Unlike the Web, where the underlying technology of HTTP and URLs allow for deep linking by default, enabling deep linking on mobile apps requires these apps be configured to properly handle a uniform resource identifier. Just like a URL is an address for a website, a URI is the address for an app on a mobile device. Examples of URIs that launch a mobile app:
twitter:// is the iOS URI to launch Twitter’s mobile app
YouTube:// is the iOS URI to launch YouTube’s mobile app
fb://profile/33138223345 is an example of a mobile deep link URI. The URI contains all the information needed to launch directly into a particular location within an app, in this case the profile with id '33138223345', i.e., the Wikipedia page, within the Facebook app, instead of simply the info for launching the Facebook app fb://. Wikipedia doesn’t allow such links so if we try to add it to this page, we instead see just the raw, uninterpreted wiki source code, as if this writing, for example , but it’s possible this will have changed by the time you, dear reader, read this. So instead of seeing raw, uninterpreted wiki source code you may see a working link.
eBay's apps demonstrate the use of different schemes by platform. eBay://launch?itm=360703170135 is the URI of a deep link into eBay’s iOS app while eBay://item/view?id=360703170135 is the URI of a deep link into eBay’s Android app.
Complexity of mobile deep linking and the need for a streamlined solution
The greatest benefit of mobile deep linking is the ability for marketers and app developers to bring users directly into the specific location within their app with a dedicated link. Just as deep links made the web more usable, mobile deep links do the same for mobile apps. Unlike deep links on the web, where the link format is standardized based on HTTP guidelines, mobile deep links do not follow a consistent format. This causes confusion in development because different sets of links are required to access the same app on a different mobile operating system.
Passing search data via deep linking
Google allows app developers who have both iOS and Android apps to surface in-app content via mobile Google searches. Developers will need to submit their app and deep linking apps on both iOS and Android to be indexed by Google. Alternatively, developers can use Google's short links to deep link mobile app users if the app is installed and direct others to the webpage. One example of a better user experience made possible because of deep link and data passing through install solution is one in which search information is passed into an app to bring the user to the exact information that drove them to the app. Compared to a common web link, this implementation may reduce the number of steps required. For example, to search for hotels in Boston, a user currently needs to:
