WhatsApp QR code: how to create one and measure its use

What is a WhatsApp QR code and what is it for?

It is a square pattern that stores an address. When a phone scans it, the phone opens that address. In the case of WhatsApp, the address leads to the chat with your number, with a starting message already written.

It works for anything printed or shown on a screen: business cards, flyers, menus, shop windows, packaging, storefronts, presentations. Instead of typing your number, the person just points the camera.

Because it is fast and needs no typing, the QR code is widely used by small businesses that serve people in person, such as shops, salons, restaurants and service providers who hand out cards or stickers.

How to create a WhatsApp QR code, step by step

There is no secret to a QR code: it just turns a link into an image. So everything starts with the right link. The name of each tool and menu can vary depending on the version, but the logic is always the same.

If the QR code will be printed, ask for a print proof or print a test version at home before sending it to the printer. Small mistakes in size or color can make it hard to read.

1. Create your free WhatsClicks account, save your number and starting message and copy the link, which looks like https://whatsclicks.com/w/code.
2. Add a tag to identify where the QR code will be used, for example ?src=flyer.
3. Open a QR code generator of your choice, pick the link or web address option and paste the address.
4. Generate the image and download it in high quality, preferably in vector format or as a large PNG.
5. Print it or use it on screen and test it with your phone before producing it in quantity.

Test the code by scanning it with two or three different devices. Always scan the final version, in the color and size it will be printed.

Why use the WhatsClicks link inside the QR code?

A QR code made with a wa.me address opens the chat, but you will never know how many people scanned it. With the WhatsClicks link, every scan becomes a click recorded in the dashboard.

Another advantage is practical: the QR code stores only the short address. If you ever change your WhatsApp number, you edit the link in the dashboard and the printed QR code stays valid, with no need to redo the material.

One important note: the QR code does not store your number, only the link address. So if you print the code with the WhatsClicks link and later pause or delete the link in the dashboard, the printed code stops working as expected. Pausing the link keeps the chat working but stops counting. Deleting the link makes the address stop working, so avoid deleting a link that is already printed.

• Before: QR code made with https://wa.me/15551234567?text=Hi
• After: QR code made with https://whatsclicks.com/w/abc123?src=flyer

Number and code are examples.

How do I measure the use of the QR code on each material?

Generate a different QR code for each place, changing only the name after src. That way the By button table in the dashboard shows how many people scanned each material.

Examples:

• Business card: https://whatsclicks.com/w/abc123?src=card
• Neighborhood flyer: https://whatsclicks.com/w/abc123?src=flyer
• Menu on the table: https://whatsclicks.com/w/abc123?src=table
• Shop window: https://whatsclicks.com/w/abc123?src=window

What the dashboard numbers say about the QR code

After a few days, compare the tags in the Summary. Imagine, just as an example, that the shop window QR code got more clicks than the flyer. That shows where it is worth putting more attention. The highlights also show the best day of the week and the best hour, which reveals when people are near the material.

Since QR codes are almost always scanned by a phone, the dashboard should show a majority of clicks from phones. If many clicks from computers show up, maybe the link was shared in another way.

Take the chance to cross-check with the dashboard highlights. If the clicks on a QR code concentrate on a specific day, such as the weekend, it may be a good moment to reinforce the printed material or have someone available to reply.

Care to take so the QR code works well

Small choices make a difference at scan time:

• Use a comfortable size. The farther away the code will be read from, the bigger it should be.
• Keep good contrast, preferably dark on a light background.
• Leave a blank margin around it, with no text or drawing touching it.
• Write a call to action next to it, like: point your camera and chat with us.
• Remember that the counter measures clicks, not sales.