So we're doing some tracking and I've setup some links to be tracked via bit.ly. I've also created some QR codes.
So, we scanned the codes using QR Reader, the #1 QR scanning app on the app store, and none of the hits were coming in through bitly. So we decided maybe it had to do with the fact that I made bit.ly links and then made QR codes from those, rather than using bit.ly's built in QR code creator (which we just found). Tried with the new codes, still nothing on bit.ly's site.
I downloaded a different scanner (QR Scanner) and it records everything as normal.
Does anyone have insight into this, done this before, know of a work around? I can't force my users to not use a particular QR scanner.
I mean, unless I'm crazy, when I hit a bit.ly link, their server goes and looks up what the URL is based on the code and redirects me. How the F! can that process happen without bit.ly recording the event?
bit.ly is not a reliable way to get usage statistics for a URL.
For best results, you should use the facilities provided by the web server itself.
Since you don't control bit.ly you can't control how they count hits.
I believe the QR Scanner program is performing a HEAD request instead of a GET request to validate the URL scanned. Since a HEAD will return re-direct information and is not (and should not be) counted in "hit" statistics you wouldn't see the hit on the bit.ly statistics.
While frustrating for your goals, this is one of the features that make QR Scanner better than other programs, you don't want to do a full GET when a HEAD will work.