Success in the food delivery industry is all about speed, convenience, and user experience.
With players like DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats competing for attention, user expectations have risen sharply.
A single moment of friction, be it during app download or checkout, can lead to abandonment.
For these companies, acquiring a user through an ad is just the beginning, the real challenge lies in converting that user into a paying customer and keeping them engaged over time.
Drop-offs in the user journey, especially between critical stages like ad click, app install, and first order, can result in significant lost revenue.
This is where smart linking comes in, a technology that makes sure that users are smoothly guided through the funnel, retaining their intent and improving the chances of conversion.
What Is Smart Linking?
Smart linking, also referred to as deep linking, is a method of creating intelligent URLs that take users to specific locations within an app instead of just launching the app’s home screen.
Unlike traditional links that may simply open the app or fail if the app isn’t installed, deep links direct users to targeted in-app content.
Traditional links often result in poor user experiences by losing the context of a user’s original click.
Deep links solve this by opening precise app screens, such as a specific restaurant or item.
Deferred deep links take this a step further by preserving user intent even if the app is not installed.
After the app is downloaded, the user is redirected to the exact location they intended to visit.
Platforms like iOS and Android support these functions through Universal Links and Firebase Dynamic Links, respectively.
Together, these linking technologies help maintain a consistent, relevant user experience across devices and operating systems.
The Food Delivery Funnel and Drop-off Points
The customer journey in food delivery apps typically starts with an ad click, perhaps a social media promotion or a Google ad.
From there, users are taken to the app store, install the app, open it for the first time, explore food options, build a cart, and finally proceed to checkout.
At each of these stages, users can, and often do, drop off. For instance, a user who clicks an ad may be discouraged by a slow or generic landing page.
After installing the app, the absence of context from the original offer can lead to confusion or apathy.
If users do begin building a cart, unclear pricing, complex navigation, or an impersonal interface can result in cart abandonment.
These drop-offs are often caused by friction in the user experience, a loss of the context that motivated the click, or poor alignment between ad messaging and app experience.
How Smart Linking Solves Drop-offs
Smart linking directly addresses the problem of drop-offs by delivering a smoother, more relevant user experience.
First, it creates a simple and smooth journey across platforms and devices.
For example, if a user clicks on an ad offering “30% Off on Pizza,” smart linking makes sure that they are taken directly to the pizza deal page within the app, rather than a generic home screen.
This alignment between user intent and in-app experience increases the likelihood of conversion.
One of the most powerful applications of smart linking is through deferred deep links, which preserve the context even if the app isn’t already installed.
A user who clicks on a burger discount ad and installs the app later will still be taken straight to the coupon screen upon opening the app. This prevents the loss of interest that often follows installation delays.
Smart links also play a crucial role in re-engagement. When used in push notifications, emails, SMS, or retargeting ads, they can bring users back into the app at the precise point where they left off.
For example, a user who abandoned a cart can be reminded and led directly back to the checkout screen with a personalized nudge.
Additionally, smart links support personalized experiences by adjusting destination content based on device type, location, previous orders, or behavior.
A user who frequently orders sushi might be led to the top sushi deals in their area, while another user might see only vegetarian options, making the experience extremely personalized.
Real-World Use Cases in Food Delivery
1) Major Food Delivery Platforms (e.g., DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats) use smart linking in various ways:
- Directing users to specific restaurant pages or deals via deep links, making the transition from ads to app content smooth
- Reducing drop-offs by aligning the content of promotions (like discounts or limited-time offers) with the corresponding in-app pages.
2) Influencer Marketing campaigns often utilize smart links:
- Influencers promote food items via social media (e.g., Instagram, TikTok), and the links guide users directly to the specific dish or deal being showcased.
- This reduces friction between user interest and completing the purchase, converting followers into customers.
3) QR Codes integrated into:
- Packaging, flyers, outdoor ads, or restaurant tables. These codes contain smart links that, when scanned, take users to specific app actions like reordering a favorite meal or unlocking an exclusive offer.
- This integration bridges the gap between offline engagement (billboards, restaurant tables, etc.) and online transactions, enhancing user experience.
4) Social Media Platforms play a crucial role:
- A food influencer’s Instagram story or TikTok video might feature a “Swipe Up” link, bringing users directly to the item being promoted in the app.
- Deferred deep linking ensures that even users who need to install the app are directed to the exact page (e.g., a discount or special offer) after installation, maintaining user intent and reducing drop-offs.
Here Comes AppsOnAir’s Smart Linking
Several platforms enable the creation and management of smart links, each offering unique features for modern mobile growth.
However, not all are built for the future.
And that’s why we encourage you to use AppsOnAir.
AppsOnAir stands out as the most future-ready alternative for dynamic and deferred deep linking, especially critical as Firebase Dynamic Links approaches deprecation in August 2025.
AppsOnAir delivers the best cross-platform experience, smart routing, and deferred deep linking, ensuring that even first-time users land exactly where they’re meant to after installing your app.
It also includes enterprise-grade security, real-time app updates (via CodePush alternative), and flexible pricing, making it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes.
While tools like Branch and Appsflyer offer deep linking with advanced attribution and campaign analytics, they often come with higher costs and added complexity.Â
AppsOnAir, by contrast, simplifies implementation without compromising power, offering reliable, developer-friendly deep linking backed by scalable infrastructure and responsive support.
If you're looking for a smart link solution that’s easy to integrate, future-proof, and built for scale, AppsOnAir is the clear leader.
Challenges and Best Practices
Despite its benefits, smart linking is not without its challenges. One common issue is app version compatibility, as some deep links may break or misbehave on older app versions.
Additionally, browser and OS limitations, such as restrictions in mobile Safari or certain Android environments, can impact the performance of smart links.
Data privacy changes, especially in Apple’s iOS 14 and beyond, have limited the ability to track users across devices, affecting attribution and retargeting accuracy.
To overcome these hurdles, best practices must be followed. Marketers and developers should rigorously test links across all major devices and platforms to ensure a consistent experience.
Implementing fallback URLs helps guide users to the mobile website or app store if the app cannot be opened.
It's also important to optimize links for readability and SEO, especially for campaigns involving web-to-app transitions.
Finally, using meaningful, human-readable URLs enhances trust and click-through rates, especially on social platforms.
Conclusion
In the high-stakes world of food delivery, every drop-off represents a missed opportunity, and potentially, a lost customer.
Smart linking addresses this by ensuring continuity, context, and personalization throughout the user journey.
It transforms an ad click into a complete order by making the process easy and as frictionless as possible.
As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even smarter applications of this concept, such as AI-powered dynamic linking and predictive contextual offers.
For food delivery marketers and developers, integrating smart linking into their growth strategy isn’t just a technical enhancement, it’s a strategic necessity.
The brands that do it right are the ones turning clicks into cravings and installs into loyal customers.
