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Deep Link.
A deep link is a link that points directly to a subpage of a website rather than the homepage, for example to a specific service, an article or a product. In apps, the term refers to links that open a particular view inside an app.
Deep Link — Explained in Detail
On the web, every link that does not point to the homepage is a deep link. This matters for search engine optimisation because most of the backlinks a website earns naturally point to the homepage: in directories, partner lists, legal notices. The subpages that are supposed to rank for individual services or products only receive what internal linking passes on to them. An external link straight to the relevant subpage is therefore often more valuable.
In an app context, deep linking means that a link does not just open the app but goes straight to a specific place inside it, such as a product or an appointment. On iOS these links are called Universal Links, on Android App Links. If the app is not installed, the link lands on the matching web page. This matters for campaigns and emails, because every extra intermediate step costs drop-offs.
An example: a restaurant is mentioned in a city guide. The link points to the homepage. If we ask the publisher to link directly to the 'Lunch menu' or 'Reservations' page instead, readers land where they can take action, and the page that is supposed to rank for 'lunch Oerlikon' receives the signal directly.
Deep links in link building
With partner and client links, it pays to actively suggest a subpage that fits the linking content. A supplier reporting on a joint project is best off linking to the matching case study or service page. That is more natural than a keyword-rich anchor text pointing to the homepage, and it matches what a reader expects.
The same applies to directory and association listings: where the form offers a field for a website address, the relevant service or location page often makes more sense than the homepage. More on clean off-page signals under off-page SEO and link building.
Deep links in apps and web apps
In web apps and progressive web apps, every view should ideally be reachable through its own URL. Only then can links in emails, push notifications or chats point straight to the right content, and only then can search engines capture public content at all.
We plan this URL logic from the outset in web app projects, including the question of which views should be public and indexable and which stay behind a login.
Related Page
Ongoing SEOFrequently Asked Questions About Deep Link
A link that points directly to a subpage of a website, such as an article or a product, rather than the homepage. In apps, it is a link that opens a specific view inside the app.
Yes. External links straight to a thematically relevant subpage strengthen exactly the page that is meant to rank for a topic. Since most natural links point to the homepage, deep links are particularly valuable for individual service or product pages.
Backlink describes any link from another website to your own. Deep link describes the destination: a subpage rather than the homepage. A backlink can therefore be a deep link if it points to a subpage.
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