qr., go. or scan.? How to choose the subdomain for your QR codes

If your QR codes run on your own domain, you need a subdomain: a name in front of the domain, such as qr.yourcompany.com. The name seems minor, but it ends up in every print. Changing it means reprinting.

Common options

• qr.: self-explanatory, everyone immediately understands what the address is for. The most common choice.
• go.: short and neutral, also fits links in presentations or newsletters.
• scan.: emphasises the action and looks friendly on posters.
• l. or s.: very short but hard for people to interpret. Mainly for saving space on small labels.
• A brand or product, such as menu.: only sensible if all codes fit it.

Criteria that matter

• Short: every letter makes the pattern a little denser and the printed address longer.
• Clear when read aloud: no letters that get confused, no numbers that could also be spelled out.
• Permanent: no year, no campaign, no person’s name in it.
• Free: the subdomain must not already be used for mail, a shop or an intranet.

One subdomain or several?

For most businesses one is enough. Several make sense when there really are separate presences, for example two restaurants under different names or an agency using its clients’ domains. How many domains an account can connect depends on the plan of the service.

Think about the path too

After the subdomain comes the path, such as /menu. Together they form the address people see. qr.yourcompany.com/menu reads well, qr.yourcompany.com/mn-2026-v2 less so. Lower case, hyphens instead of spaces, no special characters.

Checklist before you decide

• Read it aloud: would someone on the phone know straight away how it is spelled?
• Check it on your smallest print, such as a table stand.
• Ask your IT provider whether the subdomain is free.
• Decide who will manage the DNS records in future.

In Same-QR you set the subdomain once in the dashboard under “Own domain” and then select it when you create each code.

Frequently asked questions