Set up deep links for your App campaigns for installs or engagement

Deep links send mobile device users directly to relevant pages within your app rather than your website. When you set up a new App Campaign for Engagement (ACe) or App Campaign for Installs (ACi) for iOS campaigns, you’ll need to add deep links to your ad groups to drive your users directly to relevant app pages. For Android ACi campaigns, you’d set up ad group deferred deep linking. Learn more about how to Set up and edit ad group deferred deep linking.

Learn more About deep links.

On this page

• Prepare for success: Set up deep links with your developer
• How to set up deep links
• How to edit ad group deep links

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Prepare for success: Set up deep links with your developer

Properly setting up deep links requires collaboration between you and your app or web developers.

1. Your app development team needs to make changes in your app to Set up deep linking.
   • Note: Your app developer will need to implement the deep link handling logic within the app.
2. If you implement Universal Links (iOS), add a Digital Asset Link JSON file to your website so that users are diverted to the app when they install it.
   • Note: For App Links and Universal Links, your web developers may also need to host an association file on your website.
3. Your app developer should complete deep link setup before you add deep links to your App Campaigns for Engagement. Learn more about how to Create an App campaign for engagement.
4. Understand the App Links (Android) setup basics:
   • Developers must add intent filters to your app manifest declaring an android:scheme of http and https.
   • Enable link handling verification by setting android:autoVerify="true" in the app manifest.
   • Host a Digital Asset Links JSON file (assetlinks.json) at .well-known/assetlinks.json on your web domains over HTTPS.
   • For detailed instructions, learn more about Handling Android App Links.
5. Understand the Universal Links (iOS) setup basics:
   • Developers must add an Associated Domains Entitlement to your app, claiming the domains for Universal Links.
   • Add code to your app delegate to handle incoming NSUserActivity objects.
   • Host an Apple App Site Association file (apple-app-site-association - without an extension) at the root of your domain or in the .well-known directory over HTTPS.
   • For detailed instructions, learn more about Supporting Universal Links in Your App.
6. Check robots.txt: Ensure your website’s robots.txt file doesn’t block Google crawlers (AdsBot-Google and AdsBot-Google-Mobile) from accessing your App Links association file (/.well-known/assetlinks.json) or your Universal Links association file (/.well-known/apple-app-site-association).
7. Android 12+ Considerations: For App Links on Android 12 and newer, verification is per intent filter (effectively per host). If an App Link is not verified correctly, clicks will go directly to your mobile website without a disambiguation dialog (the pop-up asking users if they want to open in the app or browser). This makes correct setup and testing even more critical.

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How to set up deep links

To set up deep links for iOS in your Google Ads account, follow these steps:

1. For App campaigns for engagement (ACe):

   1. Follow the instructions in Create an App campaign for engagement through step 13.

   2. When setting up ad assets, in the “App URL” field under “Advanced Options”, specify the URL of the app specific page that you want to direct users to after app installation.

Learn more about how to Create an effective deep linking strategy for App Campaigns for engagement.

2. For App campaigns for installs (ACi):

   • iOS
     1. Follow the instructions in Set up an App campaign for installs through step 20.
     2. When setting up ad assets, in the “App URL” field under “Advanced Options”, specify the URL of the app specific page to direct users to if they already have the app installed. Users who don’t have the app installed will be directed to the default store page for that app.
   • Android
     1. Implement deep links through Android App links or custom schema.

     2. Enable deferred deep links in your app measurement SDK (either Google Analytics for Firebase or a supported App Attribution Partner (AAP)). Learn how to Enable deferred deep linking in your measurement SDK.

     3. Follow the instructions in Set up an App campaign for installs through step 13.
     4. When setting up ad assets, in the “App URL” field (under “Advanced Options”), specify the URL of the in-app page your users will land on after they install and open your app.

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How to edit ad group deep links

1. Go to Ad groups within the Campaigns menu .
2. Select the ad group that you want to edit.
3. Update the URL in the “App URL” field.
4. Select Save.

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Related links

• Deep link
• Best practices for implementing deep links
• Create an App campaign for engagement
• Asset requirements for App campaigns for engagement
• Set up conversions from Firebase or App Attribution Partners for App campaigns for engagement
• About deep links
• About the Deep link validator
• About Web to App Connect
• Tips to maximize conversions with the Deep link Impact Calculator
• Set up App Links (Android)
• Set up Universal Links (iOS)
• Create an effective deep linking strategy when using Web to App Connect
• Create an effective deep linking strategy for App Campaigns for engagement