On a flyer or brochure, a QR code should carry the one thing the paper cannot: a booking, a price list, a video, a full spec sheet. Put it next to a plain-language reason to scan, keep it at least 2 cm wide, and point it at a page built for a phone.
Flyers get glanced at for seconds; brochures get read at a table. That difference changes where the code goes and what it should open.
What is different about flyers versus brochures?
| Flyer | Brochure | |
|---|---|---|
| Reader attention | A few seconds, often standing | Minutes, often seated |
| Best destination | Single action: book, claim, register | Depth: specs, case studies, video, quote form |
| Code placement | One code, bottom third | One per panel that has a distinct next step |
| Paper | Thin, often uncoated | Heavier, often gloss or silk |
Where does the code go on a flyer?
Put a single code in the lower third on a plain light area, with a short call to action beside it ("Scan to reserve your slot"). Hand-out flyers are held at reading distance, so a width of 2.5 to 4 cm is usually enough. Avoid the outer 5 mm of the sheet where trimming varies, and keep the code off any fold line.
How should a brochure use QR codes?
Use more than one only when each answers a different question. A trifold might have a "watch the install" code beside the product panel, a "get a quote" code on the back panel, and nothing on the cover. Give every code its own label. Five unlabelled identical-looking squares read as clutter and split attention. If two panels would send readers to the same page, keep the better-placed one.
For multi-page brochures with many products, one code to a mobile index page often beats a code per item. Printing costs are the same, but you can reorder the index without reprinting.
Does gloss, silk or recycled paper change scanning?
Yes. High-gloss coatings reflect overhead light and can wash out modules at certain angles. Matt or silk stock scans more reliably. Heavily textured or recycled uncoated paper absorbs ink and spreads dots, so use a slightly larger code and a solid dark colour. Review the colour and contrast guide before choosing brand colours, and always proof on the real stock.
What should the page behind it do?
Open fast on mobile, lead with the offer printed beside the code, and make the first action thumb-reachable. A PDF brochure copy is fine as a secondary link but a poor primary destination: it forces pinch-and-zoom. If the print run is large, use a dynamic QR code so you can repoint it when prices or dates change, and give each distribution channel (mailout, trade show, in-store) its own code to compare response with scan tracking.
Related: posters, banners and trade-show signage, all placements, printing guide.