The app-y world we love so much is not quite the same as the web. It’s better, you might say and that would be indisputably true. But what gives?
The mobile apps throw up a few challenges. Unlike the web, which has the ubiquitous unique resource locater, or URL, the app lacks a similar universal address for its pages. Consequently, it limits users’ ability to easily, and directly, navigate so-called deep links within an app, or even share them universally. The difficulties mount with varied mobile operating systems such as iOS, Android, Windows and BlackBerry.
This is why several mobile technology companies including Criteo (Nasdaq: CRTO), the French company with a significant presence in Sydney, have come together to fine-tune the Uniform Resource Identifier, or URI, the mobile equivalent of the web’s URL.
Creating the URL for apps
The URI is the address for content in a mobile app. But the catch is: these are not so unique. In different mobile operating systems, the URI is different. This causes obvious difficulties for content publishers but even more so for advertisers and marketers who need to take the user directly to a desired location.
Led by the trio of Criteo, and the New York firms of TapCommerce and ActionX, the Mobile Deeplinking project will seek to tweak and, where necessary, create technologies that will help mobile app publishers create a seamless cross-media user experience.
Jason Morse, VP Mobile, Criteo, says his firm woke up to the challenges with its acquisition of Ad-X Tracking, a mobile marketing analytics company.
“Criteo quickly recognized the issues with current deep-linking specifications. By providing a set of guidelines, tools and source code we believe app developers will be able to enhance the user experience and increase app engagement,” he said.
Project to focus on iOS, Android
ActionX’s CEO Evan Schwartz says his firm has already seen “deeplinking drive significant performance improvements for our retail, travel, and media subscription clients.” Guiding consumers to the most relevant section of an app from an ad is a huge marketing win, and this new standard makes it easy for app developers big and small to drive more revenue, he adds.
The Mobile Deeplinking Project will initially focus on iOS and Android, and target Windows later in the year. It will make available all source code on GitHub. Besides Criteo, TapCommerce and ActionX, the working group includes contributors from Flurry and MoPub. If you want to become a contributor write to [email protected].
