USA Today to Use Microsoft Tag to Link to Online Video, at USA Today via @ReelSEO

I thought this was pretty cool and it ties into online video, so why not. It’s a unique way to tie physical, hard-copy media into online content. USA Today, the newspaper is starting to use Microsoft Tags. They will feature at least one Tag in each print section daily. Readers can scan the Tag with their mobile device for direct access to videos and online content.

The Tags will provide readers with access to USA TODAY’s daily photo galleries and the latest financial news and sports scores, as well as other video and digital features.

“This initiative is part of our goal to bring together our digital and print platforms to provide our readers easier access to special features from the newspaper. We are proud to be one of the first U.S. newspapers to offer these daily to readers as well as to advertisers who can also take advantage of this new feature,” said Dave Hunke, president and publisher of USA TODAY.”

Microsoft Tag is a mobile 2D barcode that lets you seamlessly connect your offline materials to the digital world. This is simply brilliant. It means you can read the newspaper while on your commute, at the cafe or whatever and scan the tags and get further information and assets online. I’m eager to see how they will implement this and I wonder if it is going to lead to them including ads in that content. I’m also curious if it will simply be links to existing content or if it will be specially-made content.