How to Use Deep Links to Boost eCommerce Sales

What Are Deep Links?

A deep link is a link that sends the user who clicked on it past the website's home page and directly to the content they expect to see. In the earlier days of the internet, this meant another page on the website displaying products or information. More recently, however, people are using deep links to direct users straight to a mobile application instead of the website.

• Mobile Deep Links

Mobile deep links allow marketers to achieve very specific actions in their adverts. Instead of having to visit a webpage and click through to get to the content, a deep link sends the user straight to the content they expect with no extra effort on their part. For example, if you enter the URL: "fb://", it can open the Facebook App. If you enter the URL: "fb://profile/pitchsm", however, it should open the Pitch Digital Agency Facebook Page on the Facebook mobile app.

• Deferred Deep Links

So far, a deep link URL sounds like an effective conversion tool that offers customers a seamless user experience. But it could become problematic if a user clicks on a deep link that leads them to an app that isn't installed on their device. When this occurs, deferred deep links can help.

A deferred deep link will redirect them to the App Store, where they can download the app they don't have on their device. What makes these links even more amazing is that the user can still be directed straight to the in-app location they should originally have visited after installing the app!

For example, users may have clicked on a deep link that leads to the shoe category in your mobile shopping app. Once the app has downloaded on their device, it will open to this category page if you have created the deferred deep link well. As you can see, this is an excellent tool for increasing e-commerce sales.

People also refer to these smart URLs as dynamic links. Dynamic links can send you to any location within an Android App or iOS App. Because they can survive the app install process, they are vital in improving your user experience.

Why Are Deep Links Important?

These types of dynamic links are important for your ecommerce marketing because they make user engagements more seamless and show the consumer the information they expect to see. When you make engagements with your brand's adverts simpler and easier, it will affect sales.

• Improve Your User Experience

They improve the experience of engaging with your ads because they save consumers energy and time. The visitor won't need to locate a specific page or location on your app themselves. Deep links are especially effective in re-engagement campaigns and remarketing on mobile platforms.

From custom onboarding to moving users along the marketing funnel effortlessly, there are many advantages to dynamic linking. You can increase loyalty and "stickiness" while doubling your customer life cycle with this one simple tool.

• Create a Seamless Customer Journey

You can create a seamless user journey that leads site visitors and engagers through your sales funnel without a hitch. Because of this seamless interaction and the ability to move users along with just one click, you can increase your app installs using this tool.

• Enjoy More Effective Incentivisation

Incentivising in the advertising world means persuading people to try something new by offering them a potential boon or prize. Re-targeting campaigns often use incentivisation to get people to click through. If your incentivisation includes a dynamic link, you can remove the clutter and noise and send them straight to the unique location where their incentive awaits them. For example, if you want to re-market to people who have been browsing your shoe section, you can incentivise them with a 10% discount. When they click through, your dynamic link should send them through to a special page where they can shop and get 10% off on your mobile app. If the link merely sends them to your store, they will first need to visit the shoe section, then add a code while checking out. You can reduce all this effort with a deep link.

How Do Deep Links Work?

You can create a custom deep link or use a universal link that leads to the specific page in an app or on a website. They do not work in the same way on Apple and Android devices, and they are not automatically set up when you make an app. Google Ads support custom and universal links.

Most apps already have a custom URI scheme, which makes it easier to set up. The downside is that users' devices won't recognise the destination if the app isn't already installed on your device and there's no easy way around it.

• Custom Links

You can use custom URI schemes to link to in-app content. If your ad shows on a mobile device with your app installed, it will send people to the content in your app if they click the link. For example, a custom URI can look like this: "pitchapp://store/shoes". Apple calls their custom links iOS Universal Links, and Android calls them an intent URL or Android App Link.

• Universal Links

Universal links are links that use existing "HTTP" destination URLs. These links are great on Google Ads and allow for tracking parameters. For example, your universal link's URL can look like this: "https://pitchsm.co.za/shop/shoes".

With iOS 9, Apple also introduced Apple Universal Links. When users open a piece of content using an Apple universal link, the iOS system checks to see if the app is already installed on their device. If it is, the system launches the app directly. If not, the user is redirected to a normal website URL on Safari. You can simply use this URL to direct them to the Apple Store, where they can download the app.

How Do They Boost eCommerce Sales?

Deep link users have seen exciting results in their marketing channels and advertising campaigns that prove its effects on ecommerce sales. You can boost your app marketing campaign and app onboarding experience with this simple tool if you use it correctly.