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Once you create your auction and save it, it will generate a link you can share with your guests. Your Auction will be listed both on our website at https://events.handbid.com/auctions/ as well as in our mobile apps.
However, this link will not be visible to anyone until you put your auction in either Preview, PreSale, or Open status. Even if your auction is in Setup mode, you can still obtain your auction website URL to share with others. Simply go to your auction settings and head to the INFO tab. Click on the two squares next to the Auction URL and your website URL will copy to your clipboard. This is the URL that you can paste on your social media, emails, direct mail, or anywhere else!
IMPORTANT! The URL for your auction is created when you create your auction. You can change the name of your auction, but your URL will stay the same as the original URL.
GET A SHORT URL FOR YOUR AUCTION
Your Short URL will double as your Text-2-Give keyword. Learn more about this in our Text-2-Give article by clicking here.
If you feel like your auction URL is too long, you can generate your own short URL. When the short URL is opened on a mobile device Handbid will show a splash page to take the user either to the app store to download the Handbid app.
For example, if your auction was called "The Best Auction Ever," your URL for your event would be: https://events.handbid.com/auctions/the-best-auction-ever/
However, if you wanted a shorter version, we could create a short code (e.g. "bestever") and that URL would be: http://handbid.app.link/bestever
You can enter your short URL and request it under "Info" in the auction settings.
The Keyword cannot be more than 12 characters! So keep it short and sweet!
Your Short URL is not case-sensitive.
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Once the URL is accepted, you can update your auction. When you go back into the auction, the request button will change to a COPY button to allow you to copy the URL to your clipboard and use it elsewhere.
You MUST click "Update" after requesting your short URL or the short URL will not be saved.
Sharing your auction via QR Code
You can use a QR code to share your auction URL anywhere — printed promotional materials, signage at your event, emails, social media, table tents, save-the-dates. The QR code is unique to your event, and you can now choose where in your event site it lands.
Find the QR code
You'll find the QR code in two places:
- The EVENT tab of your auction settings gear wheel
- The Theme toolbar
Choose your QR code destination
When you generate the QR code, you can use the destination dropdown to point it at one of five locations in your event site:
| Destination | Where It Takes Guests | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Intro Page | A guided walkthrough that helps new bidders create an account, add a card, and download the Handbid app | First-time bidder onboarding — save-the-dates, new-donor emails, anything where the guest hasn't bid with Handbid before |
| Overview | Your event overview page | General event promotion where you want guests to see the whole event at a glance |
| Items | Directly to the item browse view | Sneak-peek emails, item preview promotions, signage that drives guests to start bidding |
| Tickets | Your ticket purchase pages | Pre-event promotion focused on driving ticket sales |
| Donations | Your donations page | "Scan to donate" signage, paddle raise moments, fundraising appeals between events |
Match the destination to the moment. A QR code on a save-the-date for new donors should go to Intro Page (gets them set up with an account before they need it). A QR code on a "Donate Now" table tent should go to Donations (frictionless give). When guests already know your event and just need the homepage, Overview is the right pick.
If the user has the app downloaded, the QR code will direct the user to the event in the app. If the QR code is not downloaded, the user will be directed to the event site on the web browser (chrome, safari, etc).
Please note. In order for your Theme Editor options to appear, you must first publish your Theme changes. Go to Theme, click the "rocket ship" icon and toggle the button "on" to publish your site.