If you have been managing marketing campaigns for a long time, it is very likely that you are familiar with “utm parameters,” tracking pixels, or cookies. Most of us have internalized how to track or measure KPIs of a website marketing campaign. However, what happens when you do influencer marketing in an app? How do you manage to measure the traffic you are sending to the app?

You face an initial problem where the links generated to follow up on the web do not work for mobile applications. They serve neither at the level of measurement, nor user experience (UX). The links you use in web environments do not respect tracking parameters when you move from a website to an app. Additionally, when you click on a web link from your mobile device, you will be opening a web version URL, and not a page within the app.

What you need to know is which campaigns and channels generate more installations of your app. And incidentally, try to optimize the path that the user finds to maximize conversion.

The solution is Deep link

When we talk about Deep linking, it is likely that not many people are aware of what it is. Even though it’s a technology that you regularly have available when using your mobile phone.

A deep link makes it possible to link to a specific page within an app with a link.

Deep linking refers to the use of a hyperlink that takes the user to a specific URL within a web page. For example, a link like www.site.com/page takes you to the app, instead of taking you to the home page. You use hyperlinks in email marketing campaigns, paid ads campaigns, or influencer marketing campaigns.  

Example of deep linking in app for an influencer marketing campaign

This way, you drive traffic to your website, where you try to convert users into customers.

On mobile, this hyperlink is called deep link. You use it to link to a specific page within a mobile application. You do this instead of simply " launching the app " and opening it.

The main advantage of using deep links in your app marketing strategy is that you immediately provide a better experience for your users. This way you optimize campaigns, increase conversions and improve engagement and user retention.

Some of the most common causes are differentiating between users who already have your app installed and those who don't. Also, you can differentiate between users using iOS, and Android. Thus it is possible to send them either to the Apple store or to Google Play to download your app.

Another idea of ​​how deep links are often used is where you make an email campaign to users who already have your app installed. By offering them a discount, you can send them directly to the checkout page with the product already selected, and the discount applied.

How to use Deep links in your influencer marketing campaign

influencer app campaign

Some of the most recurring ideas today to create impact and get more traffic is influencer marketing campaigns. Influencer marketing has been growing in recent years and is expected to generate around 6.5 billion dollars in 2019. If you are not promoting your products or services with influencers, it is clear that you are missing out on some opportunities.

If you are one of those who already manage campaigns with micro or top influencers, now you can optimize the results you get with deep linking.

Until now the measurement of results of each influencer was associated with discount codes that were assigned to each influencer. This strategy is oriented toward e-commerce and the web environment.

If what you are looking for are downloads of your app, you can now measure the results by using deep links customized by influencers.

Do you use a mobile attribution tool? If so, it is likely that you can directly generate custom links for each influencer. Appsflyer, for example, makes it possible to generate links to chart the profitability of each influencer.

Homepage of appsflyer to show the possibilities of deep linking.

Once the custom links have been created, it is only a matter of sharing them with the influencers. Select them for your influencer campaign in an app, and use those links when promoting your app. This way, you can monitor and calculate in detail which influencer has generated more downloads or revenue within your app. This will help you when planning the next campaign. Furthermore, being able to count on the influencers that generate the most revenue and refuse collaborations with influencers who, due to engagement or type of audience, have not been so beneficial to your campaign.