Analytics Metrics Explained

Master your Rytinco analytics by understanding exactly what each metric means and how to interpret the data. This guide breaks down every number in your dashboard so you can make informed decisions about your Qlink campaigns.

Core Engagement Metrics

Total Scans

What it measures: The complete number of times your Qlink has been scanned across all time periods.

Key Details:

Includes: All scan events, including repeat scans from the same person
Excludes: Bot traffic and invalid scan attempts
Updates: Real-time (within 5 seconds)
Reset: Never - this is a lifetime cumulative count

How to interpret:

Growing steadily: Your Qlink is gaining traction
Sudden spike: Viral moment or successful campaign launch
Plateau: May need content refresh or promotion boost
Declining: Review placement, design, or destination content

Unique Scans

What it measures: The number of individual people who have scanned your Qlink, regardless of how many times they scanned.

Key Details:

Tracking method: Device fingerprinting and cookie-based identification
Accuracy: ~95% for identifying return visitors
Privacy: No personal data collected, only anonymous identifiers
Time frame: Unique within your selected date range

How to interpret:

High unique ratio: Good reach, attracting new audience
Low unique ratio: Strong repeat engagement from existing audience
Industry benchmarks: Most Qlinks see 60-80% unique scan rates

Example: 100 total scans with 75 unique scans = 75% unique rate (good reach)

Time-Based Analytics

Time Patterns

What it measures: When people are most active with your Qlinks, broken down by hour, day, and month.

Available Views:

Hourly heatmap: 24-hour activity patterns
Daily trends: Day-of-week performance
Monthly patterns: Seasonal trends and growth
Real-time activity: Live scan monitoring

How to interpret:

Peak hours: Best times to update content or launch campaigns
Weekend vs weekday: Audience behavior differences
Seasonal patterns: Plan campaigns around high-activity periods
Unexpected peaks: Investigate what drove unusual activity

Business Applications:

Restaurants: Update menus during peak dining hours
Retail: Launch sales during high-traffic periods
Events: Promote when your audience is most active

Geographic Analytics

Geographic Reach

What it measures: Where in the world your Qlink scans are happening, from country level down to city detail.

Data Hierarchy:

Country: Broad geographic distribution
Region/State: Regional performance within countries
City: Local market penetration
Coordinates: Precise location data (when available)

Accuracy Levels:

Country: 95%+ accuracy
Region: 85-90% accuracy
City: 70-80% accuracy
Precise location: 50-60% accuracy

Limitations:

VPN usage: May show VPN server location instead of actual location
Corporate networks: May show company headquarters
Mobile networks: May show network provider location

Growth Opportunity: Geographic data reveals untapped markets - use this to expand your reach strategically!

Strategic Use:

Market expansion: Identify new geographic opportunities
Local campaigns: Focus marketing in high-performing areas
Inventory decisions: Stock products based on regional demand
Language targeting: Localize content for top regions

Device & Technology Metrics

Device Usage

What it measures: The types of devices people use to scan your Qlinks and access your content.

Device Categories:

Mobile phones: iPhone, Samsung, etc.
Tablets: iPad, Android tablets
Desktop: When QR codes are scanned via webcam
Smart devices: TVs, kiosks, etc.

Detailed Breakdowns:

Specific models: iPhone 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24, etc.
Screen sizes: Optimize content for most common sizes
Camera quality: Understanding scan capability limitations

Business Impact:

Mobile-first design: Ensure excellent mobile experience
Cross-device consistency: Test on popular devices
Technical optimization: Optimize for most common devices

Operating Systems

What it measures: The software platforms your audience uses (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.).

Key Categories:

iOS: iPhone and iPad users
Android: All Android device variants
Other mobile: Windows Phone, etc.
Desktop OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Version Tracking:

Current versions: Latest iOS/Android adoption
Legacy support: How many users on older versions
Update patterns: How quickly your audience adopts updates

Optimization Uses:

Feature compatibility: Ensure functionality across platforms
Design consistency: Test appearance on different systems
Progressive enhancement: Provide fallbacks for older versions

Traffic Source Analytics

Sources

What it measures: How people discovered and reached your Qlink - the path they took to scan your QR code.

Source Categories:

Direct Scans:

Physical QR codes: Printed materials, signage, packaging
Digital displays: Screens, websites, social media
Word of mouth: Shared links without tracking

Referral Traffic:

Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn
Websites: Blog posts, partner sites, directories
Email campaigns: Newsletter links, promotional emails
Search engines: Google, Bing (when trackable)

Campaign Sources:

UTM parameters: Detailed campaign tracking
Custom short links: Branded link campaigns
QR code campaigns: Multi-channel QR code deployments

Advanced Tracking:

Cross-platform attribution: Following users across touchpoints
Conversion path analysis: Multiple interaction tracking
Assisted conversions: Non-final-click contributions

Audience Analytics

Languages

What it measures: The preferred languages of your audience based on browser settings and device configuration.

Data Sources:

Browser language: User’s preferred browser language
Device language: Operating system language setting
Geographic correlation: Language expectations by region
Content interaction: How users interact with different languages

Language Detection:

Primary language: Most common browser setting
Secondary languages: Additional languages user understands
Regional variants: English (US) vs English (UK), etc.

Business Applications:

Content localization: Translate for top language groups
Market entry: Identify new language markets
Customer service: Prepare support in relevant languages
Cultural adaptation: Adapt content for cultural preferences

Advanced Performance Indicators

Conversion Tracking

What it measures: Actions taken after scanning your Qlink, beyond just the initial scan.

Trackable Conversions:

Page views: How many pages people visit
Time on site: Engagement duration
Goal completions: Specific actions like form submissions
E-commerce: Purchases, cart additions, checkout starts
Downloads: PDF downloads, app installs

Conversion Funnel:

QR Code Scan: Initial engagement
Landing Page Visit: Successful redirect
Content Engagement: Reading, scrolling, interacting
Goal Action: Desired user behavior
Secondary Actions: Follow-up behaviors

Performance Benchmarks

What it measures: How your Qlinks perform compared to industry standards and your own historical data.

Benchmark Categories:

Industry Comparisons:

Restaurant QR codes: 15-25% scan-to-action rate
Retail promotions: 8-15% scan-to-purchase rate
Event registration: 25-40% scan-to-signup rate
Real estate: 10-20% scan-to-inquiry rate

Historical Performance:

Month-over-month: Short-term trend analysis
Year-over-year: Long-term growth patterns
Campaign comparisons: A/B testing results
Seasonal adjustments: Accounting for natural fluctuations

Metric Relationships & Insights

Understanding Metric Connections

Quick Wins: These metric combinations tell you exactly where to focus your optimization efforts!

Scan Rate vs Conversion Rate:

High scans, low conversions: Improve landing page or offer
Low scans, high conversions: Increase QR code visibility
Both declining: Complete campaign refresh needed
Both growing: Successful campaign optimization

Geographic vs Device Patterns:

Regional device preferences: iOS dominance in certain areas
Economic indicators: Device types indicating market segments
Connectivity implications: Network speeds affecting experience

Time vs Source Correlations:

Social media peaks: When platforms are most active
Search traffic patterns: SEO and SEM effectiveness timing
Email campaign results: Optimal sending times

Actionable Insights Framework

Data-Driven Decision Making

Weekly Metric Review:

Performance trends: Are key metrics improving?
Anomaly investigation: What caused unusual patterns?
Opportunity identification: Where can we optimize?
Competitive analysis: How do we compare to benchmarks?

Monthly Strategic Analysis:

Goal alignment: Are metrics supporting business objectives?
Audience evolution: How is our audience changing?
Channel effectiveness: Which sources drive best results?
ROI calculation: Cost per acquisition and lifetime value

Quarterly Deep Dive:

Seasonal adjustments: Planning for upcoming seasons
Technology trends: Adapting to device/platform changes
Market expansion: Geographic and demographic opportunities
Product optimization: Content and experience improvements

Common Questions & Troubleshooting

Data Accuracy Questions

“Why don’t my analytics match my expectations?”

Data processing delay: Analytics update within 5 minutes
Time zone differences: Check your dashboard timezone settings
Filter settings: Verify date ranges and data filters
Bot filtering: We exclude non-human traffic

“Some scans aren’t showing geographic data”

VPN usage: Geographic masking affects location accuracy
Privacy settings: Some users block location data
Network routing: Corporate networks may obscure location
Technical limitations: Some scanning methods don’t provide location

Optimization Recommendations

For Low Engagement:

Review QR code placement: Is it visible and scannable?
Check destination content: Is it valuable and relevant?
Verify technical functionality: Test scanning on multiple devices
Analyze timing: Are you reaching people at the right time?

For High Engagement but Low Conversions:

Landing page optimization: Improve user experience
Call-to-action clarity: Make next steps obvious
Mobile optimization: Ensure excellent mobile experience
Loading speed: Optimize for fast load times

Don’t just understand - OPTIMIZE! Now that you know what each metric means, put this knowledge to work with our Performance Tracking Guide to transform your data into real business results!

These metrics are your roadmap to QR code success. Regular monitoring and analysis will help you optimize campaigns, understand your audience, and achieve better business results.