January 27, 2018
Anna Hubbel
[bctt tweet=”@Snapchat introduces #DeepLinks for better #AppInstall #targeting. #snapchatads” username=””]
Snapchat is digging a little deeper for advertisers. According to Ad Week, advertisers can now go beyond ads that just promote app installs with Snapchat’s new deep links, which prompt users to re-engage with previously visited sections of the app. It’s deeper targeting for users who have already downloaded the advertiser’s app.
For example, a clothing retailer could use a deep link to prompt a user to revisit a product that was viewed but didn’t make it to the checkout phase. Or a video game marketer could use deep links to encourage users to finish levels or move on to the next level of the game previously started. Users are given a more interactive experience that feels personalized. Deep links are essentially the next level up, after app installs, in consumer targeting.
Previously, according to Ad Week, advertisers could only include deep links in their campaigns if they created the landing pages or buttons on their own. Now, however, the process is automatic upon app install, making Snapchat advertising a little more convenient. Here’s a GIF created by Ad Week that demonstrates the deep link function with the Bitmoji app.
Measurement
On top of the deep links feature, app marketers will also have access to the statistics measure attribution, which tracks what media elements most effectively drive app downloads. In particular, ad views and swipes data are available to marketers within three time windows, according to Ad Week: one day, one week, or 28 days. There is also an additional measurement that tracks the number of users who viewed an ad but didn’t download the app until later (up to one week).
To top it off, a separate set of metrics indicates users’ use of the app after downloading it. In other words, specific sections or features the user visited within the app are tracked and measured for the convenience of the advertiser.
Brands Are Taking Notice
Snapchat’s app-install ads are growing in popularity across brands as Snap Inc. continues to roll out various ad-friendly tools and features such as deep links. Companies are discovering that Snapchat users are drawn to the competition of friendly app games or the ease of making purchases through a retail app.
As reported by Ad Week, Etermax, creator of the infamous Trivia Crack game app, reported success with Snapchat app-install ad tests. The ads allegedly attracted users who are 25 percent more likely to continue playing the game after one week in comparison to other social platforms. Additionally, time spent playing the game was double the time spent on the game when downloaded through other platforms such as Facebook. Cost per install and cost per signup were also 20 percent lower than those of competing platforms.
Zaful, a women’s clothing retail app, also reported a cost per install 20 percent lower than that of any other platform or media channel.
With the deep links feature added to the already growing success of app-install ads, Snapchat is making more than a small wrinkle in the fabric of social advertising.
