How do public URL shorteners affect email deliverability and what are the best practices for app download links in email?

Public URL shorteners can negatively impact email deliverability due to potential spam flags and reputation damage. Experts and marketers recommend a shift towards using branded short links or custom domains for URL shortening and tracking. A custom tracking domain aligns with your brand and builds trust with ISPs, which is good for deliverability. Avoid free URL shorteners in email campaigns because they can be flagged as spam. Additionally, maintain transparency in URLs by avoiding link cloaking, which can negatively affect deliverability. Balance shortened URLs with direct links to your domain. Third party reputation should be considered. When linking to app downloads, provide a seamless and pleasant user experience, ideally by using App Links for Android and Universal Links for iOS, which involves setting up proper intent filters and associating your website with your app, or by directing users to a landing page that detects the user's device and redirects them to the appropriate app store. Deep linking directs users to specific in-app content. Monitor your link reputation and avoid bad neighborhoods.

Public URL shorteners can negatively impact email deliverability due to potential spam flags and reputation damage. Best practices for app download links include using branded short links or custom domains for URL shortening and tracking, balancing shortened links with direct links, and avoiding link cloaking. Providing a seamless user experience with a landing page that detects the user's device and redirects them appropriately to the app store is crucial.

Experts recommend designing a pleasant "get the app" experience across all devices, ideally directing users to the app store. When this isn't possible, a branded page with store links and phone number texting options is suggested. Utilizing a custom domain with URL shorteners can be beneficial. Furthermore, caution should be exercised regarding the reputation of third-party link trackers, with a preference for using your own URLs due to safety concerns associated with many URL shorteners.

Technical documentation emphasizes the use of App Links (Android) and Universal Links (iOS) for seamless app transitions from emails, requiring proper intent filter setup and website-app association. Deep linking is crucial for directing users to specific in-app content. Links in emails affect sender reputation, necessitating monitoring and avoidance of links to poor-reputation sites. URLs must conform to established standards, with careful attention to character safety and thorough post-rendering testing.