The document discusses implementing deep linking and app indexing for mobile applications, specifically focusing on how to connect apps to web content effectively. Key steps include identifying deep links, modifying Android manifest files, and using Google Play Console for verification. Successful implementation allows users to access app content directly from search results and enhances user engagement through search autocomplete features.

1. App Indexing
Blurring the Lines Between your App and your Website
Juan Gomez

2. Intro
Who am I?
• Mobile Engineer at Eventbrite
• Previously at OneLouder Apps
• Android & Python Developer

3. Agenda
• Implementing Deep Linking on your App
• Including your app in the App Indexing Program
• Surfacing your app’s content on Search
Autocomplete.

4. Why deep linking?

5. Deep Linking Checklist
1. Identify deep links
2. Add Intent Filter to Android App
3. Add Code to Handle Intent Filter
4. Test Intent Handler

6. Identify Deep Links
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-great-dickens-christmas-fair-
5-weekends-one-friday-tickets-11925103305

7. Add Intent Filter to Android App
1.In your AndroidManifest.xml file, add one or more <intent-filter>
elements for the activities that should be launchable from deep links.
2.Add an <action> tag that specifies the ACTION_VIEW intent action.
3.Add a <data> tag for each data URI format the activity accepts. This
is the primary mechanism to declare the format for your deep links.
4.Add a <category> for both BROWSABLE and DEFAULT intent
categories.
• BROWSABLE: is required in order for the intent to be executable
from a web browser.
• DEFAULT: declares your app can accept an implicit intent. (not
required if you’re only providing deep links from Google Search
results)

8. Add Intent Filter to Android App

9. Add Code to Handle Intent Filter

10. Test Intent Handler
Using ADB on the command line:
Or you can use this website:
https://developers.google.com/app-indexing/webmasters/test

11. Success!

12. The downside of deep linking?
T h e ev i l c h o o s e r d i a l o g !

13. App Indexing Checklist
1. Create URL format for App Indexing
2. Add App Indexing Markup to your website
3. Connect your app using Google Play Console
4. Verify Your App in Webmaster Tools

14. URL format for App Indexing
android-app://com.eventbrite.attendee/http/www.eventbrite.com/e/the-great-
dickens-christmas-fair-5-weekends-one-friday-tickets-11925103305

15. Add App Indexing Markup
• For each of the deep links identified earlier, we
need to add additional markup.
• This markup allows the Google crawler to use deep
links to send users to your Android app.
• For most modern web application frameworks, this
should only involve changing a single template.

16. Add App Indexing Markup

17. Connect your app using
Google Play Console
• Sign in to your Google Play Developer Console.
• Click All Applications
• Select the application you'd like to verify.
• On the left menu, click Services & APIs.
• Under "App Indexing from Google Search", click Verify
website.
• Type your website address.
• Click Verify.

18. Connect your app using
Google Play Console

19. Verify Your App in Webmaster
Tools
• Go to Google Webmaster Tools.
• On the left menu, click All Messages.
• Open the verification request message (example:
"Google Play: Link http://www.yourwebsite.com to
Android application com.yourpackage.name").
• Click Approve the request.
• Review the information in the dialog.
• Click Approve

20. Verify Your App in Webmaster
Tools

21. Success!
(for real this time)
Search results should now go straight to your app.

22. Adding Search Autocomplete
1. Implement App Indexing
2. Verify Google Play Services Version
3. Create an API Client
4. Record a Page View
5. Record a Page View End
6. Test

23. Verify Google Play Service
Version
• The next thing we need to do is make sure that
Google Play Services enabled for our app.
• The App Indexing API requires Google Play
Services version 5.+
• minSdkVersion 17 or less.

24. Create an API Client

25. Record a Page View

26. Record a Page View End

27. Summary
• Use deep linking to redirect traffic from the web to
your app
• Implement App Indexing to allow Google search
result to send users directly into your app (and not
your website)
• Use the App Indexing API to expose content from
your app in Google’s query autocomplete.

28. Useful links
• https://developers.google.com/app-indexing/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh_W82JgOms
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjLJoMWSXts

29. Thank You!
Twitter: @_juandg
Email: jgomez@eventbrite.com
Lanyrd: lanyrd.com/profile/juandg/