Deep Links for Mobile Apps: Setup, Fallbacks and Testing

Deep links open a specific screen inside a mobile app instead of a web page in the browser. Done well, deep linking for mobile apps removes friction: a visitor taps a link in an email or social post and lands on the exact product, profile or offer inside the app they already use.

Done poorly, the same tap leads to an error, a blank browser tab or the wrong store. This guide explains how deep links work, the difference between URL schemes and universal or app links, how store fallbacks and per-platform routing fit in, and how to set it all up and test it with ShortGo.

What is a deep link?

A regular link points to a web page. A deep link points to content inside an app, such as a product, a profile, a playlist or a checkout screen. The “deep” part means it goes past the app’s home screen to a specific place.

Some common examples:

• A social media link that opens a profile in the native app rather than the mobile website.
• A shopping link that opens a product page in the store’s app, where the visitor is already signed in.
• A promotion link that opens the app on an offer screen.

The benefit is simple. People in an app are usually already logged in, have saved payment details and get a smoother experience than on a mobile site. Fewer steps between the tap and the goal tends to mean fewer people dropping off along the way.

URL schemes vs universal links and app links

There are two broad ways mobile operating systems let a link open an app. Understanding the difference helps you plan fallbacks and set expectations.

Custom URL schemes

A URL scheme is a custom prefix that an app registers with the operating system, such as instagram:// or yourapp://product/123. When a link with that scheme is opened and the app is installed, the system hands it to the app.

URL schemes are simple and widely supported on both iOS and Android. Their main weakness is what happens when the app is not installed: the system has nothing to hand the link to. That is why a fallback destination matters so much.

Universal links and app links

Universal links (on iOS) and app links (on Android) take a different approach. They use ordinary https:// addresses on a domain the app developer controls, and the app and website are verified as belonging together. If the app is installed, the system opens it; if not, the same address simply loads in the browser.

These require setup on both the app side and the website side, usually by the app’s developers. They are a property of your app and domain, not something a link shortener switches on.

Approach	Link format	If app is installed	If app is not installed	Who sets it up
URL scheme	yourapp://path	Opens the app	Needs a fallback URL	App developer registers the scheme
Universal link (iOS)	https://yourbrand.com/path	Opens the app	Opens the web page	App developer and website owner
App link (Android)	https://yourbrand.com/path	Opens the app	Opens the web page	App developer and website owner

ShortGo’s deep link support works with app scheme URLs and pairs them with App Store and Google Play fallback URLs, which covers the “not installed” gap that schemes leave open.

Store fallbacks: handling visitors without the app

The fallback is what keeps a deep link from becoming a dead end. When a visitor taps your link and doesn’t have the app, they should land somewhere useful, and for app campaigns that is usually the store listing.

Good fallback choices include:

• The App Store or Google Play listing, when the goal is installs.
• A web version of the same content, when the goal is engagement and the app is optional.
• A landing page explaining the app, when visitors may need convincing before they install.

Match the fallback to the campaign goal. An install campaign should fall back to the store; a content link shared widely may be better off falling back to the web page.

Routing iOS and Android visitors differently

iOS and Android users need different app schemes and different stores. Sending an Android user to the App Store is one of the most common deep linking mistakes.

ShortGo handles this in two complementary ways:

1. Deep link settings per platform. You can add an app scheme URL for iOS and/or Android, each with its own fallback URL for the App Store or Google Play.
2. Operating system targeting rules. Targeting rules can match iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS, so you can send each platform to a different destination, for example iOS to the App Store, Android to Google Play and desktop visitors to a product page.

Targeting rules are checked from top to bottom and the first match wins, so keep OS rules simple and place more specific rules, such as “Germany + iOS”, above broader ones. The geo targeting links guide covers rule order in more detail.

Don’t forget desktop

Deep links only make sense on phones and tablets. Desktop visitors should still get a useful page, such as your website or a page with store badges and a QR code they can scan with their phone. Keep the link’s main destination pointed at a page that works for anyone.

Using deep links in campaigns

Deep links fit naturally wherever people are likely to be on their phones:

• Social profiles and posts. Open your profile or a specific post in the native app, where following and engaging is one tap.
• Shopping apps. Send campaign traffic straight to the product inside the app, where visitors are already signed in.
• App install campaigns. Visitors with the app open it; those without go to the store listing.
• Email and SMS. Most messages are read on mobile, so a deep link can skip the mobile website entirely. See SMS and email marketing with short links for more channel tips.
• Printed QR codes. A dynamic QR code points to a short link, so the deep link and its fallbacks can be updated after printing.

Using a branded short link like go.yourbrand.com/app-offer instead of a raw scheme URL also makes the link readable, trackable and editable later.

How to set up deep links in ShortGo

1. Create or open a link in Links → New link and set the main destination, such as your website or an app landing page.
2. Open the Targeting settings for the link.
3. Add the app scheme URL for iOS and/or Android, for example yourapp://product/123. Get the exact scheme and path format from your app’s developers.
4. Add fallback URLs: your App Store listing for iOS and your Google Play listing for Android. Visitors who have the app go straight to it; others are sent to the fallback.
5. Add OS or device rules if needed, for example a separate destination for tablets or desktop.
6. Save and test on real devices, using the checklist below.
7. Watch the analytics. Link stats break clicks down by operating system, device, location, referrer and matched targeting rule, so you can see how much of your traffic is iOS, Android or desktop.

Deep link testing checklist

App behavior varies between devices, operating system versions and the apps a link is opened from, so test on real phones rather than relying on a desktop browser.

• iPhone with the app installed: the link opens the app on the right screen.
• iPhone without the app: the link falls back to the App Store listing.
• Android phone with the app installed: the link opens the app on the right screen.
• Android phone without the app: the link falls back to Google Play.
• Desktop browser: the link shows the main destination and nothing breaks.
• Inside other apps: open the link from a messaging app, an email app and a social app, since in-app browsers can behave differently.
• Scheme path: confirm the path inside the scheme URL opens the intended content, not just the app’s home screen.
• Typos in store URLs: check that each fallback points to the correct listing for the right country.
• QR code scan: if the link is printed, scan it with a couple of phones before sending anything to print.

Repeat the checklist after an app update that changes screens or paths, since an old deep link path may stop resolving.

Next steps

Pick one campaign where most traffic is mobile, such as a social post or an SMS blast, and set up a single deep link with both store fallbacks. Check the operating system breakdown after a few days and adjust your fallbacks or OS rules based on what you see.

Create a free account to try deep links on your next campaign, or browse the help center for more setup details.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if the visitor doesn’t have the app installed?

ShortGo sends them to the fallback URL you set, typically the App Store listing for iOS or the Google Play listing for Android.

What is the difference between a URL scheme and a universal link?

A URL scheme uses a custom prefix such as yourapp:// that only works when the app is installed, while universal links and app links use regular https addresses verified between the app and a website. ShortGo deep links use app scheme URLs combined with store fallback URLs.

Can I send iOS and Android users to different places?

Yes. You can set separate app scheme URLs and fallbacks for iOS and Android, and you can add operating system targeting rules to route each platform to its own destination.

Why does my deep link open the app home screen instead of the right content?

This usually means the path in the scheme URL doesn’t match what the app expects. Confirm the exact format with your app’s developers and test again on a real device.

Do deep links work on desktop?

Desktop computers can’t open mobile apps, so desktop visitors should be served a regular web page. Keep the link’s main destination pointed at a page that works for anyone.