I made a physical NFC keychain for my website! + instructions

So recently I've learned how to program NFC tags, initially because I wanted to make custom Amiibo for Animal Crossing on my Switch, but I don't like how difficult it can be to find certain figures. But as a test, I wanted to start off with something simple, so I made one tag with a simple link to my website. It worked! And then I decorated it with a cute little figurine, and put it on a keychain:

Now anytime someone asks me about my site, I just touch the keychain to their phone, and off they go! It's a very simple thing, but it connects the physical and the digital in a unique and personal way, and I can't wait to use it!

If you'd like to do the same, it's super simple provided you have a phone with an NFC touchpoint (most smart phones these days).

You'll need:
A phone with NFC capability
NFC tags or stickers. I used these, because I needed a specific kind to work with the Switch. If you're just doing your website, though, almost all of them should be fine. If you'd like an even smaller form factor, they're available in sticker form.

Amazon link
Thin craft foam
Cardstock or paper
Anything you'd like to decorate or draw with: stickers, markers, or maybe a cool image printed from your computer or phone!
Packing tape or contact paper
Hole punch
Key ring
PVA glue

Instructions - the technical part

Download an NFC app. There are several, but I'm on Android, so I used one called NFC Tools by Wakdev, and it worked fine.

Grab your NFC token. Open the app, and scan the token so that it recognizes the tag. Then go to the "Write" tab and choose "Add a record." You're going to want to add a URL, so choose that option and then type in your site's URL.

At the top, underneath the "Add a record" and "More options..." buttons, choose the "Write" option, and hold your NFC tag to the touch point on your phone. URLs are pretty small, so it shouldn't take but a few seconds.

Your NFC tag should be done! You can test it by exiting out of the app and tapping it to your phone.

--------------

Instructions -- the crafty part

Now that you've got the tag, it's time to decorate! Take it to a piece of paper and trace around the tag. Whatever you decorate it with will need to at least be this large, so get creative! I drew a little Game boy character and colored it with alcohol ink markers.

Once you're done, cut out your drawing/sticker/print/whatever. Now take your craft foam, and cut the foam to match your paper. In the middle of the foam, or wherever else you'd like, place the NFC down and trace around it. Cut out the NFC outline from the foam.

Next, you're going to sandwich the tag between two pieces of paper and the foam, so I did this by gluing the foam and my paper together. Then I glued the NFC tag into the circle I just cut out, adhering it to the back of my paper. Once that's dry, glue on some backing paper to keep the tag from falling out.

Finally, for protection, cover the entire thing (once dry of course) with packing tape or contact paper. Poke a hole in it somewhere (don't poke the tag!), and thread your key ring through. I reinforced mine with an eyelet, but you don't have to do that part if you don't have one.

The result is pretty strong, and I think it should last a while, provided you don't treat it too terribly. NFC tags can reach through several layers of paper, so the extra tape and everything should have no affect on its communication abilities, but you can test it just to be sure.

------------------------------

Now get out there and share your site! Also, if you make one, be sure to show it off here! You can get creative with this one if you'd like to use other methods too. Stick the tag into a plushie! Put it on a rubber stamp block! I have read that NFC tags do not survive heat, so maybe don't put it into a polymer clay sculpture, but you could always make one and glue it on afterwards![/list]

Note: I've also archived this under the tutorials section of my website, and you can find it there too, in case anything happens to this topic. Archived instructions