and customqrcodes.com are already doing it.
3. Contact businesses using standard QR codes
Many businesses use standard QR codes. It?s obvious that they could be interested in getting a QR code with their colors and their logo. Contact those companies and offer them to design a customized QR code. You can find them with Google searches like ?qr code greek restaurant new york? or whatever else comes to your mind. QR codes are most often used by restaurants, shops, companies related to advertising/marketing and of course by companies related to the mobile industry.
Did you like this method? Check out my blog in the signature for more.
after receiving so much positive feedback for sharing my method on how to earn money online through selling word clouds, I decided to show you an even better method.
This method is about creating custom QR codes, meaning QR codes with colors and a logo inside. You can create these for your own projects or sell them online to businesses around the world.
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Investment needed:[/TD]
[TD]None![/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Working hours:[/TD]
[TD]A few minutes for creating a custom QR code + time for promoting and selling[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Earning possibilities:[/TD]
[TD]Between $4 (Fiverr) and $60+ (own website) per sale[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Skills needed:[/TD]
[TD]None! Optional: design skills[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
What is a QR code?
QR is an abbreviation for Quick Response. QR codes have been developed in the 90s by a Japanese automotive company. Originally, they were used to track vehicle parts during the manufacturing process. QR codes can be compared to barcodes (you know barcodes from the back of supermarket products).
This is how a standard QR code looks like:
QR codes are superior to barcodes as they are tolerant to damages and can contain up to 4.000 (!) characters.
Data you can save in QR codes:
- Plain text
- URLs
- Email addresses
- Virtual business cards
- Phone numbers
- Text messages (SMS)
- Location data
- Event data
- Website logins
- Payment data (e.g. PayPal email address and amount payable)
Who needs a QR code?
I wrote above that QR codes are used in some industries to automatically track physical objects. However, for us internet marketers something else is more interesting.
Many businesses use QR codes in their advertising campaigns. QR codes act as a convenient way of getting customers to a website while being on their mobile phone. Typing in long URLs on a mobile phone sucks, however, with a QR code there is no need to type in anything. The customer scans the QR code and then gets redirected to the website or landing page. Also, there is no chance for the customers to mistype the URL and get redirected to some porn site with a similar domain name
How to read QR codes
Most people use a mobile phone with camera to read QR codes. To do that as well, you just have to install a free QR reader app on your mobile phone, e.g.
- QR Droid (Android)
- QR Reader for iPhone (iPhone)
- QR Code Reader (Windows Phone)
Start the app, point the camera in the direction of the QR code and you?ll be shown its content.
If you don?t have a phone with camera, you can use an online QR reader such as onlinebarcodereader.com or zxing.org.
How to create a standard QR code
To create a standard QR code, you can use online generators such as goQR.me. Choose the type of QR code you want to create (URL, plain text, vcard, SMS, phone number, location, event data, email or WiFi data), put in the corresponding data in the fields that pop up and press ?Download?.
You?ll then be shown numerous options that I?ll quickly explain below.
The higher the error correction code (H is the highest), the less data can be saved on the QR code, but the higher is the tolerance to damages. Check out this QR code with highest error correction; I cut off the edge, wrote on it and it still works!
Choose a size according to your needs. Not too small or it will be difficult to scan it. The size you can choose is in pixels, meaning choosing 350 will create a QR code with the measures 350x350px.
You can also change the colors for background and foreground. However, I?m showing you other QR code generators with better color customization options later.
Press .png or .jpeg, or SVG if you need a vector graphic. The QR code will be downloaded to your computer.
How to create custom QR codes
Now, you can either watch my YouTube video or read all you need to know in text form.
YouTube video: Create and Sell Custom QR codes
Text: Create and Sell Custom QR codes
Black and white QR codes are very fast and easy to create, but they also look very boring. Why not add some colors? Also, it will be even nicer when the QR code contains the logo of the business or website it is linking to. Check out this one I just created, it has the BHW logo inside and links to blackhatworld.com.
Here are some other examples:
The first QR code links to my homepage, the second to my YouTube channel and the third one to my Facebook page. There are endless design possibilities!
To create such a custom QR code, you can use these generators like these ones:
For this tutorial, I?m showing you how to create a custom QR code on QRHacker.com.
1. Go to QRHacker.com.
2. Choose the content the QR code should contain (text, URL, phone number, vcard or WiFi access).
3. Put in the data in the field below, e.g. the URL.
4. Press ?Generate?.
5. A standard QR code will appear. Add your logo at ?Add my logo/photo? (the option is on the right side).
6. You can now change the size and position of the logo by dragging it. The bar below the QR code shows if the QR code works (red = not readable). Sometimes it?s a matter of millimeters until you find a position that works. If it?s not working at all, you most of the time just have to adjust the size again.
7. It?s time to beautify the QR code by choosing colors and the roundness of pixels. With ?Pixel by Pixel? you can draw on pixels you choose. Check below for an example. I?m not a designer at all, but I think it still looks 1000x times better than a black and white QR code.
8. Remove the checkmark if you don?t want your QR code to be shown in the public gallery and download the QR code by clicking on ?Save QR?.
How to create a custom QR code in Photoshop
If you plan to use a custom QR code in a commercial context, you?re often bound to a licensing system that restricts commercial uses. QR codes you created with Photoshop, on the other hand, are fully belonging you and you can do whatever you want with them.
Check out this video tutorial (not mine):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifilLWcY0Ns
or read a similar way to do it in text form here.
Earn money online through selling custom QR codes
Not everyone knows how to create custom QR codes ? or that something like this even exists ? so it?s a good idea to sell custom QR code design to those people. I will be showing you three ways to do so.
Hint: Each QR code generator has another licensing system. Some do not allow to sell QR codes created by them, some do and others allow it only for paying users. You might want to check which license you get before selling the QR codes.
1. Fiverr
Open a gig and offer to create custom QR codes on Fiverr! Do it like this seller:
2. Own Website
Open your own website on which you offer custom QR code designs. Sites like qrlicious.com and customqrcodes.com are already doing it.
3. Contact businesses using standard QR codes
Many businesses use standard QR codes. It?s obvious that they could be interested in getting a QR code with their colors and their logo. Contact those companies and offer them to design a customized QR code. You can find them with Google searches like ?qr code greek restaurant new york? or whatever else comes to your mind. QR codes are most often used by restaurants, shops, companies related to advertising/marketing and of course by companies related to the mobile industry.
Did you like this method? Check out my blog in the signature for more.
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