Static links direct everyone to the same webpage, regardless of when they scan. But customer behavior is highly contextual. A customer scanning a restaurant menu QR code at 9:00 AM wants the breakfast menu, while someone scanning at 8:00 PM wants dinner specials or happy hour promotions. Enter scheduled redirects.
What is Scheduled Redirection?
Scheduled redirection is an advanced rules-based routing feature. It allows you to configure a single dynamic QR code to automatically route users to different destination URLs based on dynamic criteria like time, date, or day of the week.
Common Marketing Use Cases
Here are three highly effective ways brands use scheduled routing to increase engagement:
- Time-of-Day Routing (Dayparting): Restaurants can automatically serve Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner menus based on the scan hour. Retailers can push flash sales during lunch breaks or night-time discount codes.
- Day-of-Week Specials: A bar can route scans to a "Taco Tuesday" page on Tuesdays, "Live Music" event page on Saturdays, and "Sunday Brunch" bookings on Sundays.
- Date-bounded Campaigns: Automate product launches and holiday events. Configure the QR code to point to a "Coming Soon" teaser page, automatically switch to the "Product Order" page when the launch date arrives, and redirect to a "Sale Ended" page after the promotion expires.
Setting Up Rules for Success
When designing scheduled campaigns, always establish a fallback URL. If none of your active time or date criteria are met, the server needs a default page to load. Make sure your fallback page is general enough to serve any scanner (like your homepage or general services tab).
By leveraging scheduled rules, you turn static printed assets into dynamic, context-aware touchpoints that deliver the right message at the right time.