How to measure QR code funnel performance and ROI

Short answer

This article explains how to measure QR code funnel performance and ROI with practical guidance, limits, and implementation details so you can apply it consistently.

A QR code scan is just the start. What matters is what happens next: how many visitors complete the journey, where they drop off, and what business value each conversion generates. Linkbreakers gives you the event data and visitor profiles to answer all of these questions.

Quick summary

• Measure completion rate at each step to identify where visitors abandon the journey
• Calculate conversion rate from scan to desired business outcome (lead, purchase, sign-up)
• Use lead scores to estimate quality of conversions, not just quantity
• Connect UTM parameters to attribute QR conversions to specific campaigns
• Export raw events for deeper analysis in your BI tool or spreadsheet

The QR funnel: what to measure at each stage

Every QR code journey has distinct stages, each with a measurable drop-off. Map your journey to this framework before you start tracking.

The gap between scans and conversions is your funnel. Each step where visitors drop off is an optimization opportunity.

Tracking scans and events in Linkbreakers

Every scan of your QR code creates an event in Linkbreakers. Events capture:

• Timestamp, entry URL, and destination URL
• Device type, OS, browser, and screen resolution
• Approximate location (country, city from IP)
• Visitor ID (new vs. returning device)
• Workflow step triggered

Access events in real time from your dashboard or export them via the Analytics API.

Calculating step-by-step drop-off

For multi-step journeys, calculate completion rate at each step:

Step completion rate = visitors who completed step N / visitors who reached step N

In this example, the form is the biggest drop-off point. Reducing form friction (fewer fields, clearer value proposition) will have the largest impact on overall funnel performance.

How to find drop-off in Linkbreakers

Form submissions generate events with the action form_submit. Count form submit events vs. total scans on the same link to calculate form completion rate. Export the event stream via API or your analytics integration to do this calculation.

Measuring lead quality, not just quantity

Scan volume is a vanity metric if the visitors don't match your ideal customer profile. Lead scores give each visitor a 0–100 score based on device signals, engagement depth, and behavioral patterns.

View lead scores in your visitor list. Sort by score descending to prioritize your hottest prospects from any campaign.

Combining volume and quality metrics

Using UTM parameters for campaign attribution

QR codes drive offline-to-online traffic. Without attribution, you can't tie a scan to the campaign that drove it. Use UTM parameters in your destination URLs to attribute correctly in Google Analytics or your analytics platform.

Example destination URL with UTMs:

https://yoursite.com/landing?utm_source=packaging&utm_medium=qr-code&utm_campaign=launch-q1-2026

This lets you see QR-driven conversions alongside all other channels in your GA4 or BI dashboard. See how to track where your leads are coming from for a broader tracking setup.

Calculating QR code ROI

ROI requires knowing both the value generated and the cost. Here's a simple framework:

Step 1: Define conversion value

Step 2: Count conversions attributable to QR

Count form submissions and downstream conversions tagged with your QR UTMs over the measurement period.

Step 3: Calculate

ROI = (Revenue from QR conversions - Cost of QR campaign) / Cost of QR campaign × 100

Reading the analytics dashboard

Key views in Linkbreakers

Metrics to watch per link

Connecting QR data to your BI stack

For advanced funnel analysis, connect Linkbreakers data to your existing analytics infrastructure. See real-time analytics: from QR scan to business intelligence for setup guides covering Tableau, Power BI, and custom dashboards.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know which step in a multi-step journey is causing drop-off?

Each form submission and workflow interaction generates a distinct event type. Export events via the API and group by event type and link ID. The step with the largest gap between "step shown" and "step completed" events is your biggest drop-off point.

Can I track conversions that happen after the visitor leaves Linkbreakers?

Downstream conversions (purchases, sign-ups on your own site) require UTM attribution. Tag your QR destinations with UTMs, then track goal completions in your website analytics tool. Linkbreakers measures the journey up to the destination redirect.

How do I compare performance across multiple QR codes in one campaign?

Use consistent UTM naming across all links in the campaign and analyze the combined utm_campaign data in GA4. Inside Linkbreakers, use tags to group related links and compare scan volumes side by side.

Is there a way to track offline sales back to a QR code scan?

Yes, through form-captured identifiers. If a visitor scans your QR code and submits a form with their email, then later purchases in-store, you can match the email in your CRM to attribute the sale. This requires a CRM integration via webhook or Zapier.

What's a good conversion rate for a QR code campaign?

It varies widely by industry and journey length. As a rough benchmark: a single-step redirect (scan → destination) has near-100% completion. Add a form and expect 40–70% completion. A 3-step journey might see 25–50% end-to-end. Lead-to-customer conversion downstream depends on your sales process.

Limits and caveats

• Feature availability and limits can vary by plan and workspace setup.
• Results depend on correct implementation, attribution setup, and data quality controls.
• Regulatory and privacy obligations vary by jurisdiction and use case.