Have you ever wanted to seamlessly guide both app users and web visitors with a single link when promoting your SNS profile, YouTube channel, or shopping content?
When users click a link but land on a login page or an unfamiliar mobile web instead of the desired screen, they might drop off before taking the next action. Deep links are the solution to minimize this friction.
This guide will walk you through what deep links are, how they differ from standard web URLs, and how to create and leverage them in Vivoldi.
What is a Deep Link?
Differences Between Standard Web URLs and Deep Links
Standard web URLs mostly open in a browser. While some services redirect to an app depending on the device and browser environment, users often face mobile web pages or fail to reach the desired screen directly, even if the app is installed.
A deep link is a link method that attempts to launch an app on mobile devices and, if possible, directs the user to a pre-defined location such as a profile, channel, video, or search result. In environments where the app cannot be launched, it can guide users to an app store or a specific web page based on your settings.
Basic Redirection Flow of Deep Links
- When the app can be launched: Opens the app and navigates to the specified screen.
- When the app cannot be launched: Redirects to the configured app store or web page.
- On PC or unsupported environments: Connects to a designated fallback web address.
Good to Know
The actual behavior may vary depending on the operating system, browser, in-app browser security policies, and how the app supports links.
Why Do You Need Deep Links?
Reducing Post-Click Friction
Even if you place a link in social media posts, ads, blogs, or newsletters, an unsmooth post-click experience makes it hard to convert interest into action.
For example, if an Instagram profile opens on the mobile web requiring another login, or a YouTube channel opens in an unfamiliar browser screen, following, subscribing, or watching requires an extra step.
By using deep links, users can navigate directly to the familiar app screens whenever possible. Reducing extra logins or screen transitions creates a much more natural flow leading to the next actions, such as content consumption, following, subscribing, or product exploration.
Why It’s Difficult to Build Them Yourself
Each app uses different URL formats and supported screens for connections, and the behaviors on Android and iOS are not identical. Additionally, you must prepare fallback routes like app stores or web pages for users who cannot launch the app. Repeating this configuration for every campaign creates a significant operational burden.
Vivoldi simplifies this process into a simple selection and input method on your screen.
How to Create Deep Links in Vivoldi
First, select where to guide visitors if the app cannot be launched. Depending on your campaign goals, you can send them to the app store to encourage installation or to a web page to show the content immediately.
- Redirect to App Store: Guides users who cannot launch the app to the installation page
- Redirect to Web Page: Guides users to designated web content without requiring app installation
After defining the fallback route, create the deep link in the following three steps:
- Select the Target App — Choose one of the supported apps displayed on the creation screen, such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Naver.
- Select the Destination — Choose a supported location within the selected app, like a profile, channel, video, or search result.
- Enter Target Information — Input the required values prompted on the screen, such as username, channel address, video address, search term, or URL.
For supported input fields, you can paste the entire URL to automatically recognize the required values.
Since input fields and support ranges may differ depending on the selected app and destination, please refer to the guidelines on the actual creation screen.
Adjust Advanced Settings if Necessary
You can create deep links using only the basic settings. If more precise control is required, you can check or adjust the app execution addresses, OS-specific values, and fallback web addresses in the advanced settings. General users can stick to the default settings and only check the advanced options when a special connection method is needed.
Use Cases by Supported Apps
You can create diverse mobile links by combining the apps and destinations provided on Vivoldi’s creation screen.
Typical use cases include:
- Instagram Deep Links: Connect to supported profiles or content screens
- YouTube Deep Links: Connect to supported locations like channels, videos, or Shorts
- TikTok Deep Links: Connect to supported profiles or content screens
- Naver Deep Links: Connect to supported targets such as search terms or Naver/SmartStore URLs
- Community App Deep Links: Connect to channels or invitation routes supported on the creation screen
Support Range
The list of apps and destinations may change depending on service updates.
Practical Application Examples
Promoting a Creator’s SNS Channels
By placing Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok deep links on your profile link or link-in-bio page, you can guide visitors directly to each app’s supported screens whenever possible. Users can seamlessly continue their next actions, like following or subscribing, in the apps they are accustomed to.
Promoting YouTube Videos and Channels
Using YouTube deep links in blogs, newsletters, or social media posts allows you to connect users to videos or channels within the YouTube app. Users can engage with the content in their preferred app environment.
Promoting Naver Search and SmartStore
Connecting Naver search terms or SmartStore URLs in a supported format can guide mobile users to the search results in the Naver app or a designated web page. If the app cannot be launched, they are redirected to the configured app store or fallback web address.
Managing Links by Campaign
Even for the same content, creating separate deep links for different distribution channels like Instagram, YouTube, blogs, and ads makes it easier to compare the clicks and visitor flows generated by each link. Managing channel-specific links with consistent names also streamlines your campaign operations.
How to Analyze Deep Link Performance
Checking the performance after creating a deep link is also crucial. On Vivoldi’s analytics screen, you can check the clicks and visitor flows generated from the links and compare responses across distribution channels.
- Click Analysis: Check click flows by time zone, date, day of the week, month, and specific link
- Referrer Analysis: Analyze acquisition paths based on referrer information and URL parameters passed from the browser
- Visitor Analysis: Check the country, language, platform, browser, and device environment
- Click Logs: Review detailed connection information for individual clicks
For example, if you promoted the same content on both Instagram and YouTube, you can compare the number of clicks and visitors per channel to see which one generated more engagement.
For channels where impression counts are not provided separately, it is more accurate to compare based on the absolute number of clicks and visitors rather than the ‘click-through rate’.
Analysis Scope
Referrer information may not be passed depending on the policies of the browser or in-app browser. Certain analytics metrics and data query periods may vary based on your active subscription plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How are deep links different from regular short URLs?
A. Regular short URLs simply condense a long web address to direct users to the same destination. Deep links attempt to launch the app in mobile environments to connect to supported app screens, and can guide users to a predefined app store or web page when the app cannot be launched.
Q. What do users without the app see?
A. If the app cannot be launched, they are redirected to the app store or a designated web page based on the fallback action you selected in advance. Actual behavior may vary depending on the operating system and browser environment.
Q. Can I use it without development knowledge?
A. Yes. You simply select a fallback route, choose the target app and destination, and input the required information. You only need to check the advanced settings if a specific connection method is required.
Q. Can I create deep links for all apps in Vivoldi?
A. You can create them by selecting the apps and destinations provided on the Vivoldi deep link creation screen. The supported locations such as profiles, channels, videos, and searches may differ by app, and the supported list is subject to updates.
Q. Can I compare performance across multiple channels?
A. If you create separate links for each channel, you can compare the number of clicks, visitors, and passed referrer information for each link. Analytics metrics and query periods may vary depending on your subscription plan and access environment.
Conclusion
A deep link is not a tool that forces visitors unconditionally into an app, but rather one that creates a more seamless navigational path between apps and the web.
In Vivoldi, you can create a deep link by selecting a fallback route for when the app cannot be launched, and entering the target app, destination, and required information. You can also monitor actual engagement for generated links through click, referrer, and visitor analysis.
If you have links that require mobile app connectivity, such as an SNS profile, YouTube channel, Naver search, or SmartStore, try creating deep links yourself in Vivoldi.
Thank you.
