What URL Should You Put in 10,000 Printed Manuals?
I came across a Reddit post that shows what can go wrong when printed QR codes rely on a free URL shortener. A business owner put QR codes on 3,000 product boxes. The shortener went away, and the codes stopped working. Now they're about to print 10,000 manuals and need a link they can update if their help docs move, without paying $50 a month.
I run T.LY, and my first suggestion is the same one several people gave in the thread: use a domain you own in the QR code. Something like help.yourcompany.com/manual is easy to recognize and easy to type if the code will not scan.
You can connect that domain to T.LY, point /manual to your current docs, and generate a QR code for it. If the docs move, edit the destination in T.LY. The manuals can stay as they are.
Why pay for that when free short links exist? We offer free links too, and they do not automatically expire. But if you print a link on a domain you do not own, you cannot take that exact URL with you if the service shuts down. With your own domain, you can change providers. You would still need to recreate the /manual redirect at the new provider, so keep an export of your links.
This does not need to cost $50 a month. T.LY's Hobby plan is currently $55 a year and includes a custom domain and QR codes. You will also need to renew your domain and keep your T.LY subscription active for account links to work.
Before sending 10,000 manuals to the printer, scan a printed proof with more than one phone. Make sure the link goes to the right page and that the domain looks right. I put together a longer pre-print QR checklist if you want to check the rest.
If you already manage redirects on your own website, you can use that instead. If you do not want to maintain the redirects yourself, T.LY can handle them. Either way, put your domain in the manual.
Related Posts
Tim Leland
Useful Tools
Ready to improve how you manage links?
T.LY URL Shortener makes long links look cleaner and easier to share! Add your own Custom Domains to personalize your brand. Create Smart Links to customize a URL's destination. Generate QR codes to promote your business.
Start your 5-day trial
Browser Extension
