What are deep links? You may wonder, but with the help of Unboxfame, decode the know-how of deep linking and its integration with apps and websites. As mobile-first is becoming more and more popular, having a smooth path from the website to the application is important. Deep links play an important part in this chain. What is deep linking? How would it affect user experience and marketing?
What Is Deep Linking?
Deep links comprise unique addresses that would send the user directly to specific content within the mobile app, bypassing the homepage. Going against the grain of pointing to an app’s landing screen, a deep link would point to a product page, a blog post, or any other place in the app, thereby easing the site navigation flow for the user and increasing user engagement.
When the user clicks on the product ad via Google, or any web social media, in the right configuration, deep linking will just take them down to that product’s page if the app were installed.
Two important types of mobile deep linking are:
• Universal Link for iOS.
• App Link for Android.
They are both supported by Google Search, for good reason: because these links present a means of bridging your mobile presence and your web presence.
Benefits of Deep Linking
1. Improved User Experience
Deep linking allows users to bypass many steps so they can see the content they desire. With a deep link, users save precious time and lessen the friction, paying off with a higher conversion rate.
2. Smarter Marketing Campaigns
When your organization publishes a deep link inside emails, social posts, or even paid advertisements, the user gets taken to their relevant content. A single deep link should work in every case-whether they access it on mobile or on desktop.
3. Visibility and Attribution
Deep linking allows you to track behaviour inside your app accurately. If marketers use deep linking attribution to measure in-app conversion, they will be able to attribute these conversions to particular campaigns or pages, or actions taken-allowing them to build up data-driven initiatives.
4. SEO
Adding deep links will not change how your website is presented on Google Search, but will boost usability. If your app page is like your web page content, users searching via Google’s browser could be sent straight to that app page-rather engaging.
How to Implement Deep Links
The deep linking setup required a few configurations depending on the platform.
Android: This is done using App Links. You will need to add your website details to your app manifest and verify ownership.
iOS: Universal Links are run. Now you will create an apple-app-site-association file and upload it to your domain.
Google also provides:
• A Play Developer Console to monitor and work on deep link performance.
• An App Links Assistant in Android Studio to help troubleshoot misconfigured links.
• Apple also has its tools to debug and validate Universal Links.
Conclusion
Deep linking is more than a technical process- it is the integral link among your digital touchpoints. Whether you are focused on engagement, user growth, campaign ROI, or seamless experience across platforms, deep links will help you achieve your goals. Still not sure how to implement and improve deep links for your brand? Reach out to Unboxfame’s digital strategists to build a smarter mobile strategy.