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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 to 8 characters) and to the point to reduce risk of user error and increase likelihood of usage.
  • 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

Please review the Vanity URL guidelines above before requesting for URLs and QR codes.

For short URLs pointing to ()

• For new short URLs and QR codes or to request a QR code for an existing  short URL, please submit a request at 
• To request Destination URL updates to existing short URLs:
  • ER Communications + Marketing Partners: 
  • All Other Web Users: 

For short URLs pointing to ()

• For new short URLs and QR codes or to request a QR code for an existing  short URL, please submit a request at .
• To request Destination URL updates to existing short URLs:
  • ER Communications + Marketing Partners: 
  • All Other Web Users: 

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.