Mobile App Onboarding: Mastering Deep Linking & Smart Banners

The mobile app market is booming, but simply getting users to download your app is no longer enough. Industry experts reveal a harsh reality: 77% of users abandon an app within the first three days, highlighting the importance of effective mobile app onboarding to convert new users into loyal customers.

Importance of onboarding and user experience

Why onboarding matters

Imagine a flea market with hundreds of stalls and no signs or guidance anywhere to be found. Customers walk through, overwhelmed by options, and quickly leave. That’s what happens with a poorly designed onboarding process. Users download the app, but without proper guidance, they get lost, frustrated, and churn. Effective onboarding acts as a welcoming salesperson, showcasing the app’s benefits and making users feel comfortable navigating its features.

Improve user experience with deep linking

A seamless transition for users who land on your mobile website but already have your app installed is crucial. Deep linking bridges this gap, effortlessly redirecting users to the relevant section within your app and maximizing engagement by providing a superior user experience.

Streamline the installation flow

For those who haven’t downloaded your app yet, deferred deep linking facilitates a smooth transition to the installation process. By preserving their context and seamlessly guiding them to the relevant app store page, deferred deep linking significantly increases activation conversion and retention rates.

The 3 pillars of effective onboarding

1. Simplicity is king

• Reduce friction: Avoid lengthy sign-up processes. Every step increases drop-off rates. Consider social media logins or guest access for initial exploration.
• Progressive onboarding: Don’t overwhelm users. Introduce features gradually as they interact with the app. For instance, Hotel Tonight shows personalized offers first to avoid overwhelming new users with the full range of functionalities.
• Prioritize user needs: Gather user data by adding an onboarding question or building a boarding process with a decision tree for the user to take specific routes in order to understand what information is essential during onboarding. App marketers should also raise the question: “Can registration wait until users experience the app’s value?”

2. Personalization is the key to engagement

• Tailored experiences: Go beyond just a name. Ask questions to understand user goals and create a customized onboarding path.

• Gamification for fun: Introduce progress bars or achievements to keep users engaged and motivated. This fosters a sense of accomplishment and encourages them to explore further.

3. Deep linking creates a personalized fast track

• Deferred deep linking: Understand what users are looking for and deliver it directly. This involves sending user data (e.g., clicked ad) before app download. Upon installation, users are taken straight to the relevant in-app content. Branch reports a significant increase in signups, retention rates, and engagement when using deferred deep linking.

Optimize your onboarding strategy

• Metrics and data: Rely on usage data and user feedback to refine your onboarding process. A/B testing allows you to compare different approaches and identify the most effective user experience.

Find out what A/B testing is for ASO

• Interactive vs. self-exploration: Consider whether users prefer tutorials or a more self-guided discovery approach. In-app messages or tooltips can be introduced later when users are more familiar with the app.

Smart banners: Catalysts for app growth

Introducing Journeys smart banners

Branch’s Journeys smart banners serve as powerful tools for bridging the gap between website visitors and app users. These customizable banners deliver personalized experiences, driving app installs and fostering long-term loyalty.

Optimize your smart banner strategy

• Targeted messaging: Segment users based on their position in the conversion funnel and tailor banner types and placements for maximum impact.

• Visually appealing design: Integrate seamlessly with your website’s design while effectively capturing user attention. Leverage customization options to enhance the banner’s visual appeal and effectiveness.

• Compelling CTAs: The language used in smart banners significantly influences user behavior. Personalized CTAs and relevant messaging can dramatically improve click-through rates and drive app installations.

Incentivize installation

Offer discounts or exclusive content to motivate users to download the app. This increases the perceived value of the app, driving higher installation rates and long-term engagement.

The power of personalization

At least 70% of digital time takes place on mobile. So, you know you have a captive audience interacting with your brand on the mobile web. These users are prime targets for app promotion. Smart banners allow you to display targeted offers and incentives, such as discounts for app purchases, loyalty rewards, or exclusive app features. User intent also plays a crucial role. Personalize your CTAs to reflect user behavior. For example, “View Photos in App” instead of “Use the App” will significantly increase conversion rates.

• Customize based on intent: Tailor banners to the context of user arrival (e.g., organic search vs. referral link) and past behavior.

• Create smart CTAs: Craft calls to action that entice users to download the app, like “track your purchase in the app” or “download the app to get the most out of your subscription.” This continuity leads to higher conversion rates.

Smart banners deliver measurable benefits

• Reduced cost per Install: By targeting high-value users, smart banners reduce the cost of acquiring new users.

• Seamless user experience: Deferred deep linking ensures a smooth transition from web to app.

• Highly customizable & targetable: Smart banners cater to diverse needs with extensive customization options and precise targeting capabilities.

• Cost-effective: Compared to traditional marketing channels, smart banners offer a cost-effective way to acquire new users.

• Create effective CTAs: Consider the user journey when designing your smart banners. Larger banners work well for users acquired through email or social media, while smaller banners or buttons suffice for organic searches on your mobile website.

Maximizing app ROI: Strategies for success

• Developing a holistic marketing strategy: App marketing should align seamlessly with broader marketing initiatives, leveraging channels like paid, owned, and earned media to promote app awareness and drive downloads effectively.

Are you leveraging the app stores as a true marketing channel?

• Optimizing app store listings: Effective app store optimization enhances app visibility and encourages downloads. By optimizing metadata, visuals, and keywords, brands can improve their app’s ranking and attract more users organically.
• Directing users to the app: Efficient mobile linking solutions simplify the process of directing users to the app, regardless of the marketing channel. With solutions like Branch’s deep links, brands can seamlessly transition users from web to app, maximizing user acquisition opportunities.
• Implementing user review: Gathering user feedback is essential for app optimization and user retention. By soliciting reviews and insights, brands can identify areas for improvement and enhance the overall app experience continuously.

Learn more about app review sentiment analysis

• Exploring app monetization strategies: Choosing the right monetization model is crucial for long-term app success. Whether through ads, subscriptions, or in-app purchases, brands must balance revenue generation with user satisfaction and engagement.
• Prioritizing user retention: Retaining existing users is just as important as acquiring new ones. Push notifications, email campaigns, and loyalty programs can all contribute to ongoing user engagement and satisfaction, driving long-term app success.
• Attributing conversions: Effective attribution allows marketers to understand the impact of each marketing channel on app growth. By analyzing attribution data, brands can optimize marketing spend and focus on high-ROI channels, maximizing app ROI and overall effectiveness.

Conclusion

By implementing deep linking strategies and leveraging smart banners effectively, brands can enhance the mobile user experience, drive app installs, and maximize app ROI. With a comprehensive approach to app marketing and optimization, businesses can capitalize on the growing mobile app market and achieve long-term success.

To learn more about maximizing ROI and driving app installs, particularly in the diverse and dynamic EMEA region, check out this interview with Branch.