Big events are all about making memories and connecting with others. Whether you’ve attended a wedding, birthday, or even a corporate event, it’s always fun to look back at photos and relive the fun times you’ve had.
After hosting an event, you need an easy way to share photos with your guests. However, many current photo-sharing practices come with extra hassle. Sending photo links via email or tagging guests on social media can get confusing and make it difficult to find the photos you’re looking for.
Instead of using these time-consuming methods, consider using event QR Codes to share your photos. They’re a modern, user-friendly solution that allows your guests to share photos in real time on the big day. Here’s how to implement QR Codes for photo sharing at your next event.
Benefits of using QR Codes for event photo sharing
Taking and sharing photos is an important part of every event. Here’s what makes photo sharing with QR Codes such a powerful tool.
Convenience for guests
It can be frustrating for guests to take pictures at an event, only to later realize that those pictures aren’t easily accessible. QR Codes are convenient for guests because it takes just a few seconds to scan and start sharing photos. There’s no need to download a new app or search through social media trying to find the right hashtag.
Most people are already familiar with QR Code basics, which helps prevent confusion. To use a QR Code, all guests need to do is hover over the image with a smartphone camera. A link will pop up on the screen, taking them to a site where they can view and share photos.
Increased guest engagement
Using QR Codes is also a fun way to get your guests engaged during the event. Instead of relying entirely on professional photographers to capture the moment, it encourages all guests to take and share candids throughout the event. For example, eighty percent of B2B conference organizers say that in-person events are their most impactful marketing channel, and photo sharing is a great way to engage and savor the memories from these exciting events.
QR Codes also facilitate live photo sharing so guests can view and share photos in real time. This means they don’t need to wait until after the event to post on social media, which is particularly helpful when hosting business events, as this increased social media engagement can boost brand awareness.
Better photo management
Using QR Codes makes it easy for event planners and hosts to keep photos organized. Guests can upload photos to a centralized digital album, which helps keep everything in one place.
This is a huge time saver since there’s no longer a need for hosts to reach out to each guest individually to collect photos. For example, the average wedding size in the U.S. is 115 guests, so individually collecting all those photos could be extremely time-consuming. Using digital photo-sharing tools speeds up the process while ensuring you don’t miss out on any memorable photos.
Examples of event photo-sharing apps to use with a QR Code
Several photo-sharing apps work well for events and large groups. Each has its own unique features and benefits, so you’ll need to assess them individually to decide what makes the most sense for your event. Some of the top photo-sharing apps include:
- Google Photos: Google Photos is an excellent choice for event photo sharing because many people are already familiar with the Google ecosystem. You can create shared albums easily and invite your guests to join and post their photos. Google offers secure, mobile-friendly photo storage, helping protect your privacy and data with multilayer security features like HTTPS and encryption at rest.
- SmugMug: While SmugMug is popular among professional photographers, it’s also a reliable option for event photo sharing. To protect your privacy, you can create password-protected photo galleries for attendees and customize them with a sleek, professional look. SmugMug offers right-click protections and allows you to watermark photos to prevent theft or misuse of your photos.
- Zenfolio: Zenfolio is very similar to SmugMug in that it offers secure photo galleries and is geared toward professional photographers. You can create custom gallery pages with a theme that matches your event. However, there’s no option for guests to upload their photos. Event planners can use Zenfolio sites to gather pictures from event photographers and share them with guests using a password-protected gallery link. Zenfolio galleries also provide watermarking and cloud backup services.
Can guests upload to a shared album via a QR Code at an event?
Yes, guests can upload their photos to a shared photo gallery or digital guestbook during an event with QR Codes! However, the exact process will vary depending on the specific photo-sharing platform you use.
The process usually looks something like this: Guests scan your QR Code at the event, which takes them to the designated URL for your photo-sharing platform. This is typically a secure landing page or app page where guests can upload photos and videos directly from their phones to the event page.
Ultimately, your experience with uploading to a shared album with QR Codes will differ based on your chosen platform’s capabilities. We recommend keeping your QR Code design easily scannable to make this process simple. Remember the following QR Code best practices:
- Use a square shape. The ideal size for a QR Code for scannability is 2 x 2 cm (0.8 x 0.8 in).
- Use a dark-colored foreground and a light-colored background to create a color contrast, making the code easier to scan.
- Add a clear and brief call to action (CTA) to tell people what will happen if they scan the code, such as “Scan to Share Event Photos.”
How to create a QR Code to share photos with Bitly
With Bitly, you can create custom QR Codes so guests can easily share the best moments from your event. Here’s how it works and how to create a QR Code.
1. Sign up or log in to the Bitly Connections Platform
First, sign up for Bitly or log in with your existing Bitly account. Bitly offers free plans, so it’s easy to get started. If you need to create unique QR Codes more frequently, you can also opt for one of Bitly’s paid pricing options to create more QR Codes each month.
2. Create a QR Code using the URL of your event’s photo album
Once you’ve signed up, choose a digital photo-sharing platform and create an account. Locate the URL for your event’s online photo album and keep it readily available.
Then, go back to your Bitly account, select “Create New”, and select “QR Code Generator”.. Copy and paste the address for your photo album into the URL field to generate a QR Code for your photo album.
3. Customize the QR Code design for the event
Once you’ve generated your QR Code, you can customize it to match your event’s aesthetic. Bitly offers several customization options, including changing the pattern, shapes, and colors of the QR Code.
You can also add your logo or another graphic in the center of the QR Code and even add a fun CTA (think: “Scan to Share Your Photos!”). By customizing your QR Code, you’ll ensure that it matches your brand and your decor for the event.
4. Download and share the QR Code
After finalizing the design of your QR Code, it’s time to download, print, and share it. Make sure to download the QR Code in a high-resolution format like SVG or PNG. This ensures that the image is sharp and clear and helps prevent any scanning issues.
There are many ways to share your QR Code before and during the event. If you’re sending out physical invitations, you can include the QR Code on them so attendees know how to share the images. You can also place the QR Codes on signage throughout the event.
Every QR Code created with Bitly has a short link. You can use this short link to share your photo album in other formats, like text messages. You can use this shortened URL to share the photos on social media, on your website, or via SMS message.
5. Test the QR Code before printing and sharing
Before sharing the QR Code with attendees, don’t forget to test it and confirm that it’s working properly. It should scan seamlessly on many different types of devices, including both iOS and Android. You should also make sure the QR Code leads to the correct digital location.
Best practices for using QR Codes to share guest photos
When using QR Codes to share photos at an event, you’ll want to ensure they’re as accessible and appealing as possible for guests. Here are some best practices for using QR Codes for photo sharing.
Encourage participation
Clear messaging and communication will encourage everyone to use the QR Codes placed throughout your event. This starts with your pre-event messaging about what to expect. On your invitations, social media posts, or website, include a quick note about how to use QR Codes for photo sharing. This will encourage everyone to bring their smartphones for photo-sharing opportunities. Note that you can also use QR Code RSVPs on printed invitations as well!
Strategically placing the QR Codes throughout your event venue can also help boost participation. Place the QR Codes in high-traffic areas like the registration desk or on dining tables. Each QR Code should also come with CTA signage indicating what they’re for and how to use them.
Ensure the entire process is mobile-friendly for guests
Each QR Code should feature a clear CTA and instructions that specify how to use them. While many people already know how to use QR Codes, not everyone does. According to a 2021 study, 14% of Americans—and 20% of adults over 65—find QR Codes difficult to use. Adding instructions ensures that everyone is included in the photo sharing.
Additionally, you should opt for a digital photo-sharing platform that’s completely mobile-friendly since guests will be using their mobile devices during the event. If the platform isn’t properly optimized for mobile, it could be challenging for them to successfully upload their photos. To avoid any issues, test your QR Code and photo-sharing platform before the event starts to ensure that everything works seamlessly.
Make it fun (and themed)
QR Codes work well for sharing vacation, birthday, and wedding photos. If you’re using a QR Code for these personal events, add some themed touches to make it more fun and exciting.
QR Code designs are customizable, so you can add elements that match your theme. For example, you can adjust the colors of your QR Code to match your wedding colors. You can also add custom images to the center of your QR Code for more personality. Using engraved QR Codes is also a fun touch for a wedding or birthday party, as they make a cute memento after the event’s over.
Discover how Bitly QR Codes can make photo sharing easy
There’s nothing like the excitement of looking at photos after an event. For event planners, distributing photos to guests, employees, and any other relevant attendees doesn’t have to be a tedious manual process. Using secure online photo galleries paired with QR Codes can provide a safe, effective way for everyone to enjoy the photos after the event.
Using Bitly Codes, you can streamline the photo-sharing process for all the special moments from your event by allowing attendees to upload photos to shared online albums. Bitly makes it easy to create visually stunning, custom QR Codes that never expire.
Get started with Bitly today and simplify event photo sharing with short URLs and QR Codes!
