What is deferred deep linking? (And why it matters for referrals and ads)
Deferred deep linking sends a new user to the right screen after they install your app. Here is how it works, where it pays off, and what to measure.
A normal deep link only works if the app is already installed. Deferred deep linking handles the case where it isn't: the user taps a link, installs the app from the store, and on the first open lands exactly where the link pointed — with its data.
A quick example
Priya sends her friend a referral link: https://link.myshop.com/invite?code=PRIYA50.
- Without deferred deep linking: the friend installs, opens the app, sees the home screen. The referral code is gone, Priya gets no credit, and the friend never sees the ₹50 offer.
- With it: the friend installs, opens the app, and lands on "Priya invited you — here's ₹50", with the code already applied.
How it works
- Click. The link service records the tap (device, OS, time) and sends the user to the App Store or Play Store.
- Install. The store does its thing. The link isn't passed through the store on iOS, so the service has to remember it.
- First open. The app's SDK asks the service, "was there a click for this device?"
- On Android, the Play Install Referrer carries the click ID through the install — an exact match.
- On iOS, the service matches on signals such as IP address, device and timing within a short attribution window.
- Deliver. The SDK hands the app the link's path and parameters, flagged as deferred.
Where it pays off
- Referrals and invites — credit the referrer and show the reward on the first screen.
- Paid ads — send people from a product ad straight to that product after install, not the home page.
- E-commerce and content — a shared product, article or video opens on first launch.
- Onboarding — skip steps the link already answers (city, language, plan).
What to measure
Track each link from click → install → first open → the action you care about (sign-up, purchase, referral redeemed). If installs from a campaign are high but first-open matches are low, check the attribution window and that the SDK is initialised on the very first launch.
Getting started
CodeOnAir gives every app a link domain, deferred deep linking on Android and iOS, and per-link stats for clicks, installs and opens. Request access — new workspaces get 30 days of Pro free.