Why deep linking is better for business: An overview for developers

Deep linking sends users to specific in-app content from your Google Ads. This improves user experience and boosts conversions. In this article, you’ll learn the benefits, tools, and resources for deep linking.

Benefits of deep linking

Deep linking can help optimize App campaign performance:

Increases conversion rates: By taking users directly to the content they want, you make it effortless for users to buy, sign up, or take action. On average, advertisers see a 2.8 times increase in conversion rates* for ad clicks that land in-app versus on a mobile website.
Boosts user lifetime value: App users are your most loyal customers. A seamless, integrated experience reinforces that loyalty, which helps lead to higher average order values and lifetime value.
Seamless customer experience: Deep linking keeps users in the native app environment where their information is often saved, which helps reduce drop-offs.
Maximizes your campaign return on investment: More conversions and higher-value customers mean your ad spend works harder, which helps to directly improve your return on investment.

_{*Source: Google Data, Global divisions, April 2025.}

Types of deep links

For security, performance, and the seamless user experience, Google Ads requires industry-standard links. Here’s a simple breakdown of the types of deep links to use.

Link type	Recommended for Google Ads?	Why it's the standard
App links (Android), Universal links (iOS)	Yes	These are secure, reliable links that use your existing website URLs. They provide a seamless fallback to your mobile site if the app isn't installed. This is the official, industry-supported method.
Custom schemes (`yourapp://path`)	Use with caution	This is an older method that is allowed but not recommended. If a user doesn't have the app, it leads to a broken link or error page (no fallback). They are also less secure.
Third-party App Attribution Partner (AAP) links (Branch, AppsFlyer)	Not supported	Redirects are not permitted by Google Ads policy for security and user privacy reasons, as they can hide the link's final destination. Note: You can keep your third-party solution for other channels, but you must implement App or Universal links for your Google Ads.
Firebase dynamic links	Not supported	These links also rely on redirects that conflict with Google Ads policy.

Learn more About types of deep links.

Tools for deep linking

Google provides you with tools that are built directly into the platforms you already use to help make deep linking implementation easier and effective.

For prioritization and validation (Google Ads)

Deep link impact calculator: Helps you identify high-priority URLs that are missing deep links and forecasts the potential conversion lift. Learn more about How to use the Deep link impact calculator.
Deep link validator: Lets you test that links are configured correctly and provides a shareable report for your developers. Learn more about How to use the Deep link validator.

For implementation (Developer platforms)

Google Play Console: Helps you find and fix misconfigured Android links. Learn more about how to Manage deep linking on Google Play Console.
Android Studio (App Links Assistant): Guides you through creating and validating deep links. Learn more About the App Links Assistant in Android Studio.
Flutter: Includes the Deep Link Validator, docs, and tutorials for cross-platform apps. Learn more About integrating deep links with Flutter.
Google Analytics: Identifies broken deep links and new opportunities for deep linking from within Google Analytics. Learn more About integrating deep links with Google Analytics.

FAQs

How does implementing deep links affect my website’s search engine optimization (SEO)?

Even after you implement deep links, Google Search will use web page content, rather than your app content for indexing and ranking, so your app content will not affect your Search rankings.

Note: To provide the best user experience, we recommend that you deep link to app pages with content that matches your web content. If your web page and app page correspond, the title and snippet shown for your website on Google Search will effectively relate to the app page that the user gets deep linked to.

We already use a third-party tool like Branch.io or AppsFlyer. Do we have to switch?

No, you don't have to switch. You can continue using your third-party solution for other marketing channels. However, for Google Ads, you must use a non-redirecting link like an App link or Universal link as the final URL. You can add these alongside your existing setup. The in-app routing logic is often already in place, making the technical lift minimal.

What if our app content doesn't perfectly match our website?

You should only create deep links for pages that have a clear and equivalent destination in your app. The goal is a seamless user experience. If content only exists on your website, continue sending users there.

What happens if our app requires a user to log in?

This is a common scenario. The best practice is to configure your app to hold the deep link destination in memory, prompt the user to log in, and then immediately forward them to their intended page post-login, rather than dropping them on the homepage.

What happens if a user clicks an ad but doesn't have my app installed?

No problem. The system will detect this and automatically send the user to the equivalent page on your mobile website. You won't lose the click or the customer.

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