Harness the Power of NFC

Have you ever used Apple pay? If not, have you ever seen someone tap their phone at the cash register to check out? Well, that magical instance where your phone communicates with the register is the power of NFC. So what is NFC? And why are we telling marketers about it?

What is NFC?

NFC stands for “Near Field Communication.” Any two devices (phones, tablets, laptops, etc.) containing an NFC chip can communicate with each other. Their communication is limited to about 4 inches—this is why Apple Pay is known for its “tapping” functionality. Aside from transferring funds at the checkout counter, NFC chips can also transfer other data from one chip to another, like photos, videos, and contact information.  This power is native to today’s smartphones, so why aren’t we using them more ubiquitously?

QR Codes vs NFC

QR codes have been around for a bit now. They were buzzing at first, died down for a little, and then COVID hit. To navigate the effects of COVID, the world really leaned into technology. QR codes have been going through a renaissance since the start of the pandemic since they have been the driving tool to bridge the online and offline worlds.

While QR codes are great and effective, some users prefer alternate activation methods or are simply looking for the next big thing in tech. We at Lumavate believe that like QR codes, NFC can be a powerful tool to bridge online and offline by sharing data and triggering engaging digital experiences.

Harnessing the Power of NFC

Virtual business cards are possible with NFC chips. Program any information that would typically live on a business card into an NFC chip. This way, with the tap of a phone, anyone can easily access an individual’s contact information, name, LinkedIn, etc. directly onto their device. 

NFC chips can be tapped to launch all sorts of digital experiences (websites, landing pages, microsites, etc.). For marketers, this means there is another way for your brand to engage with consumers. NFC chips are great for shopper marketing initiatives. Put a chip on signage or packaging that shoppers can tap to launch a special offer on their phone to be redeemed at checkout or it can launch the brand’s online community for the shopper to tap into. Big brands, like Nike, are exploring NFCs to interact with consumers in new and exciting ways.

Brands have been driving engagement with consumers using targeted text messaging. Consumers can tap an NFC chip to generate a pre-populated text message to be sent to a brand that will subscribe them to their messaging program. With the proper number and keyword loaded by the NFC chip, consumers can opt-in to mobile messaging with even fewer steps than usual. 

Want to incorporate NFC into your marketing strategy? Our platform offers a variety of activation methods making it easy for you to decide which methods work best for your audience. Get started with a free account today.