Vanity URL and QR Code Usage Guidelines

What is a vanity URL?

• A custom short URL is meant to support offline to online marketing campaigns
  • Example: uab.ca/ggday to support Green and Gold Day
• Aligns with institutional branding
• Needs to be tracked - External Relations Digital puts tracking in place to help measure usage and interaction

Guidelines

• The vanity URL supports a Call-To-Action (CTA) and is not by itself the CTA
• Short (3 or 8 characters) and to the point to maximize the potential for it being used
  • It needs to be easy to use on a mobile device
  • It does not include a year reference (eg. uab.ca/xyz2021)
• Should not be so generic that others could request the same
  • examples: uab.ca/golf, uab.ca/course, uab.ca/tuition
• The destination page should be mobile and tablet friendly
• The destination page should be a campaign-specific page - not a site homepage

How to request a vanity URL

We're happy to help! Before submitting your request, please ensure that you have the following information ready:

1. Any particular vanity URLs you have in mind (3-8 characters in length is ideal)
2. The destination page's URL
   • Destination page is published (even if not complete)
3. How it will be used (Print, radio, word of mouth, etc.)

ADVICE FROM THE CISO ON THE USE OF QR CODES

QR codes have become a fairly common practice in our everyday lives and are now being used in our work. It’s important that we familiarize ourselves with their associated risks and vulnerabilities and learn how to protect ourselves when both using and creating them.

The Office of the Chief Information Security Officer has compiled tips on how to appropriately use them in your work including ways to mitigate risks and stay safe.