The most common use of QR codes: linking to a website. You have a URL, you want people to visit it, and typing the address is too much friction. A QR code makes it instant — scan and the page opens.
Simple concept, but there are a few things to get right.
How to Create a QR Code for Your Website
- Copy your website URL (e.g.,
https://yoursite.comor a specific page likehttps://yoursite.com/menu) - Go to qree.app
- Paste the URL in the generator
- Customize colors and style to match your brand
- Download as PNG (for screens) or SVG (for print)
That's it. When scanned, the phone opens your website in the default browser.
Which URL to Use
This matters more than most people realize.
Homepage (yoursite.com) — use when you want people to explore your site generally. Good for business cards and general marketing.
Specific landing page (yoursite.com/promo) — use when the QR has a specific purpose. A flyer promoting a sale should link to the sale page, not the homepage. A poster about an event should link to the event page.
Short and clean URLs create simpler QR codes. yoursite.com/menu generates a less dense QR than yoursite.com/pages/food-and-drinks/current-menu?ref=qr&utm_source=flyer. Simpler QR codes scan faster and from farther away.
Always use HTTPS. The URL should start with https://, not http://. Browsers warn users about insecure sites, and Google penalizes HTTP in search rankings. If your site doesn't have SSL yet, set it up before creating QR codes.
Test the URL first. Open it in a private browser window on your phone. Does it load correctly? Is it mobile-friendly? Does it show what you expect? A QR code that leads to a broken page is worse than no QR code.
Adding UTM Parameters for Tracking
If you use Google Analytics, add UTM parameters to track QR-sourced traffic:
https://yoursite.com/menu?utm_source=qr&utm_medium=flyer&utm_campaign=spring-2027
This lets you see in Google Analytics exactly how many visitors came from the QR code, separate from other traffic sources. Create different UTM tags for different placements (flyer vs business card vs poster) to compare performance.
See our QR code Google Analytics guide for the full setup.
Tip: Long UTM URLs create dense QR codes. Use a dynamic QR code — it encodes a short redirect link regardless of the destination URL length, keeping the QR simple and scannable.
Static vs Dynamic
Static works for permanent URLs that won't change — your homepage, a contact page, a product page that's been live for years.
Dynamic is better when the URL might change (website redesigns, campaign rotations), you want scan analytics, the URL is long (UTM parameters, query strings), or you're printing on permanent materials.
For most business uses, dynamic is the safer choice. The URL might not change today, but it might in six months — and by then the flyers are printed.
Where to Place Website QR Codes
Business cards. Link to your portfolio, main site, or a personalized landing page. One QR code replaces the need to type a URL.
Flyers and brochures. Link to the specific page relevant to the flyer's content. Promoting a sale? Link to the sale page, not the homepage.
Storefronts. A window sticker with your website QR lets passersby browse your site without entering the store. Useful for after-hours browsing: "Closed? Scan to shop online."
Product packaging. Link to the product page with reviews, specs, tutorials, or complementary products.
Presentations. Last slide: "Learn more at..." with a QR code. The audience scans instead of trying to remember the URL.
Print ads. Magazine ads, newspaper ads, billboards. The ad catches attention; the QR code converts attention to a website visit.
Mobile-First Is Non-Negotiable
100% of people scanning a QR code are using a phone. Your website must be mobile-friendly. If the page loads a desktop-only layout that requires pinching and zooming, you've lost the visitor.
Check: does the page load in under 3 seconds on mobile data? Is the text readable without zooming? Are buttons large enough to tap? Is the navigation usable on a small screen?
If your site isn't mobile-optimized, fix that before investing in QR codes. You're sending mobile traffic to a page that can't handle it.
Tips
One QR per purpose. Don't use one QR for everything. Your business card QR links to your portfolio. Your flyer QR links to the promotion. Your packaging QR links to the product page. Different contexts, different destinations.
Add context. "Scan to visit our website" is okay. "Scan to see our full menu with photos" is better. Tell people what they'll get.
Don't QR your homepage everywhere. Your homepage is general. Specific landing pages convert better. Match the QR destination to the context where it's scanned.
Test on the actual material. Print a test, scan it, confirm the right page loads on mobile. Then order the full print run.
Create Your Website QR Code
Go to qree.app, paste your URL, customize, and download. Free, instant, and ready to print.