[Editors] QR codes

Fri Mar 28 12:13:08 EDT 2014

Sorry to revise this old thread of emails, but I have a few questions about the mitsha.re shortener after using it for a few days. Other than adding + to the end of the URL is there any other way we can see stats or a collection of all the links we have shortened with it like Bitly provides? Is there a Bitmarklet to use with the shortener as well?

Thanks,
Nicole

From: editors-bounces at MIT.EDU [mailto:editors-bounces at MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Julie Pryor
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 8:32 PM
To: gagne at med.mit.edu
Cc: editors Editors
Subject: Re: [Editors] QR codes

Thanks everyone for your very helpful feedback!

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 25, 2014, at 8:28 PM, "Ken Gagne" <gagne at med.mit.edu<mailto:gagne at med.mit.edu>> wrote:
Awesome - thanks, Stephanie!

If one is going to use QR codes, here's one option for doing so: to reiterate a link Elizabeth sent last month, this site will try to make a QR code from an image you upload:

http://research.swtch.com/qr/draw

-Ken

________________________________
From: editors-bounces at mit.edu<mailto:editors-bounces at mit.edu> [editors-bounces at mit.edu<mailto:editors-bounces at mit.edu>] on behalf of Stephanie Hatch Leishman [hatch_s at mit.edu<mailto:hatch_s at mit.edu>]
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 5:43 PM
To: editors Editors
Subject: Re: [Editors] QR codes
Hi there,

I missed all the action while in meetings! I love the links going around. Hilarious.

Here's the deal. QR codes have become more obsolete in the past few years, mostly because, as Tom Pixton pointed out, marketers used them badly.

However. You have to remember that your audience is unique and you can't go on global stats to define what you should do. Your audience isn't necessarily the global average.

Test it. Put QR codes on your posters, shorten the link first and QR that link, and then track how many people actually clicked on them. If it's next to null, you have your answer. If you got actually a lot, hey, cool.

I echo what has been said about content: if you offer that scanning the QR code will bring them directly to the register page on their phone, great. If you say it will open up a coupon, even better. But if it's just a QR code floating on a poster with no clear purpose other than to be "cool," I say dump it.

QR code success story: a friend of mine put QR codes on his event programs for teachers who should have brought a document to the event, but probably forgot. He provided a QR code in the program that opened the webpage version of the document on their phones. 30% of the attendees scanned it, according to the analytics.

If you've used the mitsha.re shortener and would like analytics on your link, it's easy. Paste the shortened URL in your browser, add a "+" to the end, and press return.

Best,

Stephanie
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On Mar 25, 2014, at 4:16 PM, Andrew Whitacre <awhit at MIT.EDU<mailto:awhit at MIT.EDU>> wrote:

And a pitch I guess for MIT's own shortener: http://connect.mit.edu/shortener/. Stephanie H.L., if you're on this thread, could you let us know if http://mitsha.re<http://mitsha.re/> shortlinks provide any stats, etc.?

Andrew Whitacre
Communications Director
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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On Mar 25, 2014, at 4:09 PM, Scott R Murray wrote:

Nice one, Andrew!

I agree with Tom's Forbes quote. Even in situations where a QR code is an option, I tend to prefer a custom shortened link.

For example, my dept (GECD) is moving from Building 12 to E39. For the posters we've made to inform the campus, I have the following link:

bit.ly/gecdmove<http://bit.ly/gecdmove>

Probably just as easy to type that than scan a QR code, plus it's easy to remember if you're on the go but want to look it up later.
--
Scott R. Murray
Social Media Specialist / Career & Global Ed Advisor
<image017.jpg><https://gecd.mit.edu/>
Global Education & Career Development (GECD)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
617.324.7350
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From: editors-bounces at MIT.EDU<mailto:editors-bounces at MIT.EDU> [mailto:editors-bounces at MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Andrew Whitacre
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2014 3:54 PM
To: Julie Pryor
Cc: editors
Subject: Re: [Editors] QR codes

Hehehe: http://shouldiuseaqrcode.com/

On Mar 25, 2014, at 3:50 PM, Julie Pryor wrote:

Dear fellow editors,

I'm curious to know how many of you use QR codes in poster advertisements for your events. Everything I've read/heard seems to suggest that QR codes aren't really effective. But, I see them on many posters throughout campus so perhaps they're more effective than I originally thought?

I welcome any feedback, thanks!

Julie

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