An Introduction to Deep Linking and Google App Indexing Codelab. To learn more, check out https://developers.google.com/search

1. An introduction to
deep linking and App
Indexing codelab

2. We have tons of
apps on our
smartphones,
but how many
do we actually
use?

3. US users have an
average of 33 apps,
but only engage with
roughly ⅓ of them

4. Remember 1998?

5. Number of Web Hostnames 1991-2014

6. Number of Web Hostnames 1991-2014

7. Number of Web Hostnames 1991-2014

8. How can we,
together, help
users make the
best of their
day in this new
mobile world?

9. Protocol Package ID
• http
• custom
Scheme Host Path
Unique single string address
Anatomy of a deep link
android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos

10. Re-engage existing usersAcquire new users

11. Google helps
drive app
installs through
Search results.

12. Drive usage and
engagement
through App
Indexing.

13. App
Indexing

14. Using app indexing to re-
engage users:
The Etsy app on Android
was able to increase daily
app traffic from referrals by
11.6%.
https://developers.google.com/app-indexing/case-studies

15. Re-engage
users in search
completions
with the App
Indexing API

16. Get your app in
the Index.

17. Re-engage existing usersAcquire new users

20. How to index your app (codelab)
Add support for deep links in your Android app
App calls to the App Indexing API
Update sitemap or web pages with deep link info
Verify your app against your site on your Google Play Developer Console
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To run the codelab visit:
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1. http://search-codelabs.appspot.com/codelabs/android-deep-linking
2. http://search-codelabs.appspot.com/codelabs/app-indexing
3. http://search-codelabs.appspot.com/codelabs/web-deep-linking

21. Appendix
Implementing App Indexing

22. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website

23. Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website
Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
HTTP or
Custom scheme

24. <activity
android:name="com.example.android.GizmosActivity"
android:label="@string/title_gizmos" >
<intent-filter android:label="@string/filter_title_viewgizmos">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<!-- Accepts URIs that begin with "http://example.com/gizmos” -->
<data android:scheme="http"
android:host="example.com"
android:pathPrefix="/gizmos" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
manifest.xml
App Indexing

25. <activity
android:name="com.example.android.GizmosActivity"
android:label="@string/title_gizmos" >
<intent-filter android:label="@string/filter_title_viewgizmos">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<!-- Accepts URIs that begin with "http://example.com/gizmos” -->
<data android:scheme="http"
android:host="example.com"
android:pathPrefix="/gizmos" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
manifest.xml
App Indexing

26. <activity
android:name="com.example.android.GizmosActivity"
android:label="@string/title_gizmos" >
<intent-filter android:label="@string/filter_title_viewgizmos">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<!-- Accepts URIs that begin with "example://gizmos” -->
<data android:scheme="example"
android:host="gizmos" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
manifest.xml
App Indexing

27. <activity
android:name="com.example.android.GizmosActivity"
android:label="@string/title_gizmos" >
<intent-filter android:label="@string/filter_title_viewgizmos">
<action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
<!-- Accepts URIs that begin with "example://gizmos” -->
<data android:scheme="example"
android:host="gizmos" />
</intent-filter>
</activity>
manifest.xml
App Indexing

28. @Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.main);
Intent intent=getIntent();
String action=intent.getAction();
Uri data=intent.getData();
…
Intent intentNext=new Intent(this, nextGizmosActivity.class);
startActivity(intentNext);
}
GizmosActivity.java
App Indexing

29. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website

36. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Shortcut!
Step 2:
Verify
website

37. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Website markup
Sitemap

38. <html>
<head>
...
...
</head>
Example.com
App Indexing
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />

39. App Indexing
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />

40. App Indexing
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />
Means there’s another version
of this document somewhere

41. Unique single string address
App Indexing
Means there’s another version
of this document somewhere
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />

42. <link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />
Unique single string address
App Indexing
Protocol

43. Unique single string address
App Indexing
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />
Protocol Package ID

44. Unique single string address
App Indexing
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />
Protocol Package ID
• http
• custom
Scheme

45. Protocol Package ID
• http
• custom
Scheme Host Path
Unique single string address
App Indexing
<link rel=“alternate” href=“android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos” />

46. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"
xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<url>
<loc>http://example.com/gizmos</loc>
<xhtml:link rel="alternate" href="android-app://com.example/http/example.com/gizmos"
/>
</url>
...
</urlset>
sitemap.xml
App Indexing

47. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website

48. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website
Check for
errors & status

55. Step 1:
Add deep link
support to app
Step 3:
Publish app
deep links
Indexing
App Indexing
Step 2:
Verify
website
Check for
errors & status

56. Troubleshooting App Indexing
Read the blog post: http://googledevelopers.blogspot.com/2014/12/four-steps-to-supercharge-
deep-linking.html
Check out the FAQ: https://developers.google.com/app-indexing/faq
If all else fails, try https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!forum/webmasters or http:
//stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/android-app-indexing
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