How to Track QR Code Scans

QR code analytics help you understand how people interact with your codes. This data is invaluable for marketing campaigns, restaurant menus, event management, and more.

What You Can Track

Dynamic QR codes from QR Code API capture the following data on every scan:

Setting Up Tracking

Tracking is automatic when you use dynamic QR codes. Here's how to set it up:

const response = await fetch('https://www.qrcodeapi.io/api/links', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    name: 'Summer Campaign Billboard',
    destinationUrl: 'https://yoursite.com/summer-sale'
  })
});

const link = await response.json();
// Every scan to link.qrUrl is now tracked!

Retrieving Analytics

Fetch analytics for any of your dynamic links:

const analytics = await fetch(
  `https://www.qrcodeapi.io/api/analytics?linkId=${link.id}`,
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY'
    }
  }
).then(r => r.json());

console.log(analytics);
// {
//   totalScans: 1247,
//   uniqueVisitors: 892,
//   scans: [
//     {
//       timestamp: '2024-12-15T10:30:00Z',
//       city: 'New York',
//       country: 'US',
//       device: 'iPhone',
//       browser: 'Safari'
//     },
//     ...
//   ]
// }

Dashboard Access

You can also view analytics in your dashboard at qrcodeapi.io/dashboard. The dashboard provides:

• Visual charts of scan trends over time
• Geographic heatmaps showing scan locations
• Device breakdown (iOS vs Android)
• Peak scanning hours and days
• Export capabilities for CSV/JSON

Use Cases for Analytics

Marketing ROI

Track which billboards, flyers, or ads drive the most engagement. Compare scan counts across different placements to optimize your marketing spend.

Restaurant Insights

See which tables scan your menu most, identify peak ordering times, and understand customer behavior patterns.

Event Attendance

Track check-ins, session attendance, and engagement across conference days. Know exactly how many people scanned your event materials.

Best Practices

• Use descriptive names: Name your links clearly (e.g., "NYC Billboard Q4 2024") for easy identification
• Segment campaigns: Create separate links for different placements to compare performance
• Add UTM parameters: Include UTM codes in your destination URLs for deeper analytics in Google Analytics
• Monitor regularly: Check analytics weekly to catch trends and optimize campaigns