In marketing, timing and placement are everything. You can have the perfect message, but if it doesn’t reach the right person at the right moment, it’s likely to fall flat. Today’s customers expect personalized, relevant content—and they expect it instantly.
QR Codes make location-based campaigns both simpler and more effective, helping you reach customers at a specific moment and deliver personally relevant content at a moment’s notice. The catch? You’ll need the right platform.
So let’s look at how brands across retail, hospitality, travel, events, and more are using Bitly’s QR Codes and other marketing tools to deliver localized, measurable experiences.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
What is location-based QR Code marketing?
Location-based QR Code marketing is a marketing strategy where you place unique QR Codes at different locations to encourage customer engagement.
Instead of tailoring your outreach to different audience segments or sending all your customers the same information, you target specific places with specific content. This type of location-based marketing campaign has a couple of key advantages.
First, it targets potential customers based on where they are, not who they are. So there are fewer concerns about data privacy and less focus on researching and segmenting your audience, because your content personalization is based on people’s interactions, not their identities.
Second, location-based marketing can help you link the offline world with your digital marketing strategy. Audiences can go straight from a physical experience, such as reading a menu or viewing a poster, to an online experience, simply by scanning a QR Code.
Why QR Codes are ideal for location-based campaigns
To make a location-based campaign work, you need a marketing tool that will be effective in any location. It has to adapt to a range of different settings, from store signage to product packaging, and it has to be easy for everyone to access.
QR Codes fit the bill. You can place them on almost any print or digital surface, and as long as your customers have smartphones, they can scan the QR Code instantly. There’s no special app or device required to use them, unlike barcodes.
Best of all, QR Codes can share nearly any type of digital content, including landing pages, forms, images, videos, payment portals, virtual business cards, and even music tracks.
Bitly’s QR Code generator makes it easy and cost-effective to run location-based campaigns. You can customize each code to match your visual branding, then download them in PNG, JPEG, or SVG format to use on digital or print marketing materials).
Plus, Bitly offers Dynamic QR Codes, which means you can update each code’s destination in real time and track scan activity over time.
Core benefits of location-based QR Code campaigns
There are many different ways to run a location-based campaign. Geo-targeted ads on Google search, geofenced notifications, and mobile ads are all types of location-based marketing, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
QR Codes are becoming the preferred option for location-based campaigns, thanks to benefits like:
Real-world-to-digital conversion
Each QR Code is a scannable connection between the online and offline world. While your customers are walking through a store, sitting in a stadium, or waiting for a restaurant table, they can access a digital user experience with one tap on their mobile device.
That lack of friction can help improve conversion rates. When you make it easy for someone to see product information, download an app, or place an order, they’re more likely to follow through with a purchase.
Audience behavior insights by region or store
Since Dynamic QR Codes are trackable, you can also gain valuable insights into how, when, and where people engage with your brand. This leads to better, more informed strategies and gives you the ability to measure the return on your physical marketing investments.
Bitly Analytics provides QR Code tracking for all your codes. In addition to the total number of scans, you can also break down the results by city, region, or date (depending on your plan), helping you see which content drives traffic at different times and across locations.
Some brands get creative with how they use data, leveraging QR Code scans to measure foot traffic or gain multi-touch attribution insights. You can even use Bitly Analytics alongside other platforms like Google Analytics for more granular data.
Easier A/B testing across regions
It’s easy to create, customize, and update QR Codes in just minutes, making them a practical tool for A/B testing different campaign assets. With the right platform, you can generate multiple codes that point to different versions of a landing page, offer, or creative—then compare how each one performs in the real world.
For instance, you might test two promotional offers by placing unique QR Codes on signage in different store locations or neighborhoods. Each code links to a unique version of the campaign, so you can track which offer drives more engagement or conversions.
Campaign personalization without targeting individuals
Studies show that 81% of consumers prefer a personalized experience, but at the same time, their trust in data privacy and security is falling.
Location-based marketing helps you to square the circle. You can personalize the message, style, and content of your marketing efforts, without specifically targeting individuals or storing their personal data.
That might look like location-based targeting with landing pages, where customers at different locations will see different special offers or store information. In hospitality, it might look like quick-service restaurant (QSR) location-based engagement, with different seasonal menus, coupons, or local specialties to draw people in.
Seamless updates to destination URLs
You’ll likely need to make updates to your location-based marketing assets from time to time. Time-limited promotions, updated information, design tweaks to streamline user engagement—they all require regular updates to keep the customer experience smooth and relevant.
When you create a QR Code in Bitly, it creates a short link to your destination at the same time. The code opens the link, which leads to your web page or digital content via URL. From the customer’s point of view, it all happens in just one scan.
Bitly Codes are Dynamic, so you can change their destination URL at any time. For example, you could redirect a customer review QR Code regularly to maintain a healthy review rate across different platforms. You could redirect a social media QR Code to drive traffic to your profile on different social networks. You might swap out customer service policies, highlight different product pages, or update a Google Maps QR Code when a store changes location.
With Bitly, you can make all the destination changes you want: Customers can still scan the same QR Code and be directed to the right URL. There’s no need to reprint or replace codes, making it a simple, cost-effective option.
Popular use cases for location-based QR Codes
QR Codes work in nearly any location and can serve almost any type of content to pretty much anyone holding a smartphone. No wonder that they’re valued across almost every industry! From retail to events, here are some of the most popular use cases for QR Code location-based marketing.
Retail promotions across store locations
QR Codes make it easier to customize and track in-store promotions at scale. By assigning a unique QR Code to each store location, you can direct shoppers to a promotion page tailored to that specific audience, like highlighting regionally popular products or limited-time local offers.
For example, a grocery chain might use one landing page to promote popsicles in its Hawaii stores and another to feature hot cocoa in Alaska. Each QR Code links to a location-specific URL, allowing the marketing team to track performance by region and adjust promotions based on what resonates most.
Restaurants and hospitality
In the hospitality world, QR Codes can power localized menus, seasonal offers, and customer feedback without needing to reprint signage or menus. Each restaurant location can use its own QR Code to direct guests to a custom landing page with relevant information like local specials, hours of operation, or a regional loyalty offer.
Franchise owners can also use unique QR Codes across locations to track how a standard promotion performs in different markets. By comparing traffic, engagement, or redemptions by code, they can identify what works best and optimize future campaigns accordingly.
Event check-ins and local experiences
QR Codes are a simple, scalable way to enhance in-person events. For example, guest badges at a conference might feature a unique QR Code that links to each attendee’s digital business card or LinkedIn profile via URL.
During presentations, a QR Code on-screen can send attendees to a speaker’s bio, a live poll, a quiz, or a giveaway entry form, all hosted at a dynamic URL.
If you’re hosting events in multiple cities, you can reuse the same QR Code design but point it to location-specific landing pages. That allows you to tailor recommendations, offers, or messaging to the local audience without changing the printed materials.
CPG or product packaging
QR Codes on product packaging let you deliver far more value than what fits on a label. By linking to a webpage, you can offer rich content like how-to videos, recipe ideas, product care instructions, or even creator-led demos—all tailored to enhance the customer experience post-purchase.
You can also generate different QR Codes for the same product based on region or retailer. This allows you to A/B test content (like highlighting coupons in one market and video tutorials in another) and compare engagement by location.
Because Dynamic codes are editable, you can also swap out the destination URL over time to align with seasonal promotions or regional campaigns, such as limited-edition packaging or local sponsorships.
Out-of-home (OOH) ads
QR Codes bring a digital layer to OOH campaigns by bridging the gap between physical ads and mobile engagement. A QR Code on a billboard, transit shelter, or storefront can link directly to a localized landing page, whether that’s a store locator, product drop, or limited-time offer.
To personalize the experience by location, you can assign a unique QR Code to each ad placement. Each code links to a different version of the same campaign tailored for that audience, enabling you to track response rates, compare performance across regions, and adjust content without replacing the printed ad.
How Bitly supports location-based QR Code strategies
The Bitly Connections Platform makes it easy to execute and manage location-based marketing campaigns at every stage.
For example, imagine you run a toy store with 10 locations across the country and want to launch a promotion tailored to each store. With Bitly Codes, you can generate 10 unique QR Codes (one for each location) that lead to customized landing pages for each store.
You can also personalize the URLs for these pages using your branded domain and the store’s location, such as toy.store/cincinnati.
Once the QR Codes are live on in-store signage, Bitly starts tracking engagement data. You can use these insights to adjust your promotions in real time and maximize their effectiveness—and your ROI.
Why Bitly Codes are the best option for a location-based QR strategy
Bitly is designed to make location-based QR campaigns simple, scalable, and effective. The platform combines ease of use and robust functionality, helping brands of any size create and manage QR Codes that drive engagement.
Here’s what makes Bitly stand out:
Easy-to-use link and QR Code creation in one platform
Bitly brings QR Code creation and tracking together in one intuitive platform. You can generate QR Codes instantly, then fully customize them to match your visual identity. Add brand colors, a logo, and a clear call to action (CTA) to attract attention and inspire trust.
In a hurry? Choose from ready-made templates, styles, and color presets. Looking for something more customized? Create distinctive designs with brand-specific colors, patterns, and frames (depending on your plan). Bitly makes it easy to produce polished, professional QR Codes that fit seamlessly into your campaigns.
Free plan includes essential functionality
Bitly offers plans for every stage of growth, starting with a free tier that includes two QR Codes per month. Importantly, there are no limits on scans: Your QR Codes work as long as your account remains active.
When your campaigns scale, it’s easy to upgrade for advanced QR Code design options, more codes, and deeper engagement analytics.
Bitly branding builds trust
Branded QR Codes signal credibility and strengthen customer confidence. Instead of using the default bit.ly domain, you can apply your own custom domain to the QR Code’s link, making it clear that the destination comes directly from your brand.
You can also customize the back half of the link on eligible plans with descriptive, relevant keywords, so customers know exactly where they’ll land when they scan.
How Bitly Codes work with other Bitly tools for the full experience
QR Codes are just one part of what you can accomplish with Bitly. The platform serves as a central hub for links, landing pages, and customer engagement data. Here’s how you can use Bitly’s tools together for better, more powerful marketing campaigns:
Bitly Links: The foundation of your engagement
Every QR Code or landing page you create in Bitly automatically comes with a short link. You can share these Bitly Links and QR Codes anywhere: in-store signage, social media posts, email newsletters, and more. The short links stay convenient and memorable across all platforms, and wherever you use them, Bitly collects data about how customers interact with each one.
Bitly Pages: Instant microsites with local relevance
Bitly Pages lets you build branded, mobile-optimized landing pages quickly—no coding required. Use the drag-and-drop editor and professional templates to create beautiful, localized pages that showcase offers, information, or events, each paired with a customizable short URL.
Already have a website? Bitly Pages works seamlessly alongside it, giving you a fast way to spin up dedicated microsites without disrupting your existing site. Pages also work perfectly for sharing more context with customers coming from social, email, or SMS campaigns.
Bitly Analytics: Location insights without user data
QR Codes, links, landing pages—whatever you create in Bitly, you can get location-specific analytics to help you understand your audience.
Depending on your plan, you can track engagement by city, region, date, device type, or referral source (like in-store signs vs. online ads). Tags make it easy to organize and compare performance across locations, campaigns, or product lines.
You can even use Bitly Analytics alongside other tools, like Google Analytics, for even deeper insights into the customer journey.
How to get started with Bitly for location-based QR Code marketing
Bitly has all the tools you need to create, scale, and analyze your location-based marketing campaigns. If you’ve never used it before, here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Create a free Bitly account
Bitly pricing starts with a free tier that includes two QR Codes, three customized links, and two custom landing pages. Start there if you’re still testing out location-based marketing on a small scale. If you need more links, design tools, or analytics later on, upgrading is quick and easy.
Step 2: Generate a unique Bitly Link for each location
Decide how you’re going to categorize locations for your campaign. For example, you might base your strategy on store locations, national regions, or seasonal promotions. You’ll need to create a short link for each one.
You can customize each link so that it’s easier for customers to recognize (and for you to analyze). With a paid plan, you can customize your short links with your domain name, then use the back-half to note where the link goes. For example:
- your.brand/nyc-store
- your.brand/promo-northwest
- your.brand/summer-2025
Customizing links now will make it easier to attribute sales and monitor performance later on. You can also tag links in the Bitly platform for your own reference.
Step 3: Turn each link into a QR Code
Next, take each short code and run it through the Bitly QR Code generator. All you have to do is type in or paste the link, then use the customization tools to edit the QR Code design.
Depending on your plan, you can change the color and frame of each QR Code and insert your logo to create recognizable, branded codes that help increase customer confidence and brand awareness. Don’t forget to include a CTA that entices your customers and motivates them to act.
Once it’s done, you can download your Bitly Codes in a range of file formats, including PNG, JPEG, and SVG to fit a variety of design use cases.
Step 4: Launch and monitor
Next, it’s time to install your location-based QR Codes in their locations! Some popular placements include:
- Store or venue signage
- Storefront windows
- Product packaging
- Flyers
- Billboards
- Posters
- Menus
- Receipts
- Shelf tags
Whatever placement you choose, make sure each code is easily scannable. Dim lighting, awkward angles, and distant placements can reduce their effectiveness. You want to aim for eye level or prominent placement in well-lit locations, but watch out for glares or shadows that might interfere with scanning.
As soon as the codes are in place, they’ll start collecting data that you can track through Bitly Analytics. With Bitly, you can track the following metrics for QR Codes:
- Total scans
- Scans over time
- Scans by location
- Scans by browser
- Scans by operating system
Step 5: Optimize and update
Because it’s easy to create and redirect links and QR Codes with Bitly (without reprinting), you can also run A/B tests to figure out what works best for your customers. You could test different code designs, placements, CTAs, content, or promotions for different locations.
And once you have a clear idea of what gets engagement, you can iterate to create more impactful campaigns in the future. It’s an easy, cost-effective way to keep your campaigns fresh and relevant, and Bitly has all the tools you need to experiment, measure, and scale your marketing efforts as you learn what works and what doesn’t.
Turn locations into powerful digital touchpoints with Bitly
QR Codes are the key that unlocks location-based marketing. They’re flexible enough to display almost anywhere and share almost any type of digital content. And at a time when customers want both personalization and privacy, they can help you create targeted marketing campaigns without the need for customers’ personal data.
Bitly delivers all-in-one support for your location-based campaigns. From one user-friendly place, you can build landing pages, create and customize short links, and design branded QR Codes to reach your audience wherever they are.
And with real-time tracking analytics on every link and code you share, you can keep refining your campaigns over time. All of Bitly’s tools work seamlessly together to help you access new insights, engage locally, and pivot your campaigns as needed.
Sign up for Bitly today to power your location-based marketing with custom QR Codes.
