How to Generate YouTube Mobile App Links That Open in the App

Published on February 05, 2022

YouTube How to Generate YouTube Mobile App Links That Open in the App video content and advertising continues to be a hot topic among marketers. The social network is still growing and is predicted to reach 2.8 billion users by 2025— a staggering achievement.

Most video consumption is happening on mobile devices and within many different social networks— including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and (of course) now TikTok. Video ad formats are also quickly evolving providing media planners and content creators with a wide range of ad formats for reaching a targeted audience. To maximize views, subscribers, and engagement, however, marketers need to promote their videos off-site using deep links that open the YouTube app to specific profiles, videos, and playlists while avoiding that YouTube mobile website login which is typically seen when linking to YouTube from other apps including social apps like Facebook.

Have you as a consumer ever clicked on a YouTube link and— even though you have the YouTube app installed on your phone— you're sent to the YouTube web login? Have you ever wondered why YouTube links don't open in the app? That experience hurts the pace at which you grow subscribers not to mention likes and comments. In other words, you're losing subscribers each time you send a visitor to that web login! This is not YouTube's but something called the 'walled garden' effect which is a challenge that the industry has when linking app-to-app.

This post tells you how to solve this issue by creating smoother app-to-app deep links.

How YouTube App URL Links (Deep Links) Solve for the Walled Garden

URLgenius allows marketers to update their YouTube profile and video links so that they can open the Youtube app from another app when detected on the user's mobile device. Deep linking to the YouTube app vs. website will help you increase subscribers, views, and engagement. URLgenius lets your visitor securely leave the app their in (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and open the YouTube app to the right screen.

Generate YouTube App Deep Links for Profiles, Channels, Videos, or Playlists

YouTube accounts have a profile link and each video posted also has a link that can be used in advertising, email, paid search, and social. For example, the following link is to the YouTube profile for the Coca-Cola brand. Notice some profile links (not all) have the word 'user' in the path:

https://www.youtube.com/user/cocacola

Here is an example link to a YouTube channel. Notice it has the word channel in the path:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAUO8EhsSTz02stvKDupChQ

Video links in turn have the word watch in the path:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2F5uzctjOs

And here's a link to a playlist that is in the path:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCIVZWq1FAwfUUrkJNUCbmDsJflahL-I1

Clicking these typical YouTube links to profiles, channels, videos, or playlists using a smartphone will typically bring you to the YouTube mobile web login even if you have the YouTube app installed. This is especially true when clicking YouTube links from within other apps like Facebook and other social apps. Even if the content is public and viewable from Facebook's internal browser, when attempting to subscribe, like, or comment, you will be asked to log in. At this point most people abandon. This leads to lost subscribers, engagement, and ultimately revenue. Here's how to fix it!

Did you know? Cross-promoting your social profiles are a great way to maximize social engagement across social media platforms:

Step-by-Step: How to Generate Deep links to Open the YouTube App from Facebook and Other Apps

Most YouTube users have the app installed on their individual mobile devices. URLgenius enables you to create deep links to the YouTube mobile app vs. website providing your visitors with a more seamless content experience. This will increase subscribers to your channel, as well as likes and comments on your video content.

Just follow these steps to update your profile, channels, videos, and playlists:

Sign up and log in to URLgenius
Once logged in, you're ready to update your YouTube profile and video links
Copy your YouTube profile, channel, video, or playlist link from the address bar of your browser
Paste the link into the box on the URLgenius home page
Note there is a field for customizing the end of your link
For example, let's create a deep link to the Coca-Cola YouTube profile
When the link is pasted notice the YouTube icon is highlighted
This tells you that URLgenius understands the link type
Optional: Notice the pre-populated field that contains four random characters
You can customize this part of the path for tracking purposes by channel or campaign
For example, you could change it to say ‘fall-campaign” or “email-campaign”
In our example, we will make it 'cocacola2023'
Click the “Compose URL” button and you are then brought to the settings page where you can copy the link for use in another marketing channel
Scan the QR code with your mobile device to test the behavior of the link or email it
Copy your URLgenius YouTube deep link and use it in your other marketing channels
To go back and get this link later just click 'Console' from the menu

QR Codes for the YouTube App

Doing a multi-channel campaign to promote your YouTube channel? Lucky for you, every URLgenius YouTube app deep link also has a corresponding QR code.

Create a branded YouTube app deep link and custom QR code to use online or offline to promote your channels, videos, and playlists. Use them in posters, retail displays, tradeshows, and giveaway promotions. Just click on 'QR Settings' to find and download your YouTube QR code.

Where to place your URLgenius deep links for YouTube

Use it behind the YouTube icon on your website
Place it behind the YouTube icon in your email templates
Use the URLgenius YouTube link in your Instagram profile and other social networks
Utilize in social media ads to promote your YouTube channels and playlists

Pro tip: Connect your YouTube account to your Google Analytics account and include campaign tracking parameters on your YouTube link when you create your URLgenius link.

URLgenius Deep Linking Metrics for YouTube

You can log in to URLgenius anytime to understand traffic trends on the 'Performance' tab in the link settings or click 'Activity' from the menu and enter a date range.

The next chart below shows the number of YouTube app-opens by platform.
Using these charts, you can estimate what percentage if your social engagers have installed the YouTube mobile app for iOS and Android.
And here’s a chart example of clicks by approximate city location
You'll also be happy to know that all URLgenius data is anonymous and compliant with today's latest privacy policies
There may be a one-hour delay in reporting

Update your profile links in the same way for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and even Amazon and other marketplaces. Login now and get started.

Sign-up and log in now and get started.

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