Deep linking is one of the important features in the mobile application. Deep linking, in simplest terms, is the ability to link directly to content in your app.
Deep linking is important because it lets you send consumers to a specific page in your app. Deep linking can also trigger a specific feature in a mobile device such as the camera or the scanner.
Deep links can take users to in-app content directly from:*
Web link to app
Ad to app
Push notification to app
SMS to app
Email to app
Social media post to app
App to app
Search result listing to the app (using app indexing)
Once the mobile app is designed for deep linking, its structure has to be presented publicly as this allows for third parties to drive traffic to the app; these include social media, paid to advertise, and email platforms. This having been achieved, the mobile app developer is at liberty to send out the links which direct users of the app.
A straightforward solution for the universal link would be to blindly link to the app (if app installed) and to the store to download the app (if app not installed). If you do that and start sharing universal links, you might be successful for the first time and maybe the second time, but then, users will avoid clicking on your link.
How Does Deep Linking Work?
Deep linking has come a long way over the last few years. Initially, there were traditional deep links that worked only if the app is installed on the user’s smartphone, and show either an error or a fall-back page if the app wasn’t installed.
The more advanced deferred deep links redirect users to the specified content even if the app isn’t installed when the link is opened. The link first routes the user to the respective app store, encouraging app download. The user is then taken to the specific “deferred” content, immediately on a first-time app launch.
Taking mobile deep linking a step further, there are contextual deep links that, along with the functionality of deferred links, have the ability to store information about where a user wants to go, where the link was clicked, who originally shared the link, and other helpful user data.
Why is Deep Linking Important for Mobile Marketers?
In the highly competitive world of mobile apps, you need fast and efficient ways to lead your users from your personalized push notifications
to specific pages within your app, making it easier for them to:
– Reconsider completing a purchase, if there is an abandoned cart situation,
– Check out a new app feature, or
– Use the coupon code to exercise the deal that you might be promoting
5 Reasons Why Deep Linking is a Killer Idea
1. Email Marketing
2. Display Marketing
3. Search Engine Marketing
4. Mobile App Promotion through Mobile Website
5. Affiliate Marketing
Deep links provide app marketers and developers with a number of important advantages. They can help marketers optimize their app marketing campaigns, increase conversions, improve engagement, and build retention.
How can marketers get the best from deep linking?
Send a push notification to a new user with a deep link to a profile creation page — setting the stage for gathering interests and sending personalized communications down the road.
Link search queries to deep links to engage users who search on mobile browsers.
Retarget users who left items in their shopping carts by including deep links in an email drip campaign.
Reach their users by using deep links to capture referrals via incentives, such as giving users credit after referring a friend.
Contact: dhirendra@xoniertechnologies.com