Summary:
QR codes, NFC stickers, and AR image recognition platforms make it possible to turn printed materials into links that launch digital experiences. When customers or guests scan the code, tap the tag, or point their smartphone camera at the trigger, they are automatically forwarded the app, website, video, landing, or booking page of your choice. Businesses can leverage scannable triggers to unlock interactive mobile content, guide customers around a site, make a reservation, or just upsell and cross-sell their products.
| Time to Read | ~7 Minutes |
| What You’ll Learn | The trigger types that connect print to digital experiencesHow different businesses are using this todayStep-by-step setup for QR codes, video links and ARHow to get great results from scannable trigger campaigns |
| Next Steps | Choose a trigger type for your next print campaignGet your materials printed at Little Rock™ |
Making Marketing Materials Do More with Augmented Reality Experiences
Printed marketing materials have always had one limitation: they stop at the edge of the page. You can include pictures, text, and strong headlines that grab attention, but there’s no way to embed videos right on the page or include other interactive features (at least not yet!)
But there is a potential workaround, and it’s way easier to implement than you think. Adding scannable triggers like QR codes and adhesive NFC stickers, or making the asset the trigger itself, lets you link out to highly-engaging resources, apps, or experiences online in seconds.
At Little Rock Printing™, we produce the flyers, brochures and cards that make campaigns like these possible. Find out everything you need to know to make it work for you and more in this guide.
Quick Facts About AR’s Relationship to Print
The idea of using a printed piece to launch a digital experience isn’t exactly new. QR codes have been around since the 1990s, and if you’ve eaten at a Canadian restaurant in the last five years, chances are you’ve scanned one off a table card to pull up a menu.
The list of triggers has come a long way since then, and so has what you can achieve with them. Explore your options in the chart below, then we’ll show you how different industries are using them.
| Trigger Type | What It Is | Primary Use | Providers |
| Dynamic QR Code | A scannable code you place on your printed piece that links to an updateable URL. | Driving traffic to videos, landing pages, booking forms or product pages | QR Tiger, Bitly, Canva Pro, QR Code KIT |
| NFCs | A small chip embedded in or adhered to a print that triggers a digital experience when you tap a phone against it. | Giving customers a seamless, tap-to-launch interaction with no scanning required | Walmart, Amazon (for NFC labels)NFC Tools App (Apple, Android) |
| AR/AR Image Recognition | Smartphone software that can detect images, logos, or patterns by camera and automatically initiate a digital experience. | Overlaying videos, 3D models, animations, and other interactables over the environment on screen (think Pokemon Go) | ARKit, ARCore, AR Code, Zappar, 8th Wall |
Read More: Creating a Cohesive Branding Identity by Matching Business Cards, Brochures and Stationery
How Canadian Businesses Are Using Scannable Triggers Today
According to Uniqode’s State of QR Codes 2025 report, QR-initiated journeys have an average Click-Through Rate (CTR) of around 37%. The numbers for NFCs are a little harder to pin down, but companies like Pepsi, Adidas, Samsung, and even luxury cigar brands have used them effectively.
The good news is that you don’t need to be a global brand to make scannable triggers work, and the benefits aren’t limited to retail, either. The ideas below will help you find the best fit.
ProTip: In a different industry? Use our free tool to find the best print products in seconds.
Restaurants and Hospitality:
- Tent cards that link to a short video showcasing a signature dish or special
- Waterproof menus that send guests to a quick video intro from the chef
- Loyalty cards that connect people to a digital stamp or rewards page
- Product labels that link to detailed information about ingredients
Retail and Product-Based Businesses:
- Hang tags that link to a 60-second demo video for a product
- Shelf cards that lead to an interactive, 360-degree product view
- Packaging inserts that connect customers to your site so they can reorder quickly
- Brochures that let people place products in their own space on-screen
Real Estate and Home Services:
- Property postcards that bring people to a virtual video tour
- Home inspection flyers that connect to a sample report or booking page
- Lawn signs that lead people straight to your listing page on sites like Realtor.ca
- Business cards that link people to your appointment booking widget online
Trades and Professional Services:
- Business cards that play your personal video intro when scanned
- Proposal brochures that link to a testimonial reel or project gallery
- Referral cards that track exactly which client sent the lead to you
- Follow-up mailers that lead people to your testimonials or Google Reviews
Health and Wellness:
- Appointment cards that link to an online rebooking page or patient portal
- Educational posters that lead people to trustworthy resources online
- Pre-surgical packets that lead to a video tour of the facility or other important info
- Spa service menus that connect to a quick booking or gift card purchase page
Events and Entertainment:
- Posters or flyers that link people directly to your listing on Ticketmaster or Eventbrite
- Programmes that lead to a curated Spotify playlist, trailer or artist preview
- VIP passes that bring people to exclusive, VIP-only content or a merch page
- Postcards that trigger an AR preview or 360° view of the venue or site
How To Build Experiences Like These
It’s actually easier than most people expect to put any of these ideas into action. The first step is to decide how you want to implement digital triggers and where you’ll host them.
Step 1: Choose Your Digital Experience
Start by thinking about what you want someone to do after they scan. If the goal is to build trust or show off your work, video or a portfolio page is probably your best bet. If you want to drive a specific action, a special landing page, booking page, product page or review prompt will get you there faster.
If you just want to give people an easy way to find everything you offer, consider setting up a Linktree profile. It’s a great way to give people easy access to all of your most important content.
Step 2: Host Your Content Online
Your digital experience needs to be live online before you can link people to it. Where you decide to host it is up to you and will depend on the type of media or experience you’re sharing.
For Video:
- Go to YouTube or Vimeo and sign in or create a free account
- For YouTube, click the camera icon in the top-right corner and select “Upload Video”
- For Vimeo, click the “Create” button, then choose “Upload.”
- Drag your video file into the upload window or click Select Files to find it
- Add a title and description that tells people what they’re going to see.
- Set the visibility to Public if you want anyone to be able to access the video.
- For VIP or exclusive content, set it to “Unlisted” instead.
- Click Save and copy the video URL from your browser once it’s finished processing
For Landing Pages, Booking, or Reviews:
- Use an existing page on your website, if you have one.
- If you don’t have your own website yet, you can:
- Build one quickly and easily on Wix or Squarespace.
- Set up a booking or appointments page on Calendly or Square Appointments
- Create a portfolio page via Squarespace, Wix or Adobe Portfolio.
- Link people to your Google Business Profile if you’re looking for reviews.
- Keep the messaging concise and include at least one call-to-action, like “Book” or “Buy Now.”
- Bookmark or save the page URL (you’ll need it later on)
For AR Experiences:
- Design and order your prints from us first; you’ll need them in hand to proceed.
- Create an account on the AR platform of your choice.
- Upload your 3D model, video, or animated asset and make sure you’re happy with it.
- Most third-party sites will let you generate the trigger right from your account at this step.
The most important factor at this stage is mobile load speed. If your destination takes more than three seconds to load on a phone, most people won’t stick around long enough to see your content. So, it makes sense to use a service with an established reputation and positive reviews.
ProTip: You can self-host AR experiences or image recognition with software like ARFoundation, MediaPipe, or OpenCV, but it’s a lot more complicated. You’ll need to hire someone who has the skills and knowledge to build systems like these—typically a web developer or programmer.
Step 3: Set Up Your Trigger
Your next step will be to generate the trigger and link, if you haven’t already. If you have, you can skip right to step 4. Otherwise, choose the option below that best fits your campaign and skip the rest.
For Dynamic QR Codes
We strongly recommend using a dynamic QR code so you can update the destination any time, even after printing.
To create your code:
- Create an account on QR Tiger, Bitly, or QR Code KIT.
- You can also generate dynamic QR codes from Canva Pro, if you have it.
- Make sure your destination url is correct, then enter it when asked.
- Some platforms will let you customize the colour, shape or logo as well.
- Look for a button that says “Generate,” “Create,” or something similar and click it.
- Download the final file as SVG, EPS, or PDF PRINT for best results.
Never use a screenshot or low-resolution PNG of a QR code on a printed piece. It may not print well, and if there’s any blurring or missing content, the embedded link won’t work as intended.
Find out if you’re print-ready here.
For NFC Stickers or Labels
The easiest and most affordable way to get started with NFCs is to buy them as stickers and labels. You can then apply them to flyers, postcards, hang tags, or almost any other print.
To get set up:
- Purchase blank NFC stickers. These are available on sites like Amazon or GoToTags.
- Download the NFC Tools app (free on both Apple and Android).
- Open the app, select “Write”, and enter the URL you want the tag to link to.
- Hold your phone against the sticker to program it. You will need to do this for each one.
- Test the tap-to-launch function on both an iPhone and an Android device before putting it on prints.
NFC stickers are thin enough to sit invisibly on or inside your prints, so they won’t affect how they feel to hold or how much they cost to mail out. They should adhere to both matte and glossy surfaces.
Note: Third-party AR image recognition was already covered in Step 2, so there are no further instructions for that option.
Tips From Our Print Experts for Designing Effective Triggers
You’ll also need to know how to incorporate scannable triggers into your design to make them work. This starts with how you set up your file in programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva.
For best results:
- Design in CMYK colour mode for the best colour accuracy after printing.
- Turn on crop marks and bleed so nothing important gets cut off.
- Make sure any QR codes measure at least 2 cm x 2 cm for good visibility.
- For banners and other large formats, increase the size of the QR proportionally.
- For NFC stickers, make sure you leave enough space for them on the design.
- Include a tip-off in the design, like “Scan Me!” near the object that will act as the trigger.
- Test every QR code on at least one iPhone and one Android before you send it to print.
- Once you’re done designing, export your file as a PDF PRINT and send it to us for printing.
- Check the analytics for all scannable triggers often to see what’s working and what isn’t.
Simple steps like these can help you get a better return on investment from your prints, and that’s just good business.
Get Perfect Prints for Digital Experiences at Little Rock™
The most effective print-to-digital campaigns start with materials that are built to perform. Using crisp, branded colours, clean fonts, and high-quality paper stock will make people notice your prints, and in the case of smaller formats, hang on to them for longer.
The best way to get great results like these from every print run is to work with a printer you know you can trust. When you order from Little Rock™, you’re getting great prices every time regardless of whether you order 1000 items or just one. Have an idea you want to run past us? Just send us a message.
