We value your feedback and have answered your request to provide deep linking support for email.
For context, email delivery providers rewrite URL links in order to support tracking click data on their end. This practice is also known as link wrapping, click measurement or link redirect. Unfortunately, this rewriting is not compatible with deep linking support, including Apple Universal Links and Android App Links.
We’ve now built out the ability for our users to enable deep linking by turning off email click tracking. Click tracking will be enabled by default — uncheck this so that your links will not be rewritten and so you can deep link to your app. Turning click tracking off only affects click data and does not affect tracking for email opens, which will continue to be available.
What option is best for your goals?
Below, we've outlined the high-level benefits of click tracking and deep linking to help you decide which feature to prioritize in your messaging strategy.
Email Click Tracking Helps Improve Content Strategy
Click data is used to calculate the click-through rate and shows how engaged users are with your email. It can also help you improve your campaign and content strategy. For example, an email with high open rate and low click-through rate suggests that there is a disconnect between your subject lines and the email content, and you could improve engagement by better aligning the two. Monitoring your click data helps you gauge the quality of your copy, analyze user engagement, and understand what types of messaging resonate with your customers.
Deep Linking Helps Improve the App Experience
Adding deep links to emails allows you to link from an email to a specific place in your app if the app is installed (and in a web browser otherwise). This creates a seamless user experience between your messaging channels and your mobile app, whether Android or iOS. For example, an e-commerce retailer that sends a message about a new featured collection can land their audience directly on that product section in the app. Directing your audience to the relevant place helps optimize the user experience, increase conversion rates, and improve app engagement.
More Ways to Improve Your Messaging Strategy
As you continue to expand your mobile and web presence, you'll unlock even more opportunities to hone your communication strategy — and more opportunities come with more choices. Understanding what use cases and content are well-suited to each channel can help you decide how to adapt your messaging as you grow. Learn what makes email and mobile push notifications unique and how those distinctions can work in your favor.
Read: Deciding When to Use Push vs Email