- Do make sure your Shomi Link is large enough. From our own testing Shomi Links will scan down to font size 8 under ideal conditions but we recommend font size 10 and above. It is always best to test your Shomi Links as print quality, lighting and the device can all effect how well the Links scan. You can even try your Shomi Links in different colors as long as the contrast is high enough, once again test.
- Do have simple direction on how to scan the Shomi Link. We have deliberately designed our Shomi Links to look a little like a QR code so the end user education is reduced. However, you should always tell readers what to do scan the Link. You can try something like “Scan the Shomi Link with the Shomi app"
- Do offer some kind of incentive for people to scan the Shomi Link. This could be some relevant in a convenient format, some type of reward or a better way to connect.
- Do add Shomi Links to your printed materials. School worksheets, business cards, brochures, print advertisements, etc. Make print interactive and start reaching the growing mobile audience.
- Do use Shomi Links to track the effectiveness of your printed materials. Just like using Google Analytics to track website traffic you can use Shomi Links to track physical things. With Shomi you can see how people interact with your physical products in real-time.
- Do use Shomi Links to reduce your printing costs. Shomi Links can be used to reduce printing costs by digitally linking supplementary content. This could be help sections, detailed instructions or language translations.
- Do use Shomi to create mobile content. The Shomi platform has the ability to create your own mobile content to link to. Under the Create a new link tab you will find the Mobile Page builder where you can create you own mobile content for when content does not already exist.
- Don't put a Shomi Link in places with no Wi-Fi or poor data access. At worst no one can scan the code at best it will be slow and the user will probably not wait.
- Don't put a Shomi Link out of reach of the users mobile phone. If the user has to make an effort, look silly or just can't physically manage to scan the code then they won't. If the code will appear in a magazine or mailshot then consider where on the physical page it will be, codes near the fold are always harder to scan.
- Don't have the Shomi Link go to a page that is not optimized for mobile. Shomi Links are scanned by people using mobile devices, so your landing page needs to be optimized for mobile, otherwise users will drop out quickly. If you do not have a mobile friendly page to link to use our Mobile Page Builder to create mobile friendly content.
- Don't use a Shomi Link with out a clear call to action. Simply putting a link on and hoping people scan it will not work. Give them a clear reason to scan it like relevant content, an offer or reward as some examples.
- Don't make your Shomi Links too small or poor print quality. Always test your physical links to make sure they scan and display the correct content. If your links do not go to the correct content, you can always go back and change them from your Dashboard.
- Don't group your Shomi Link too close together. Grouping your Shomi Links too close together can make it hard for the end-user to scan the correct Link.