Q Tag - A Service For Advertisers And Consumers

Q Tag is an interesting company that I like to think of as an electronic Post-It for customers and a search engine marketer for advertisers. I had a chance to get more info on the company and their service.

What is a Q Tag?

a qtag is an icon or “tag” (seen or heard on any print, broadcast, outdoor or display advertising) that can be used by consumers to learn more about a product. When consumers want to remember a special offer or learn more about a product that they’ve seen on an ad, they can use their mobile phone to text the special text code displayed on the qtag to 78247 (QTAGS on the dial).

Then, at the consumer's convenience, he or she can log into a personal and completely confidential qtag website to view information on all the tags they've texted. Here's the "Post-It" concept. Post the product, and review at a later time.

You see it. You like it. You don’t want to forget it. So you qtag it.

Adding a qtag is analagous to displaying your toll-free or www address. A qtag is just another way for a customer to connect. Here's the search engine marketing aspect. A qtag is directing people to the company's website.

The best part is that your personal information would remain anonymous to the advertisers. No one knows your mobile phone number or e-mail address, so no spam.

I would find a way to work permission into this so advertisers could utilize this data appropriately.

How does an advertiser register/costs?

Displaying qtag keywords is easy. Advertisers choose a 9 character word/phrase -- and it could be anything...their brand name, a model number, some catchy word. The beauty of it is that unlike URL addresses which need to be catchy and/or easy to remember, keywords don't need to be anything in particular because a consumer "fires and forgets".... they only have to remember long enough to text it AND advertisers can change the URL at any time.

Advertisers subscribe to the qtag - about $30 per month, and they pay for usage (only as it happens). For example, if an advertiser was displaying the keyword 'pizza', and there were 100 'pizza' s sent to 78247, the advertiser would be charged 100 x approximately $0.40 (the costs range on volume).

We are presenting qtags to advertising agencies throughout the States and in Canada (our service goes live there in the Fall 2005). Some of the advertiser's that are getting more familiar with qtags include Ford, LandRover, BestBuy, Dominos, Toyota, a few broadcasters (both TV and radio), Media companies, Publishers

We are offering qtags for free (no subscription or usage) to all non-profits.

Contact them