How to Use Deep Links with URL Shorteners to Boost App Installs

If you're running mobile campaigns and not using deep links, you're leaving installs on the table. Deep links take users directly to specific content inside your app — or route them to the app store if they don't have it installed yet. Combine that with a short, trackable URL and you've got a seriously powerful growth tool.

Here's a practical guide to making deep links and URL shorteners work together, with real strategies you can implement today.

What Are Deep Links, Exactly?

A deep link is a URL that points to a specific screen or piece of content inside a mobile app, rather than just opening the app's home screen. Think of it like linking to a specific page on a website, but for apps.

There are three main types:

Standard Deep Links

These use a custom URI scheme (like myapp://product/123) to open a specific screen. The catch: they only work if the app is already installed. If it's not, the user gets an error.

Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android)

These use regular HTTPS URLs that work both as web links and app links. If the app is installed, it opens directly. If not, the user lands on your website. Apple calls them Universal Links; Google calls them App Links.

Deferred Deep Links

This is where it gets interesting. A deferred deep link remembers the intended destination even if the app isn't installed yet. The user clicks the link, gets sent to the app store, installs the app, opens it — and lands on the exact content they originally clicked on. No friction, no confusion.

Why Deep Links Matter for App Growth

The numbers tell the story. Apps that use deep linking in their campaigns typically see:

• 2-5x higher conversion rates compared to sending users to a generic app store listing
• Up to 3x better retention because users land on relevant content immediately
• Significantly lower cost per install since fewer users drop off during the install flow

The logic is simple: every extra step between a user's click and their intended destination is a chance for them to bail. Deep links remove those extra steps.

The Problem with Raw Deep Links

Deep links on their own have a few practical issues:

1. They're ugly. A link like https://myapp.com/products/summer-sale-2026?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=story&utm_campaign=summer_launch&deeplink=true isn't something you want to paste into a tweet or text message.

2. They're hard to track. Without a link management layer, you can't easily see which channels, campaigns, or creatives are driving the most installs.

3. They're inflexible. Once you share a raw deep link, you can't change where it goes. If you need to update the destination (say, a product goes out of stock), you're stuck.

4. They don't work everywhere. Different platforms handle deep links differently. You need a routing layer to handle iOS vs. Android vs. desktop gracefully.

This is exactly where URL shorteners come in.

How URL Shorteners Solve Deep Link Problems

A good URL shortener acts as an intelligent routing layer between your marketing channels and your app. Here's what that looks like in practice:

1. Clean, Shareable Links

Instead of a monster URL, you get something like y.hn/summer. That fits in a tweet, looks good on a poster, and is easy to say out loud in a podcast.

2. Click Tracking and Analytics

Every click is logged with device type, location, referrer, and timestamp. You can see exactly how many iOS vs. Android users clicked, which country they're in, and when engagement peaks.

3. Dynamic Routing

The short link can detect the user's device and route accordingly:

• iPhone → App Store (or open the app directly if installed)
• Android → Google Play (or open the app via App Link)
• Desktop → Your website or a landing page

4. Editable Destinations

Need to change where a link goes? Update the destination without changing the short URL. Every link you've already shared keeps working.

Setting Up Deep Links with y.hn

y.hn makes this workflow straightforward. Here's how to set it up:

Step 1: Configure Your App for Deep Linking

Before creating short links, make sure your app supports Universal Links (iOS) or App Links (Android). This involves:

• Adding an apple-app-site-association file to your web server (for iOS)
• Adding assetlinks.json to your .well-known directory (for Android)
• Configuring your app to handle incoming link data

If you're using a platform like Firebase, Branch, or Adjust, they handle much of this setup for you.

Step 2: Create Your Deep Link URL

Build the full deep link URL that points to the specific content:

https://yourapp.com/products/summer-sale-2026

Make sure this URL works both as a web page (for users without the app) and triggers the app to open (for users who have it).

Step 3: Shorten It with y.hn

Head to y.hn and paste your deep link URL. You'll get back something like:

y.hn/xK3

That's 9 characters total. Compare that to the original URL which might be 80+ characters with UTM parameters.

Step 4: Add UTM Parameters (y.hn Handles This)

With y.hn's Pro plan, you can add UTM parameters directly when creating the short link. This means your analytics stay clean — the UTM data is passed through without cluttering the visible URL.

For example, you can set:

• Source: instagram
• Medium: story
• Campaign: summer_launch

All of this gets appended to the destination URL when someone clicks, but the user only ever sees y.hn/xK3.

Step 5: Track Performance

Use y.hn's analytics dashboard to monitor:

• Total clicks and unique visitors
• Device breakdown (iOS / Android / Desktop)
• Geographic distribution
• Click timing and trends
• Referrer data

This tells you which campaigns are actually driving app installs, so you can double down on what works.

Advanced Strategies for Deep Link Campaigns

Use Different Short Links per Channel

Create separate y.hn links for each marketing channel, all pointing to the same deep link but with different UTM tags:

This way, you can see exactly which channel drives the most installs without any ambiguity.

Combine with QR Codes

y.hn generates QR codes for every short link automatically. This is perfect for offline-to-online campaigns:

• Print QR codes on product packaging that deep link to setup guides
• Add QR codes to restaurant menus that open the ordering app
• Put QR codes on event posters that link to ticket purchase screens

The QR code resolves to your short link, which routes to the deep link. Clean, trackable, and works across devices.

A/B Test Your Landing Experiences

Create two versions of your app's landing screen for a specific campaign. Use two different y.hn short links, each pointing to a different variant. Compare install-to-engagement rates to see which version converts better.

Retarget Non-Installers

If someone clicks your deep link but doesn't install the app, that's a warm lead. With y.hn's Pro plan and proper pixel setup, you can build retargeting audiences from link clicks and serve them follow-up ads.

Use the y.hn API for Automation

If you're running campaigns at scale, use y.hn's API to generate short deep links programmatically:

curl -X POST https://y.hn/api/shorten \


  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \


  -d '{"url": "https://yourapp.com/products/12345", "utm_source": "email", "utm_campaign": "weekly_deals"}'

This is great for e-commerce apps that need unique deep links for thousands of products, or for personalized email campaigns where each user gets a link to their recommended content.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not Handling the "App Not Installed" Case

Always have a fallback. If the user doesn't have your app, they should land on a smart page that shows them the content and nudges them to install — not a 404 error.

2. Ignoring Desktop Users

Not everyone clicks from a phone. Make sure your deep link URLs work on desktop too, even if it's just showing the web version of the content.

3. Using Platform-Specific Schemes in Public Links

Never share a myapp:// link publicly. It breaks on every device that doesn't have your app. Always use HTTPS-based Universal Links or App Links, shortened through a service like y.hn.

4. Not Tracking Downstream Events

Clicks are just the start. Connect your analytics so you can track the full funnel: click → store visit → install → first open → target action. Without this, you're optimizing blind.

5. Forgetting to Test on Real Devices

Deep links behave differently across iOS versions, Android skins, and browsers. Test every link on real devices before launching a campaign. Simulators miss real-world quirks.

Deep Linking Checklist

Before you launch your next mobile campaign, run through this:

• [ ] App supports Universal Links (iOS) and App Links (Android)
• [ ] Fallback web pages exist for all deep link destinations
• [ ] Short links created via y.hn with proper UTM parameters
• [ ] Separate short links for each marketing channel
• [ ] Analytics connected to track the full install funnel
• [ ] QR codes generated for any offline placements
• [ ] Links tested on real iOS and Android devices
• [ ] Desktop fallback works correctly
• [ ] Retargeting pixels in place for non-installers

Wrapping Up

Deep links and URL shorteners are a natural pairing. Deep links get users to the right place. Short URLs make those links shareable, trackable, and manageable. Together, they remove friction from the install flow and give you the data you need to optimize campaigns.

If you're serious about growing your app, start by setting up deep linking properly, then route everything through short, tracked URLs. The difference in conversion rates is hard to ignore.

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