Deep Link Use Cases for the Travel Industry

Struggling to make it to the elite league of the travel app space? 

The top players are offering the same services and more or less the same features. 

However, what is it that they are doing differently? 

Most of them would restrict their viewpoint to discounts, UI, 24/7 chatbot assistance, etc. However, in many cases, the answer doesn’t lie in what’s visible but in the secret code working behind the scenes. And that’s deep linking!

In today’s fast-paced world, customer convenience is one of the key enablers of success, particularly when planning and designing travel plans.

Travelers usually feel frustrated when a link that promises the key to their dream holiday lands them on a homepage that requires them to begin searching from scratch!

Deep linking makes travel experiences more convenient and frictionless. They work as shortcuts that whisk users directly to a particular page or content, reducing their effort.

However, deep linking can benefit travel companies as much as users. Let’s see how.

• User Acquisition

Acquiring users in the travel industry is as challenging as every other. 

Merely offering discounts and offers doesn’t help. Users may not mind paying a little more for their dream holiday. However, they won’t think twice before switching to another provider if their experience is otherwise.

For example, you create an offer for Weekend Resorts Under $100 and a link for it. Fascinated by the offer, users click the link. But instead of the offer page, the link takes them to your app’s homepage (if they have the app). But if not, it takes them nowhere!

This is when you don’t implement deep links.

But if you do, the user lands on precisely the offer link and explores it easily. If they don’t have an app on their phone, the link will take them to the app install page, where they install the app, and then to the offer page (deferred deep linking).

Remember, while pace is part of a seamless user experience these days. Deep links help users get to the content they need, quickly and effortlessly, simplifying acquisition.

• Re-engagement

It is easy to get a user to install your app. But it is even easier for the user to install and forget it! So, how do you bring back such users who have your app but don’t bother to open it? Rather, they don’t see any reason to do that!

The answer is deep linking. It is a game-changer even when it comes to re-engagement, making every nudge precise, powerful, and purposeful.

Let’s say a user browsed hotels in New York but didn’t complete the booking. To bring back such users, you can create a deep link with a push notification urging them with a creative appeal, say, Still Looking for a Hotel in NYC? Book now and save up to 30%! This can remind the user and bring them back to the app, precisely to the NYC hotel listings.

While simplifying the process, it can also restore the user’s momentum and increase the potential for sales conversion. Yes, that’s how impactful deep linking is!

• Targeted SMS Campaigns

When done right, SMS marketing can work wonders, particularly for something time-sensitive. However, the strategy works only when it leads users to something relevant.

Deep linking helps you leverage the SMS campaign strategy.

For instance, you send an SMS, Flash Sale: Dubai Flights from Just $150! Ends Tonight. If it is a deep link, the user will straight away go to the booking page. So, no detours but a delightful shortcut and potentially, a booking!

• Loyalty and Referral Programs

Travel apps and players heavily depend on referrals. However, to gain referrals and make them loyal customers (frequent flyers or travelers), demands a hard-hitting strategy.

Deep linking makes referrals easier and even more rewarding – not only for the sender but the recipient as well. For instance, a loyal user shares a referral link with a friend through WhatsApp, saying, “I saved $20. You too can on your first hotel stay.” 

In response, that receiving friend installs the app and sees the $20 reward with top hotel recommendations near their location.

Referrals, loyalty, and new user acquisition – it can’t get better, can it?

And now, the Final Boarding Call!

Deep linking has emerged as a pathbreaker across the travel industry. 

You too can derive tangible benefits from it. 

But Firebase Dynamic Links (the default choice for deep linking) is up for closure soon. 

Thus, the answer, rather than the seamless drop-in replacement for it is ChottuLink. 

We are deep-linking service providers with comprehensive features and end-to-end support for multiple domains, including travel. Our features include custom domain support, deferred deep linking support, advanced analytics, and universal compatibility.

Excited? Join us, today and unleash the power of deep linking to the fullest with custom deep linking solutions.