As we continue to delve into the insightful findings of our latest deep link benchmark report, it's time to take a closer look at the variations in success rates across major channels. Deep linking, a powerful tool for app developers and marketers, isn't a one-size-fits-all concept. Its success can vary widely depending on the specific platform and channel being used. With that in mind, let's analyze the data from the report, which you can find here, to better understand how to optimize your deep linking strategies.

The World of Social Media Apps

Given the immense popularity and widespread usage of social media platforms, it's no surprise that these apps are at the forefront of deep linking. However, the study revealed some interesting patterns and discrepancies in deep linking success rates across different social media platforms and between iOS and Android.

One of the most glaring examples of this is the Facebook app, which proved to be quite a challenge for deep linking, with only 28.57% of attempted deep links functioning correctly. The success rate was slightly higher on Android (32.14%) compared to iOS (25.00%), pointing to platform-specific complexities that developers need to account for.

Instagram and Twitter also exhibited significant variations in deep linking success rates between the two operating systems. Instagram's deep linking had a relatively low overall success rate of 41.51%, but the success rate on iOS (66.67%) was more than quadruple the rate on Android (15.38%). Conversely, Twitter boasted a higher overall deep link success rate of 55.36%, but the success rate on Android (90.00%) far outstripped the rate on iOS (15.38%).

Email and Search: The Traditional Powerhouses

Deep linking isn't just confined to social media apps. Traditional channels such as email and search also play a significant role, and the report shed light on their performance as well.

In the email realm, the Gmail app showed an impressive deep linking success rate of 88%, with only a slight difference between iOS (86%) and Android (90%). Similarly, the Apple Mail App exhibited a strong success rate of 86% but was, of course, confined to iOS.

On the search front, the Google App led the pack with an overall deep linking success rate of 88%, once again with a slightly higher rate on Android (91%) compared to iOS (85%).

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The Challenge of Unattempted Deep Links

While the above success rates are encouraging, it's crucial not to overlook the fact that a significant percentage of deep links are not even attempted. The study found that, across both installed and not installed states, deep links were not attempted 51% of the time. This represents a massive missed opportunity for app usage and activations.

Interestingly, the percentage of unattempted deep links was slightly higher on Android (52%) compared to iOS (49%). However, when the app was installed, this trend was reversed on iOS, where 43% of deep links were unattempted, while on Android, it was 40%. These findings underline the importance of not just focusing on the success rates of deep links but also ensuring that the opportunity to deep link is utilized to the fullest.

Concluding Thoughts

This deep dive into the deep link benchmark report reveals that the success of deep linking varies significantly depending on the specific platform and channel used. It is not just about implementing deep links, but also about tailoring them to the specific platform and channel to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Furthermore, it emphasizes the criticality of monitoring unattempted deep links and reducing missed opportunities. As app developers and marketers, it's important to keep a keen eye on these trends and continually fine-tune strategies to improve deep link success rates.

In our next blog post, we will further explore the world of deep linking by examining the impact of app installation states on deep link success. Stay tuned!