getsharesquare

Guide · 3 min read

QR codes for musicians, bands and artists

By the GetShareSquare team · Updated

Short answer

Point one QR code at a page you own with your music, shows, merch and mailing list, then put that code on posters, merch tags, inserts and the last slide of your set. Size it for the distance, label it with a reason to scan, and keep it pointing at the same address for years.

  • One stable link page beats ten codes to ten platforms.
  • Merch table and gig posters: big, labelled, at eye height.
  • Inserts and vinyl sleeves: 2.5 cm or more, on a plain panel.
  • Galleries: a small code by each piece, linking to a page about that work.

Musicians and artists hand out more printed material than most small businesses: gig posters, flyers, merch tags, CD and vinyl inserts, exhibition labels, stickers. Every one of those is a chance for someone to find your music or work later, and a QR code is the shortest path from a piece of paper in a pub to your songs on their phone.

One page for everything

The mistake to avoid is printing different codes to different platforms and then watching them go stale. A better pattern:

  1. Make one page that lists where to listen, the next shows, merch, a mailing list and how to book you. The square page builder exports that as a single HTML file you can host anywhere, with no monthly fee and nobody else's branding.
  2. Give that page a short, stable address on your own domain, like yourband.com/links.
  3. Point every QR code at that address. When the new single drops, change the top button on the page. The printed codes keep working.

This also helps fans who use different streaming services. Your page can link to all of them; a code straight to one platform leaves the rest out.

At the merch table

The merch table is where people already want to connect. Put a big code on a stand-up sign, labelled with something specific: "New EP, tour dates and mailing list". 15 to 20 cm wide is enough for people standing in front of the table. If you take card payments with a reader, the code can sit next to it so people scan while they wait.

A separate small code on merch tags or a thank-you card in each order keeps working long after the show.

Gig posters and flyers

Posters get read from the pavement, a metre or two away, often for a few seconds. That means a code of about 10 to 20 cm, a high-contrast area of the design and a line of text with a reason: "Listen before the show". Keep it at eye height on the poster rather than at the bottom edge, where it ends up behind other flyers.

For small flyers handed out by hand, 3 to 4 cm is fine. The print templates include a flyer and poster layout with the code placed for those distances.

Inserts, sleeves and zines

A code on a CD tray card, vinyl insert or zine back page can take fans to lyrics, liner notes, a behind-the-scenes video or a download. Keep it on a flat panel, away from the spine and the shrink-wrap sticker, and at least 2.5 cm wide. Send the printer an SVG so it stays crisp.

For visual artists and exhibitions

In a gallery or open studio, a small code on each label can link to a page about the piece: the story behind it, materials, size, price or an enquiry email. People like reading more without having to ask. Keep codes small and discreet next to the work, 2.5 to 3 cm, and the same style across the show. A single larger code at the entrance can point to the full catalogue or your portfolio.

On stage and on screen

A code projected behind you can work for a short moment, such as a crowd-funding link or a mailing list, but only if it fills a big share of the screen and stays up long enough for people to find their phones. Mentioning the merch table code from the mic is usually more effective than a code on a banner, which needs to be huge for the back of the room.

A few practical things

  • Label every code. People scan codes that promise something.
  • Test in the venue light. Dark, coloured stage lighting is hard on cameras. Black on white works best.
  • Don't let codes go stale. If a page moves, set up a redirect from the old address.
  • Social profiles. For a straight link to your X profile, the X QR code tool makes the shortest possible code.

None of this needs a paid QR service. Static codes to a page you control do the job and never expire.

Questions

Should the code go straight to a streaming platform?

Only for a release-specific insert. For everything else, point to your own page with links to every platform, so fans on any service can listen and you can swap the featured release without reprinting.

Can I put a QR code on vinyl or CD artwork?

Yes, on the back cover or an insert. Keep it on a flat, plain panel away from the spine and shrink-wrap stickers, and print at least 2.5 cm wide.

What about a code on stage?

On a screen behind you, a code works if it's large and left up for a while. On a banner it needs to be very large for people at the back. Most acts get better results from a code at the merch table and a quick mention from the stage.

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