Imagine, a slide show of your paintings being instantly delivered to a potential collector’s Smartphone. By using a “tag” you can make that vision and more a reality.
“What’s a tag you ask?”
Simply put, it’s a barcode that can be placed on anything you do in print! Once it is scanned with a smart phone, it instantly delivers a message. You could link people to a slide show of your art, videos, virtual tours, or a lecture excerpt just by using a tag.
A Tag Reader is a free Microsoft application which available for a variety of Smartphones. Using your Smartphone, go to http://fettag.mobi to download the Tag Reader and try it out with your Smartphone on the tags below.
“How does the Tag Reader work?”
After the ‘reader’ is downloaded, the camera on your phone turns into a scanner. The lens will detect the code which will trigger the information to be displayed – amazing!
- With over 2 billion tags already in existence, millions of people have already downloaded the free Microsoft Tag Reader and are using it.
- With over 49.1 million smart phones in use today in the US more than 50% of US homes own one or more smart phone and are using this technology to browse, shop and gather information. Consumers are realizing that when they hold their smart phone over the tag, the digital information or video content appears in the smart phone window.
- 50% of US homes own one or more Smartphones.
- Many museums, galleries, art magazines and tech savvy artists are already using these Tags.
- No typing a URL or texting, waiting for a response – in an instant your message appears – driving it deeper into the hands of your potential buyer at the moment it makes the most sense.
- These tags are helping print media stay current! Over 100 million magazines have carried tags since August 2010.
An example of what a ‘Tag Reader’ looks like in a print magazine: (in the lower right-hand corner)
Here are a few examples of tags to try out on your own Smartphone:
Black and White Standard
Most recognizable and commonly used in publications 7/8 “
Color Standard
a Southwestern style with the Smallest footprint 3/4 “
Custom Image Tag
Image is placed behind the code. 1.2”
Mobile is important for a number of reasons:
- It has an immediacy that consumers expect.
- It provides a portal from the real world to digital content.
To be successful the mobile activity has to follow some best practices:
- The activity must be engaging.
- The content must be relevant.
- There must be a call to action.
Tags are already being used by museums, galleries and your peers. A couple of best practices include:
- Providing Fast Access to More Information.
- A tag can help you provide far more information than could possibly fit on exhibition signage, and it can help you expose digital content in a way that can be consumed by visitors on their mobile phones.
- More information gives them a stronger connection to you and an incentive to purchase.
- Keeping people engaged after the main event: You might let people scan a tag as they exit to be added to your mailing list.
Is mobile marketing a trend or just “fly by trendy”?
- From my research, I think that this is the next “thing”. Think back to when the Internet was introduced and you may have wondered, “do I really need to have a website? Does a digital footprint even matter?”
- We all know how important that move was to business. Now you have an opportunity to attach your digital presence to your print materials. This is still new enough to garner word of mouth excitement yet it is also established enough for anyone to piggyback off of the successful adoption of the technology.
- Over 100 million magazines since August 2010 have carried tags in their advertisements and editorials.
As ambassadors of the arts, it is important that we continue to nurture and engage our society in the appreciation of fine art. I am a believer that art tag technology is a tool that will invigorate and sustain the cultural community.
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Carolyn “Charlie” Bogusz is the owner of Primary Colors Consulting, providing coaching and marketing services to the arts industry. For additional information on tag marketing and developing your own tag, contact her at primary.colors@live.com
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Thanks. Great article. I h ad no idea 🙂
It is all so amazing – isn’t it?
Lori 🙂
What great information and a great marketing idea. I have heard of QC codes but never of these tags. I have an iPhone so I don’t know if the reader will work on it or not. But I’ll check it out. It’s worth looking into anything so close to our fingertips to help promote our art. While some of us artists may not be too technically inclined, a lot of people (buyers) out there are extremely tech savvy. So let’s meet them on their ground.
Yes, this is very true. And before we know it, Smartphones will be in more households than computers. I am glad this article is being well received by my readers. If any of you try out these tag readers, I’d love to hear about it!
Best-
Lori
Thanks. I don’t even have a web site but if I had done this with a recent
exhibit perhaps it would have helped. One viewer even said to me, “Oh,
I would have loved it if you had little narratives about each painting next
to them.” I probably looked a bit aghast, thinking, “Gee, isn’t my work supposed
to speak for itself?” and she replied, “You know the way musuems do…”
I still didn’t quite “get it”, but she said she was pleased to hear about the backgrounds,
motivations of a couple of the paintings, and I continued to think about how I could
provide more of that if I were not physically there. Your idea of QC codes or tags
would enable that, I think.
I like your work and appreciate that I see your name so often in support of your
fellow/sister artists, Lori. The posts I like most from everyone are the ones that
make us think and expand. While I don’t see an immediate way that I – Luddite
and poor – that I am – can use this, I see all kinds of possibilities for others!
Thanks.
Betty
How interesting Betty. Thanks for sharing your experience. I have not used the tag readers in my personal art marketing at this point either. But, I do have a Smartphone and will plan to try it in the near future.
It is fun and helpful to hear the feedback! Cheers-
Lori
Exhibition signage is one of the great applications of the technology! Think of other “off the easel” applications:
1) on the label on the back of your paintings as a “digital thank you” or new available works
2) on your business cards with link to a video of your studio
3) coupon for a special offer ( notecards etc) for an upcoming exhibition
The key to the marketing is that it has to be engaging, relevant and have a call to action. I can help you build a “microsite” which is important in ensuring the technology is optimized for all smart phones and tab readers.
Let me know if I can answer any more questions!
Hi Charlie-
I am so happy with this post. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us. I am glad you shared your additions here in this comment…
Talk soon-
Lori
Hi Charlie,
Thank you for sharing. These ideas are great.
We met at Scott’s workshop about 2 years ago.
So great to hear from you. I will check out your website at
primary.colors@live.com.
Thank you Lori for posting.
I took Scott’s workshop about 4 years ago! What a fun time. Thanks for stopping by for a visit. I appreciate your comment.
Best – Lori
A brilliant idea. I see no reason why what you link to has to be constant. It could be the latest page of your blog, a slide show of your art, details of a current project, held in a fixed location but with varying content.
If I don’t have a smartphone, but want to create multiple tags to be placed on multiple print publications, how/where do I go online (presumably) to do such? I can see this being utilized in all aspects of my work at a community college.
thanks for any help!
Beth
Hi Beth-
Your best bet would be to contact Charlie Bogusz of primary.colors@live.com. She is the guru on this subject and can help you affordably develop your own tags. Thanks for enjoying this information and for leaving a great comment. I hope this helps.
Best-
Lori