What's a visitor?

Every QR code scan represents a person making a conscious decision to engage with your campaign. But understanding who that person is, and how they behave across multiple interactions, requires sophisticated visitor tracking that goes far beyond simple click counting.

Understanding visitors versus scans

The distinction between visitors and scans forms the foundation of meaningful campaign analytics. While scans represent individual interactions, visitors represent the people behind those interactions.

The visitor concept explained

A visitor in Linkbreakers represents a unique individual who may interact with your campaigns multiple times across different devices, QR codes, and time periods. This person-centric approach provides insights that simple scan counting cannot achieve.

When someone scans your QR code for the first time, Linkbreakers creates a visitor record that becomes the central identifier for all their future interactions with your campaigns. Subsequent scans from the same person get linked to this visitor profile, building a comprehensive picture of their engagement journey.

This visitor-centric model enables sophisticated analytics like understanding how many unique people engaged with your campaign, identifying your most active users, and tracking individual journey patterns through multiple touchpoints.

Scan events versus visitor profiles

Each QR code scan generates an event that gets linked to a visitor profile:

• Events: Individual QR code scans with timestamp, location, and device information
• Visitors: Persistent profiles that aggregate all events from the same person
• Devices: Equipment used for scanning, which can be linked to visitor profiles
• Sessions: Groups of related events from the same visitor within a time period

This hierarchical structure enables analysis at multiple levels, from individual scan details to comprehensive visitor behavior patterns.

Identity resolution and visitor merging

Sophisticated identity resolution automatically connects related activities to the same visitor profile. When someone provides contact information through your QR code workflows, Linkbreakers can link their previous anonymous interactions to their identified profile.

This process happens transparently, ensuring you get complete visitor journey visibility without requiring people to authenticate every time they interact with your campaigns.

Visitor data collection and tracking

Understanding what data gets collected about visitors helps you leverage analytics effectively while respecting privacy boundaries.

Automatic data collection

Every QR code scan automatically captures essential visitor information:

1. Device fingerprinting: Browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and device characteristics
2. Geographic data: Country, region, and city based on IP address location
3. Network information: Internet service provider and connection type details
4. Temporal data: Scan timestamps, timezone information, and session timing

This automatic collection happens without requiring any visitor action beyond scanning your QR code.

Explicit data collection through workflows

Interactive workflows enable explicit visitor data collection through forms and input fields:

• Contact information: Email addresses, phone numbers, and names
• Demographic data: Age, location, preferences, and other relevant characteristics
• Custom attributes: Any additional information relevant to your campaigns
• Behavioral preferences: Interests, buying intent, and engagement preferences

This explicit data collection requires visitor consent and action, but provides much richer profiles for marketing and analytics purposes.

Data enrichment and enhancement

The platform automatically enriches visitor profiles with derived insights:

• Lead scoring: AI-powered qualification based on behavior patterns
• Engagement metrics: Frequency, recency, and depth of interactions
• Journey analysis: Progression through multiple campaign touchpoints
• Conversion tracking: Goal achievement and funnel completion analysis

This enrichment transforms raw scan data into actionable marketing intelligence.

Visitor analytics and insights

The visitor dashboard transforms visitor data into actionable insights for campaign optimization.

Individual visitor profiles

Each visitor gets a comprehensive profile that includes:

• Contact details: Any information they've provided through workflow forms
• Activity timeline: Chronological history of all QR code interactions
• Device information: Details about all devices they've used for scanning
• Geographic patterns: Locations where they've engaged with your campaigns
• Engagement scoring: Automated assessment of their interest and qualification level

These profiles enable personalized follow-up and sophisticated audience segmentation.

Aggregate visitor analytics

Visitor-level analytics provide campaign insights impossible with scan-only tracking:

"Understanding visitor behavior patterns reveals campaign performance insights that raw scan counts simply cannot provide."

Key metrics include:

• Unique visitor counts: How many different people engaged with your campaigns
• Return visitor rates: Percentage of people who scan multiple times
• Cross-campaign engagement: Visitors who interact with multiple QR codes
• Conversion funnel analysis: How visitors progress through your campaign objectives

These insights enable optimization based on actual human behavior rather than just interaction volume.

Visitor segmentation and targeting

Rich visitor data enables sophisticated audience segmentation:

• Behavioral segments: Based on interaction patterns and engagement frequency
• Demographic groups: Using collected contact and preference information
• Geographic segments: Regional or location-based audience groups
• Engagement levels: High-value versus casual visitor identification

Effective segmentation enables targeted follow-up campaigns and personalized engagement strategies.

Privacy and data protection

Visitor tracking operates within strict privacy boundaries designed to respect individual privacy while enabling meaningful analytics.

Data minimization principles

Linkbreakers collects only data necessary for campaign functionality and analytics:

• Automatic collection: Limited to essential technical information for service delivery
• Explicit consent: Additional data collection requires clear visitor consent through forms
• Purpose limitation: Collected data used only for stated campaign and analytics purposes
• Retention policies: Data stored only as long as necessary for legitimate business purposes

This approach balances analytics value with privacy protection.

Visitor anonymity and identification

The system supports both anonymous and identified visitor tracking:

• Anonymous visitors: Tracked through device fingerprints without personal identification
• Identified visitors: Linked to contact information when voluntarily provided
• Pseudonymization: Personal identifiers separated from analytics data where possible
• Consent management: Clear opt-in processes for additional data collection

This flexibility accommodates both privacy-conscious analytics and personalized marketing needs.

GDPR and compliance considerations

Visitor tracking implements privacy regulation compliance features:

• Lawful basis: Clear legal justification for all data processing activities
• Data subject rights: Visitor access, correction, and deletion capabilities
• Cross-border transfers: Appropriate safeguards for international data movement
• Documentation: Comprehensive records of data processing activities and purposes

These compliance measures ensure visitor tracking operates within applicable privacy regulations.

Advanced visitor tracking features

Sophisticated visitor tracking capabilities support complex campaign requirements and advanced analytics needs.

Cross-device visitor linking

Advanced identity resolution links visitor activity across multiple devices:

• Email-based linking: Automatic connection when visitors provide email addresses
• Behavioral correlation: Statistical analysis to identify likely same-person activity
• Explicit device registration: Visitor-initiated device linking through account creation
• Probabilistic matching: Machine learning approaches to cross-device identification

This capability provides complete visitor journey visibility regardless of device switching.

Visitor journey mapping

Comprehensive journey tracking reveals how visitors interact with multiple campaign touchpoints:

1. Entry point identification: First QR code or campaign that introduced the visitor
2. Progression tracking: Sequence of interactions across different campaigns
3. Conversion attribution: Understanding which touchpoints drive goal achievement
4. Drop-off analysis: Identifying where visitors disengage from your campaigns

Journey mapping enables optimization of multi-touchpoint campaign strategies.

Lead scoring and qualification

Automated lead scoring transforms visitor data into sales intelligence:

• Behavioral scoring: Points based on interaction frequency, recency, and depth
• Demographic weighting: Scores adjusted for target audience characteristics
• Engagement quality: Assessment of form completion, time spent, and interaction quality
• Predictive modeling: Machine learning predictions of conversion likelihood

This scoring enables sales teams to prioritize follow-up efforts on highest-value prospects.

Visitor data export and integration

Visitor data can be exported and integrated with external systems for advanced analysis and marketing automation.

Data export capabilities

Comprehensive export options support various business needs:

• CSV exports: Complete visitor databases with all collected attributes
• Filtered exports: Subsets based on geographic, behavioral, or demographic criteria
• API access: Programmatic visitor data retrieval through the Linkbreakers API
• Real-time streaming: Live visitor updates through webhook integrations

These export options enable integration with CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and business intelligence tools.

CRM and marketing automation integration

Visitor data integrates seamlessly with existing marketing technology stacks:

• Contact synchronization: Automatic visitor profile creation in CRM systems
• Behavioral triggers: Campaign automation based on visitor interaction patterns
• Lead qualification: Automated lead scoring integration with sales processes
• Segmentation sync: Visitor segments for targeted email and advertising campaigns

These integrations enable visitor data to drive broader marketing and sales activities.

Custom analytics and business intelligence

Advanced organizations can leverage visitor data for sophisticated analysis:

• Customer journey analytics: Multi-touchpoint attribution and path analysis
• Predictive modeling: Machine learning on visitor behavior patterns
• Campaign optimization: A/B testing and performance optimization based on visitor segments
• ROI calculation: Visitor lifetime value and campaign return analysis

This advanced analysis enables data-driven campaign strategy and optimization.

Programmatic visitor management

Technical teams can leverage visitor data programmatically for sophisticated automation and integration scenarios.

API-driven visitor operations

The visitor API enables comprehensive programmatic management:

• Visitor retrieval: Query visitor profiles based on various criteria
• Attribute management: Update visitor profiles with additional information
• Event correlation: Link new events to existing visitor profiles
• Export automation: Programmatic data extraction for integration workflows

These capabilities enable sophisticated automation and integration scenarios.

Webhook-based visitor updates

Real-time visitor updates through webhooks enable immediate response to visitor activities:

• New visitor notifications: Immediate alerts when new visitors engage with campaigns
• Profile updates: Real-time synchronization when visitor information changes
• Behavior triggers: Automated responses to specific visitor action patterns
• Qualification alerts: Notifications when visitors meet lead scoring thresholds

This real-time capability enables immediate response to visitor engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Linkbreakers identify unique visitors across multiple scans?

Linkbreakers uses device fingerprinting, browser characteristics, and explicit identification (when provided) to link multiple scans to the same visitor profile. This creates comprehensive engagement tracking for individual people.

What personal information does visitor tracking collect automatically?

Automatic collection includes device type, browser, geographic location (city/region level), and technical information needed for QR code functionality. No personal identification occurs without explicit visitor consent.

Can visitors opt out of tracking while still using QR codes?

QR codes function normally regardless of tracking preferences. However, basic technical information is necessary for redirect functionality, though this can be anonymized and not linked to persistent visitor profiles.

How long does Linkbreakers store visitor data?

Visitor data retention depends on your workspace settings and applicable privacy regulations. Data is kept only as long as necessary for legitimate business purposes with options for deletion upon request.

What's the difference between a visitor and a lead?

A visitor is anyone who scans your QR codes. A lead is a visitor who has provided contact information or met qualification criteria that indicate sales interest. All leads are visitors, but not all visitors become leads.

Can I merge visitor profiles that represent the same person?

Yes, visitor profiles can be merged when you identify duplicates. This often happens automatically when visitors provide the same contact information through different interactions.

How accurate is visitor location tracking?

Location tracking uses IP geolocation which is accurate to city/region level. Exact address tracking isn't possible without visitor consent and explicit location sharing through their device.

Can I export visitor data for use in other marketing tools?

Yes, visitor data can be exported in CSV format or accessed programmatically through the API for integration with CRM systems, email platforms, and other marketing tools.

What happens to visitor data if I cancel my Linkbreakers subscription?

Visitor data handling during subscription cancellation depends on your specific agreement and applicable privacy regulations. Contact support for information about data retention and deletion options.

How does visitor tracking work across different QR code campaigns?

Visitor profiles aggregate interactions across all QR codes within your workspace, providing a complete picture of individual engagement across multiple campaigns and touchpoints.