Deep Links are special links that open links to videos, collections, categories, or community posts inside your mobile app, and not the web browser. They are a great tool to keep mobile end users inside the context of the app, and drive your users to your mobile apps.

Deep links are automatically included and supported in your Uscreen iOS and Android mobile apps on version 3.8.0 or later, which was released in late September 2022.

You do not need to do anything special to enable deep links. They are automatically enabled! Just use URLs and links as you do normally. Your Uscreen apps are smart enough to handle opening in the mobile app, assuming app is downloaded.

Like many Uscreen customers, you probably send marketing emails about new videos, popular collections, or prominent community posts. With deep links, those links to videos and community posts conveniently open in the mobile app. This is super helpful for users who engage with your email on their smartphones. If the app is already downloaded, these links take them right from the email to the app!

Sometimes there are links in video descriptions, video comments, and community posts. Deep links ensures that these links open to the respective location inside the app. For example, a community post may link to a video. Selecting that link in the app takes you directly to that video.

For the technically inclined, Deep Links Support is possible with something called app association files. These files live on your website domain. They are the link between your website and mobile apps. They allow your website URLs to immediately open the corresponding content in your apps. So your website will contain two new files, that look like this for iOS and Android respectively

Good news! Uscreen automatically creates and manages these app association files. They are generated during your app setup process. You do not need to do anything special. Just use URLs and links as you do normally. Your Uscreen website and Uscreen apps handle opening links in the mobile app, assuming app is downloaded.

Please note, if you change your website domain, you will need to update your apps, and this will update these app association files. Updating your domain is pretty rare, but typically happens if you move from the uscreen.io domain to your domain, of if you change your company name and use a new domain. In these situations, be sure to request an app update so your apps function as expected after a domain change.