The QR Code Scavenger Hunt is a type of game that can be built into your Full-Service Premium guide. It requires a member of the Guidebook team to build it for you, so we request that you email us the details of the game at least one week before you need the game to be ready. Please email the details of your game to support@guidebook.com.
This feature is only available on an Engage (previously Premium) plan.
How a QR Game Works for End-Users
In this game, participants search for QR codes that have been placed around the venue, building, or campus. If your event is virtual, you can place QR codes in presentations or websites your users will access.
When a participant finds a code, they’ll scan it using the QR Scanner module in the game folder. Scanning the code will take them to the Game Progress page and fill in part of the phrase or image. A participant completes the game by finding and scanning all of the codes, and in doing so will reveal the entire image or phrase. Optionally, the game can display a link below the completed phrase or image that, when tapped, takes participants to a Guidebook form or external website.
The QR game works best if the players receive a small reward or entry into a larger contest for completing the game. The competitive aspect works to make the game fun, and the potential reward provides motivation to complete the game.
Watch this video to see how a QR Code Scavenger Hunt works for an end-user.
Benefits to Adding a QR Game
Increase User Engagement
You want people to find your guide useful and informative. We measure this through user engagement, with metrics like session duration, and actions taken within the guide. The QR game is a fun way to increase user engagement because it gives people a reason to keep coming back to your guide. Once they have the guide open, they’re more likely to explore the rest of your guide content.
Increase User Adoption
Naturally, you want the greatest possible number of people to download and use your guide. Higher user adoption means a better return on your investment and fewer printed materials. When people see other attendees playing a QR game, they’ll be more likely to download the guide (if they haven’t already done so) and join in on the fun.
Sponsorship Opportunity
You can use a QR game to make your sponsors happy and increase your sponsorship revenue. With the QR game, you’ll have a way that you can drive traffic to a sponsor booth, banner, or luncheon, regardless of its location. This is a great way for people to interact with a sponsor’s brand.
Planning and Managing a QR Game
Planning Your QR Game
There are many creative ways to implement QR games, rather than the traditional method of having QR codes in various locations at your venue. You can have presenters add QR codes to their presentations or sponsors can add QR codes to their websites. Just note that QR codes need to be of reasonable size in order to scan them from a presentation or computer screen. You can use QR codes in different colors and users need to scan one of each color—you’ll want to have a way to edit images so you can color the codes. Have participants send an admin a photo or complete a task—or use the Photo Album feature—in order to receive a code.
If your game is too difficult, or there are too many codes to scan, players may feel frustrated that they can’t win. If your game is too easy, players will complete it immediately and won’t be challenged to move around the venue. We recommend no more than twelve QR codes in a game. Having a nice prize or drawing is good incentive for users to participate.
You might also consider having your game end in a survey and including the survey as a high point value action in your guide's Leaderboard.
If you have an idea and would like to check with us to see if it would work, please email us at support@guidebook.com; we’re happy to talk through solutions.
After Receiving Game Codes
After we receive the required information, we’ll build out the game and add the necessary guide modules. You’re welcome to change the icons of the modules or move the game folder around in your guide menu.
You’ll receive the QR codes in PNG format. We’ll also include a special reset code which, when scanned, will clear out any game progress. This is useful for testing out the game, but don’t leave it out where participants might accidentally scan it.
You’ll print out the codes and place them around the area you’d like participants to explore. You may also share the QR codes with presenters who may need to include one in their presentation, or sponsors who may be including a QR code on their website.
Managing Your QR Game
If you’d like people to play your game, you’ll need to tell them about it. Try posting information about the game around the venue, or including information in your promotional emails. You can also send a push notification reminding users about the game.
What We Need to Build the Game
We need the following pieces of information in order to set up a QR game. If any of this information changes, we will need to generate a brand new game, and send you new codes
The name of the guide: Let us know which guide you’d like us to add the game to.
The instruction text for participants:
Example: “Scan the codes hidden throughout the building to complete the game phrase. After you’ve completed the phrase, present your phone to a staff member at the Information Desk and you’ll be entered to win a gift card of your choice.”
Please keep in mind that the description box for the game instructions has a 1024 character limit.
Let us know what title text for the instructions should be, particularly if your guide is in a language other than English.
How the game should end:
Option A: Users simply unveil the hidden phrase. Maybe they need to show their phone to someone at your venue, for example. Make sure that you know what information you’d like to collect ahead of time so your team is prepared.
Option B: A link appears so the users can fill out a form. If you want a form to show up, please let us know what title text for the link should be and what the form questions should be. Generally, the form asks for name and email address.
If you are choosing a phrase QR game, provide the phrase with slashes to show how to break it up:
“Thi/s is/ an ex/ampl/e ph/rase”
This particular phrase would generate six codes:
- Thi
- s is
- an ex
- ampl
- e ph
- rase
If you are choosing an image QR game, provide before and after images, as well as how many pieces you’d like in the game.
The before and after images must be identical in dimension and should be less than 4MB in size.
The image will be divided equally along its width and height to create the game pieces. This means you can create a game with four, nine, sixteen, or twenty-five pieces.
When you’re ready for us to build your QR game, send the following information to us at support@guidebook.com:
- Name of the guide
- Instruction text and title
- How the game should end
- Without a form
- With a form (please provide the text you would like the users to click on and the questions)
- Phrase or image
- For a phrase, send it with slashes showing how to break it up
- For an image, include both a before and after image, along with how many pieces you’d like (4, 9, 16, 25)
- Please provide square images between 1000x1000 and 2000x2000 pixels
What Does the QR Game Look Like
Below is a visual of what a phrase based game looks like that ends in a form. As each code is scanned, part of the phrase is unveiled. Once all of the codes have been scanned, in the example below, text appears stating "Congratulations! Click here..." which will bring users to the form when tapped on. You should let the Guidebook team know what copy you want to appear on the link.
Below is a visual of what an image based game looks like that ends without a form. Sections of the after image are unveiled as codes are scanned. In the example below, there is no form. In these instances, we recommend including directions for what to do after the game in the instructions e.g. show the completed image to a member of staff.