QR codes on business cards: what to link and how to print them

Decide what the code should open

The card already shows your name, phone number and email, so the code should add something the card cannot. Good choices:

• A contact or about page on your own website, with a photo, your services and a way to get in touch.
• A portfolio, a menu of services or a price list.
• A booking or calendar page, if people usually want to meet you again.
• A professional profile, such as LinkedIn, using the Social type in the QR code generator.

A page you control is the safest choice. Business cards stay in drawers for years, and a page you own can be updated when your details change, while the printed code stays the same.

Keep the code simple

A business card leaves little room, and a small code needs a simple pattern. The fewer characters the code holds, the larger and clearer its squares can be. If your page address is long, shorten it first, ideally with a readable alias such as your name. The short link also tells you how many people scan it.

Use the default error correction (M) or the lower L level. Higher levels make the pattern denser, which works against you at this size.

Size and placement

• Aim for at least 2 centimetres (about 0.8 inch) wide, including a clear margin. Cards are scanned up close, so this is enough for most phones.
• Put the code on a plain area, not over a photo, a pattern or a fold.
• The back of the card is often the best place: it leaves the front clean and gives the code space.
• Add a few words next to it, such as “Scan for my portfolio”, so people know why to scan.

Print and test

Download the SVG for your printer or designer, so the code stays sharp at any size. Keep a dark code on a light background, and avoid metallic inks and heavy textures on the code itself.

Before you order hundreds of cards, print one at the real size, scan it with two different phones, and follow the link through to the page. The QR code printing guide has the full checklist.