This article introduces the mobile deep linking technology and Mogua’s solution to it.
What is deep linking
Mobile app deep linking is a technology that launches an app and opens a specific page when a user clicks a URL on a web page.
Deferred — app not installed Deferred deep links can route users to specific content through an install. The link will first redirect to the App Store or Play Store, and once the app is downloaded and opened, the user will be taken to the content they expect.
Direct — app already installed Traditional deep links route users to app content as long as the app is already installed when the link is opened.
Why is deep linking important for the success of mobile apps?
Deep linking for measuring marketing channels
By tracking the sessions of the web and app pages with deep linking, the app operators can track and measure the user’s source and engagements. Some common use cases of deep linking are:
- Referrals Make your app shareable by letting users invite their friends and family.
- WEB-TO-APP Acquire more app users from the web with seamless experiences that bridge the gap between platforms with the leading web-to-app measurement solution.
- Social Media Engage your social media following and drive organic growth with contextual experiences provided by powerful deep links.
- Paid Campaigns Report on the impact of every link while giving your users the ideal ad experience, with powerful links that send users to the right place.
- EMails Increase email-to-app conversion with powerful links that provide users contextual experiences.
- SMS & PUSH Re-engage users with timely offers or cross-promote your apps with short links delivered via SMS and Push Notifications.
Deep linking for delivering seamless mobile user experience
The real reason mobile app deep linking is considered so important and employed by every single successful app out there is because of the impact it makes on the user experience. No matter what your ultimate goal is, no developer wants to achieve it at the expense of the user experience.
Here are 3 ways app deep links impact the user experience:
Personalizes app navigation
Deep linking enhances user experience by providing personalized app navigation. It enables direct access to specific app features, reducing manual navigation and saving time.Uninterrupted transitions
Deep linking provides a smooth transition between apps and websites, improving user experience. Universal deep links allow users to switch between web and app experiences. If they click a deep link for an app they don’t have, they’re redirected to the relevant web page.
- Simplifies the process
Deep linking facilitates the faster accomplishment of user goals within an app. By directing users to specific screens or features, deep links streamline the user journey and reduce the number of steps required to accomplish tasks. This helps users achieve their goals more efficiently, saving time and enhancing the overall user experience.
How do deep links and deferred deep links work?
With deferred deep links, if a user clicks on a deep link and does not have the app installed, not only is the user directed to an app store, but the deep link parameters (i.e. what page or customized experience to show to the user) are kept intact. If the user later installs the app from the app store and opens it, the app accesses the deep link parameters and provides the user with a relevant experience.
Below it’s an introduction to Mogua SDK which offers a comprehensive cross-platform solution for implementing Direct Deep Linking and Deferred Deep Linking, along with detailed data analytics capabilities.
How MoguaSDK Works?
Collect Parameters on website: Parameters can be included in URL query strings, which the MoguaSDK-Web automatically recognizes and uploads to the Mogua server. Manual parameter upload is also supported.
Direct Deep Linking: MoguaSDK-Web checks if the user has the app installed. If installed, it generates a URL with specific scheme, or an Universal Link, to open the app with the passed parameters.
Deferred Deep Linking: If the app is not installed, the MoguaSDK-Web records the user’s device and directs them to download and install the app. Upon the first app launch, the MoguaSDK-App matches the device with the record on the server, retrieves the uploaded parameters, and completes the deferred deep linking process seamlessly without additional user actions.
You can refer to Documents for more details.
Technical method of Mogua’s deep linking SDK
Mogua’s developed a matching algorithm to identify the users who open the link with the users who use the app. Some of the methods we use:
Clipboard Scheme: The web page automatically calls the clipboard to copy the current user’s channel ID, for example: #c8283923#, when the download button is clicked. The APP calls the clipboard content every time it is launched, if the content format matches, then it is considered that this user and the web user are the same;
Universal links (supported after iOS 9.2): When the App is launched, the SDK retrieves the ID from Safari. If it is retrieved, it is considered the same user.
Device Fingerprint Fuzzy Matching: The network, IP, operating system, resolution, language and other information opened by the browser and the information obtained by the App are fuzzily matched. If these info match within a certain period of time, they are considered the same user.
If you are looking for a deep linking solution, feel free to try the demo on Mogua website.
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