Image
Top
Navigation
February 13, 2018

How to Make Deep Links and QR Codes For Group Pages in the Facebook App

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups in the Facebook Mobile AppFacebook groups have become a popular way for marketers to reach like-minded customers and prospects. Marketers now use Facebook groups to promote events, discuss industry news and engage with brand advocates.

Promoting groups on Facebook can be challenging especially when trying to reach targeted audiences. This is especially true if your company is just getting started with Facebook groups and your customers, prospects or audience is not yet accustomed to getting information about your company or brand through this channel. So the question becomes, how can marketers efficiently send traffic to a Facebook group from other channels (email, search, display advertising, websites) while minimizing clicks?

The answer is to link directly to your Facebook group vs. your Facebook profile. Using a browser, when you navigate to your Facebook group, notice the link in the address bar of your browser. It will look similar to this example:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1884013731857192/

The challenge in promoting typical links to group pages in Facebook is that they cannot always open the Facebook mobile app for iOS or Android. Depending on the platform, device and the context in which the link is clicked, the user will often be taken to the Facebook mobile website. In order to join the group or comment on the content, the user would need to login. Most people abandon in these mobile moments because the Facebook mobile app is typically already installed where the user is persistently logged in. As a result, promoting typical links to your Facebook groups might generate a lot of clicks but not many joins, comments or engagement.

Deep Linking to Group Pages in Facebook

Mobile App Deep Linking to Groups in Facebook

Deep Linking to Group Pages in Facebook

Solutions like URLgenius let marketers update links to Facebook groups to detect and open the Facebook mobile app directly to that particular group page. This makes it easy to join and engage with the group immediately. URLgenius links for groups in Facebook can be promoted from any channel and will consistently open the Facebook mobile app for iOS and Android.

Deep Linking to Group Pages in Facebook

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups Step-by-Step

In the following example, we will create a deep link to a Facebook group called Gardening Hints and Tips. Users of URLgenius can follow these steps to create deep links to your organization’s group page in the Facebook mobile app for iOS and Android.

  • Navigate to your Facebook group and copy the link from the address bar of your web browser
  • Paste the link into the box provided on the URLgenius homepage
  • When you select ‘Compose’ you will be taken to the settings page for the link

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups in the Facebook Mobile App for iOS and Android

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

  • At the settings page you can copy your link for use in any marketing channel
  • You can also scan the QR code to test the link
  • You also instantly create a QR code which can be downloaded for offline marketing
  • Tip: Learn how to create QR codes for any web URL or app destination

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

Linking to Facebook Pages in the Facebook Mobile AppDeep Linking to Facebook Groups

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

Tracking App Opens on iOS and Android

Another benefit of app deep linking platforms like URLgenius is reporting. You can append any campaign tracking parameters for web or channel analytics solutions like Google Analytics, either before or after you compose your URLgenius link. In addition, if your email platform dynamically appends UTM campaign parameters, platforms like URLgenius can maintain them upon click through.

App deep linking dashboards like URLgenius also provide you with at-a-glance reporting for clicks, app opens to your Facebook group on iOS and Android, referring URL and geography.

Here is an example chart for daily clicks:

App Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

App Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

App Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

This next chart shows app opens on iOS and Android:

App Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups in the Facebook App for iOS and Android

App Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

Marketers may also want to know what state and referring URL is driving the most interest in your Facebook group:

App Deep Linking to Facebook Groups

Deep Linking to Facebook Groups in the Facebook App for iOS and Android

Deep Linking to Groups in the Facebook Mobile App

You should also update the link to your main profile page as well as links to any other sections that you want to promote more directly including videosevents and reviews.

Login and make sure to update all your Facebook links for higher conversion and audience engagement!


See these “how-to” articles for more deep linking and QR code best practices:

Comments

  1. Sorina

    Amazingly helpful! Thank you!

    • Scott Allan

      Thanks Sorina – glad you found us! 🙂

Submit a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.