Introduction
Deep linking refers to sending mobile users directly to specific pages within a mobile app, rather than a website, when they click on ads or links.
Deep links allow targeting users into customized journeys directly within an app. They can be leveraged across Google Ads campaigns like App, Search, Shopping, and Display to enhance user experiences and drive stronger outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Deep linking allows directing users immediately to relevant in-app content rather than generic app home pages, providing a more seamless experience. This can increase conversions within apps.
- Implementing deep links requires developers to enable technologies like App Links for Android and Universal Links for iOS, and add a digital asset links file to redirect browsers to apps.
- Google Ads’ Web to App Connect simplifies deep link setup and in-app conversion tracking across campaigns, with research showing it can double conversion rates over mobile websites alone.
- The main deep linking methodologies supported are App Links, Universal Links, and custom URI schemes, with the former two preferred for their seamless user experiences keeping web and app experiences connected.
- To maximize benefits, deep links should only point to pages truly relevant to what users clicked, have descriptive text, and properly track analytics events. Redirects should generally be avoided for simpler user flows.
Benefits of Deep Linking
Deep linking provides several key benefits for user experience and business results. It offers greater security by preventing other apps from using established app links.
Deep links also allow directing users immediately to relevant in-app content related to what they clicked on, rather than a generic app home page.
Perhaps most importantly, deep linking creates a seamless transition between online and offline experiences. By bypassing separate website logins or redirections, it delivers a frictionless user journey.
Research shows this continuous engagement improves conversions by up to 2x through higher completion of intended tasks within apps. The more positive these experiences, the more loyal and valuable customers tend to become long-term.
Developer Implementation Requirements
While powerful for optimized mobile marketing, deep links are not automatically set up. Developers must configure specific tools for iOS and Android environments.
For Android, they enable App Links to maintain existing website URLs and pass contextual data. With iOS, Universal Links provide the same seamless functionality.
Additionally, adding a digital asset links (DAL) JSON file to website hosting allows browsers to recognize and redirect users to corresponding apps instead of separate mobile websites.
Although impacting backend infrastructure, these standardized solutions streamline cross-platform experiences for users.
Web to App Connect Setup
Google Ads’ Web to App Connect tool simplifies connecting traffic to native app conversions. Its three-step interface within ads accounts handles deep link setup and in-app event tracking.
First, campaigns are linked to specific app upload and conversion events. Next, deep linking gets configured on both backend website JSON files and app environments.
Following this, Web to App Connect analyzes results and provides customized recommendations.
Research from Google indicates this approach increases average conversion rates by 100% over standalone mobile websites.
The synced tracking also supplies granular data to continually optimize user acquisition strategies.
Deep Linking Types
Google Ads supports three deep linking methodologies for different needs.
App Links uses plain HTTP URLs and is compatible with Search, Display, Shopping, and App-focused campaigns on Android. Universal Links functions similarly for iOS compatibility.
Alternatively, custom URI schemes allow bespoke app linking but lack browser support if apps aren’t installed.
While each serves purposes, best practices advise App Links/Universal Links for their seamless user experience keeping web and app experiences consistently connected.
Best Practices for Implementation
To ensure deep linking strengthens business goals, certain guidelines should be followed. Deep links should only point to relevant internal app content directly answering user intents from ads.
Descriptive anchor text helps search engines and people understand destination value.
Analytics events must also be accurately set up to measure post-click conversions and ROI. Redirects or intermediate domains should generally be avoided, as they complicate user flow.
As with all practices, data and experiences must stay front-of-mind to continuously refine approaches.
Potential Impact
When done strategically according to user needs, deep linking can increase targeted traffic while driving higher-quality conversions. By tailoring landing pages to match search contexts, relevance and fulfillment improve.
Deeper engagement also develops as frictionless transitions keep people within preferred experiences.
Over time, these optimized journeys strengthen customer relationships and lifetime value. Metrics like time spent in-app and repeat usage indicate when deep linking enhances core goals.
Its impact magnifies as natural experimentation refines the most effective uses of links for acquisition, re-engagement, or discovery.
Conclusion
In summary, deep linking streams mobile clicks directly into customized app flows matching user intents. When configured properly considering users, deep linking enhances interactions that boost experiences and business results.
It remains a best practice for optimizing the omni-channel journey between digital advertisements and offline app-based conversions.