Every mobile marketer has seen this play out: a user taps an ad for a specific product, lands on the app's home screen, and leaves within seconds. The campaign report shows an install. The revenue report shows nothing.

That gap between what the ad promised and where the user actually landed is the deep linking problem. The difference between a generic app open and a precise in-app destination is often the difference between a ₹40 install that generates ₹0 and one that generates ₹400 in lifetime value.

What Are Deep Links?

A deep link is a URL that points to a specific location inside a mobile app, not just the app itself. Think of it as the difference between navigating to a website's homepage versus navigating directly to a specific product page.

Regular app links open the app. Deep links open the app and take the user to a specific screen: a product detail page, a profile, a rewards section, a particular piece of content.

The technical distinction matters because deep links carry context. That context (which product, which campaign, which referrer) travels with the user through the tap, through the app store if needed, and into the app session. Without it, every user starts from scratch regardless of what brought them there.

For marketers, deep links connect a campaign promise to an in-app experience. For developers, they are a routing mechanism that maps external URLs to internal app screens. For product teams, they are the foundation for personalised first sessions, referral flows, and cross-platform user journeys.

The 4 Types of Deep Links Every App Team Should Know

Not all deep links behave the same way. The differences come down to what happens when the app is not installed, how much context survives the journey, and whether the link adapts to the user's device.

1. Standard Deep Links

Standard deep links work when the app is already installed. Tap the link, the app opens, the user lands on the correct screen. If the app is not installed, the link fails or falls back to a web page or app store listing with no context preserved.

Use case: In-app notifications, CRM re-engagement, email campaigns targeting existing users.

Limitation: They are useless for acquisition campaigns where a significant portion of users do not have the app yet.

2. Deferred Deep Links

Deferred deep links solve the "app not installed" problem. When a user taps a deferred deep link without the app, they are sent to the app store. After installing and opening the app for the first time, the link context is retrieved and the user lands on the exact screen the link originally pointed to.

The "deferred" part means the destination is remembered and applied after a delay (the install process). This is critical for paid acquisition. If someone taps an ad for a ₹499 sneaker, installs the app, and sees the homepage instead of the sneaker page, conversion rates drop significantly.

Use case: Paid ads, influencer campaigns, referral programmes, any campaign targeting new users.

How it works technically: The deep link platform stores link parameters (destination screen, campaign data, referral codes) server-side at click time. After install, the SDK retrieves those parameters and routes the user accordingly. Matching between click and install uses a combination of device identifiers, IP address, and timing.

3. Dynamic Deep Links

Dynamic deep links adapt their behaviour based on the user's context: device type, operating system, whether the app is installed, and geographic location.

A single dynamic deep link can route an iOS user to the App Store, an Android user to the Play Store, and a desktop user to a web page, all while preserving the same destination context. Dynamic deep links are also deferred by default in most modern implementations, handling both the "app not installed" and "different device" scenarios in one link.

Use case: Cross-platform campaigns, QR codes, social media sharing, email campaigns, influencer and affiliate tracking.

Why this matters operationally: Without dynamic deep links, teams manage multiple link variants per campaign (one for iOS, one for Android, one for web), tripling operational overhead and fragmenting attribution data.

4. Contextual Deep Links

Contextual deep links carry additional metadata beyond just the destination screen. They can pass parameters like referral codes, discount amounts, campaign identifiers, or custom key-value pairs.

This metadata enables personalised first sessions. A user arriving through a referral link can see a "Welcome, referred by Priya" screen with a pre-applied discount. A user arriving through a seasonal campaign can land directly on the promotional section.

Use case: Referral programmes, personalised onboarding, A/B testing different landing experiences by campaign source.

Important nuance: Contextual deep links are not a separate technical category. They are a capability layer on top of deferred and dynamic deep links. Most modern platforms include contextual parameters as part of their standard link structure.

How Deep Links Work: The Technical Foundation

Under the hood, deep links rely on three main mechanisms. Understanding these helps teams debug issues, evaluate tools, and make informed implementation decisions.

URI Schemes (Custom URL Schemes)

URI schemes are the original deep linking method. Each app registers a custom protocol (like myapp://) with the operating system. When a URL starting with that scheme is triggered, the OS opens the corresponding app.

The problem: URI schemes have no fallback. If the app is not installed, the link fails. They also lack ownership verification, meaning any app could register the same scheme. Most teams now use them only as a fallback mechanism inside more robust setups.

Universal Links (iOS)

Apple introduced Universal Links in iOS 9 to replace URI schemes with a more secure mechanism. Universal Links use standard HTTPS URLs (like https://myapp.com/product/12345) and require the app developer to host an Apple App Site Association (AASA) file on their web domain.

When a user taps a Universal Link, iOS checks whether an installed app has claimed that domain. If yes, the app opens directly. If not, the URL opens in Safari like a normal web link.

Key advantages: No "open in app?" dialog, HTTPS security, domain ownership verification, and a built-in web fallback. The main pitfall is that Universal Links break if the user long-presses and chooses "Open in Safari" or if the link is triggered from certain in-app browsers.

App Links (Android)

Android App Links serve the same purpose as Universal Links but for the Android ecosystem. They require a Digital Asset Links file hosted on the app's web domain, verifying ownership of both the domain and the app.

Verified App Links open the app directly without a disambiguation dialog (the "Open with..." prompt). The assetlinks.json file must be accessible at https://yourdomain.com/.well-known/assetlinks.json and must contain the correct package name and SHA-256 certificate fingerprint.

How These Mechanisms Connect

In practice, a well-implemented deep linking setup uses all three: Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android) for primary routing, URI schemes as a fallback, and a server-side component for deferred deep linking.

The complexity of managing these layers is why most teams use a deep linking platform rather than building from scratch. Getting Universal Links and App Links to work reliably requires domain verification, AASA/assetlinks.json hosting, proper entitlements, and ongoing maintenance as OS versions change.

Where Deep Links Are Used

Deep links are not just for ads. The use cases span nearly every channel where a user might enter or re-enter an app.

Paid advertising: Every major ad platform (Meta, Google, TikTok, Apple Search Ads) supports deep links. Without them, ad clicks land on generic screens and attribution data loses granularity.

Email and CRM campaigns: Re-engagement emails that deep link to a specific product or feature see measurably higher conversion than emails that open the app's home screen.

QR codes: QR codes on physical media (packaging, billboards, event banners) need dynamic deep links because you cannot predict whether the scanner has the app installed or which device they are using.

Referral programmes: Deep links carry referral codes through the install process, ensuring both the referrer and the new user receive rewards. Without deferred deep links, referral attribution breaks for new users.

Influencer and affiliate campaigns: Each influencer gets a unique deep link. Downstream actions are attributed back to the specific influencer, enabling revenue-share calculations.

Web-to-app flows: When a user browses on mobile web and switches to the app, deep links preserve their session context rather than starting over.

Offline-to-app campaigns: DOOH, print ads, and in-store promotions use deep links (typically via QR codes or short URLs) to bridge physical touchpoints and app experiences.

Deep Links vs Regular Links: What Actually Changes for the User

From a user's perspective, the difference is between "the app knows why I'm here" and "the app has no idea why I'm here."

Without deep links: User taps an ad for a 30% discount on running shoes. They install the app. It opens to the home screen. They must manually search for the shoes and never see the discount. Most users leave.

With deep links (deferred + contextual): Same ad. They install the app. It opens directly to the running shoes page with the 30% discount pre-applied. The user sees exactly what was promised.

Teams that implement reliable deferred deep linking typically see conversion rate improvements of 2 to 3x on acquisition campaigns because the gap between ad promise and app experience disappears.

For attribution, deep links also change what is visible. Without them, an MMP can tell you a user installed from a Meta campaign. With deep links, the MMP can connect the full journey from specific creative to specific in-app revenue event.

Common Deep Linking Misconceptions (And What's Actually True)

"Deep links are just for paid ads." Not true. Deep links improve conversion across every channel: email, push, SMS, referrals, QR, web-to-app, influencer campaigns, and CRM re-engagement. Any touchpoint where a user transitions into an app benefits from contextual routing.

"We only need deep links once we scale." The opposite is more accurate. Early-stage apps benefit disproportionately from deep links because every install matters more. If you are spending ₹5 lakh per month on UA campaigns and your deep links are broken, you are paying full price for installs that convert at a fraction of their potential.

"Setting up deep links is a one-time task." Deep linking requires ongoing maintenance. OS updates change how Universal Links and App Links behave. New in-app screens need new routes. AASA and assetlinks.json files need to stay valid. Teams that treat deep links as "set and forget" discover broken links weeks later, after budget has been wasted.

"Any link shortener can do what a deep linking platform does." Link shorteners redirect URLs. They do not handle deferred deep linking, contextual parameters, platform-specific routing, or attribution integration. A shortened link that opens the app store does not preserve context through install.

"Deep links and attribution are separate concerns." They are technically distinct but operationally inseparable. Deep links carry the context that attribution systems need to connect clicks to installs to revenue. Platforms that unify deep linking and attribution in a single product eliminate the integration overhead and data gaps that occur when these are managed by separate tools.

How to Evaluate If Your App Needs Deep Links

Not every app needs a sophisticated deep linking setup on day one. Here is a practical framework for evaluating your needs.

You need deep links now if:

You are running paid UA campaigns. Without deep links, you are paying for installs that land on generic screens, and conversion to revenue drops because the user experience is disconnected from the ad promise.

You have a referral or invite programme. Referral attribution breaks without deferred deep links. The referrer does not get credit, the new user does not get the reward, and the programme's measured ROI drops.

You are using QR codes or offline channels. These channels require dynamic deep links by definition.

You have multiple in-app destinations that campaigns should target.

You can defer deep linking if:

Your app is purely organic with no paid marketing spend. Your app has a single entry point with no meaningful in-app destinations.

When evaluating a deep linking platform, ask:

1. Does every link support deferred deep linking by default?

2. How does the platform handle Universal Links and App Links verification?

3. Is attribution integrated, or do you need a separate MMP?

4. What happens when a link breaks? Is there fallback routing?

Platforms like Linkrunner make every link dynamic and deferred by default, removing the need to configure link types separately. This reduces implementation complexity and ensures consistent behaviour across all channels without managing multiple link formats.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a deep link and a Universal Link?

A deep link is a general term for any link that opens a specific location inside an app. A Universal Link is Apple's specific implementation for iOS, using HTTPS URLs with domain verification through an AASA file. Universal Links are one type of deep link.

Do deep links work if the app is not installed?

Standard deep links do not. Deferred deep links do. A deferred deep link redirects the user to the app store, and after install, the app retrieves the original link context and routes the user to the correct screen.

How do deep links affect attribution?

Deep links carry campaign parameters (source, medium, campaign ID, creative) through the user journey. This data feeds into your MMP's attribution model, connecting clicks to installs to in-app events. Without deep links, attribution loses granularity.

Are deep links required for SKAN (SKAdNetwork)?

SKAN operates independently of deep links for attribution. However, deep links still improve user experience on iOS by routing users to the correct destination. SKAN handles privacy-compliant attribution; deep links handle user routing.

Can deep links break?

Yes. Common causes include expired AASA or assetlinks.json files, app updates that change URL routing, OS updates that modify deep link behaviour, and in-app browsers that intercept links. Regular validation testing is essential.

Key Takeaways

Deep links are the connective tissue between your marketing campaigns and your in-app experience. Without them, users land on generic screens regardless of what brought them to your app.

Start with deferred deep links for acquisition campaigns (the highest-impact use case), ensure Universal Links and App Links are properly configured, and treat deep link maintenance as an ongoing operational task. When evaluating tools, the critical question is whether links are dynamic and deferred by default, whether attribution is integrated, and whether the platform handles the edge cases that cause real-world failures.

If your team is spending on UA and wants to close the gap between ad promise and in-app experience, request a demo from Linkrunner to see how unified deep linking and attribution works in practice.