TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is a Deeplink?
- Get Started: Creating Deeplinks
- Tracking Click Statistics for Deeplinks
Driftscape equips users with powerful tools for seamless navigation, but when you need to guide your visitors to specific points of interest, our deeplink feature takes it to the next level. This feature allows you to create targeted links that direct visitors exactly where you want them to go, enhancing their experience and engagement.
What is a Deeplink?
Deeplinks are a powerful tool for promoting your content in Driftscape. These links will direct your visitors directly to the content you want them to see, regardless of the device they are using or whether or not they have already installed the app. They can point to specific POIs, sets of POIs, and much more. Full deeplink functionality is described below.
Use deeplinks in your social media channels, web site, emails, marketing efforts, and even use them for QR Codes you can print and post at locations to encourage users to scan on-site!
Deeplinks can be setup to do many different things, including:
Display only your organization’s content
Display a set of selected content
Open a particular POI [Point of Interest], such as a tour or place
On Mobile or Desktop, with or without Driftscape installed, Deeplinks will work to point your visitors to the content you want them to see:
When used from a mobile device, if Driftscape is installed, then the app is opened and the deeplink action is performed to showcase your content.
When used from a mobile device and Driftscape is not installed yet, then the user is taken to the app store, where they can download and install the app. After the app is installed and the initial content is synced to our server, the deeplink action will occur.
When used from a desktop browser, Driftscape for Web is opened. Driftscape for Web also supports most deeplink actions noted below, including opening a POI or highlighting your organization’s content.
You can scan deeplink QR Codes from Driftscape AR Mode in iOS and Android. This will perform the deeplink action as well. This is great for indoor spaces or exhibits where you can attach QR Codes on a place near the POI.
Organization deeplinks opened from a desktop browser will open Driftscape for Web and perform the same action (where supported, see the action notes below).
Get Started: Creating Deeplinks
Step 1: Create your deeplink generator sheet
Make a copy of this sheet for your organization: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ivqr2KggdWBhqEI30u4vsKbnQq8902bNoTRfvLClPgo/edit?usp=sharing
Step 2: Understanding your deeplink generator sheet
Column A: Description of Deeplink
Use this column for internal notes, so your team can easily identify the purpose of each deeplink.
Column B: Base Branch Deeplink
Each organization in Driftscape gets a unique base deeplink (URL) they can customize themselves to promote their content. These can be used to open a POI, select all the content in your organization, and much more.
Ask your Driftscape Customer Success representative to get your organization’s deeplink base URL. Please contact support@driftscape.com.
Column C & D: Select an Action and Define Parameters
In these columns, specify the action you want each deeplink to perform. Below, you'll find a list of actions and parameters along with their definitions.
open_feature[f]: will start Driftscape and open the POI details you direct it to with the UUID.
Parameter: Set to ‘driftscape_feature_uuid’. This will work regardless of the current filter settings. This action is fully supported in Driftscape for Web.
Open_feature_scroll[u]: same as open_feature, but scrolls the opened POI web view to the bottom of the content.
open_feature_map[m]: will start Driftscape in map view with the POI in close-in view and the map callout displayed.
Parameter: Set to ‘driftscape_feature_uuid’. This will turn on the parent organization for this POI, and disable search filtering, if required to show the POI on the map. In Driftscape for Web, this action is the same as the open_feature action.
select_org[s]: will start Driftscape, and turn off all categories and organizations and select only this organization, return to main map mode, clear any existing search, zoom in on the POI for the organization.
Parameter: Set to ‘driftscape_org_id’. This action is supported in Driftscape for Web, but other organization content may be visible as well (depending on the base deeplink content): the map is zoomed to encompass the selected organization.
open_org[o]: will start Driftscape and open the details for an organization.
Parameter: Set to ‘driftscape_org_id’ and the numeric integer org ID. This action is supported in Driftscape for Web.
select_orgs[z]: will start Driftscape, and turn off all categories and organizations and select only these organizations (that is, multiple organizations), return to main mode, clear any existing search, zoom in on the POI for the organizations.
Parameter: Set to ‘driftscape_org_ids’ - comma separate list of organization. This action is not supported in Driftscape for Web.
open_search[e]: go to main mode, turn on all categories and orgs, clear any existing search, enter the specified search filter terms (see next section: "Here are the parameter values referenced above"), and zoom in on the filtered POIs. This action is supported in Driftscape for Web.
Parameter: Set to ‘search_filter[f]’
open_search_list[l]: same as open_search, but also switches to list view. This is useful to tag select content with a unique search term (like ‘TorontoCurrentEvents’), and then use this to show that sub-content in list view. Add the tag to the content itself, in the description box (it will be visible to users). This action is not supported in Driftscape for Web.
open_search_plain[r]: Zooms in on the filtered POIs. Does NOT change any current non-search filter settings.
org_events[v]: will start Driftscape, and turn off all categories and organizations and select only this organization, return to main list mode, clear any existing search, and select only events (turns off places and tours). Use this to display the ‘current events’ for an organization.
Parameter: Set to ‘driftscape_org_id’. Note: This action does nothing in Driftscape for Web.
subscribe_org[c]: similar to open_org in that it will open the organization details, this will also subscribe the user to that organization for push notifications, if supported for that organization. This action is not supported in Driftscape for Web.
select_category[g]: Specify the category id with the category parameter below. Clears all search and other filters. The ‘mode’ parameter is supported with this action. This action does nothing in Driftscape for Web.
Parameter: Set to ‘category’.
Column E: Understanding and Defining the Parameter Value
Parameter values allow the deeplink to gather the necessary information for the action you want it to perform by linking it to the corresponding data in the CMS.
driftscape_feature_uuid[i]: from the CMS, find the POI you want to promote. Edit the POI (or tour stop), and at the top you will see the UUID. Alternatively, you can use the short POI id, which is displayed in the URL itself when you open the POI. These screenshots of an edited POI show where to get the UUID and POI id:
OR Alt ID
driftscape_org_id[o]: the organization id. Find the organization in the CMS, and the org id is listed in the table.
driftscape_org_ids[z]: the integer organization ids list, each item separated by a comma. Find the organizations in the CMS, and the org id is listed in the CMS tables.
search_filter[f]: the search terms to apply. Be careful with certain symbols in the search text: you may have to URL encode the values in the parameter (for example, ‘&’ or ‘?’). Generally, if just using alphanumeric characters and spaces, you can just add them. The generator spreadsheet automatically URL encodes the text for you.
category[c]: the name of the category to select. Provide this parameter with the ‘select_category’ action.
scroll_to_bottom[l]: use with the ‘open_feature’ action. Set to ‘1’ to cause the opened POI to scroll to the bottom of the content. Otherwise, the POI is opened to the top of the content.
Column F: Specify a Toast Message
(Optional) Enter a brief message (under 200 characters) that will briefly appear at the bottom of the screen to inform users of what has been presented. This parameter can be used with any deeplink action. Note that certain symbols (like ‘&’ or ‘?’) are URL encoded in the parameter. This feature is supported only in the mobile apps and will be ignored in Driftscape for Web.
Column G: Specify a Mode
This tells the mobile app and/or the web app what mode it should display the action in. Choices are:
m (map view)
l (list view)
a (ar mode).
Note: This option works with only these actions: select_org, open_search, open_search_list, show_all, and select_category.
Column H: Works in Web App?
This column indicates if the deeplink you have entered works in the web app. All gray columns indicate formulas that you should not change.
Once you’ve defined columns B to H, columns I and J provide two types of deeplinks:
Column I: A short, user-friendly link ideal for social media or any channel where the link is visible.
Column J (optional): A longer link displaying all actions and parameters, suitable for embedding in other locations.
Both of these deeplinks do the same thing, and can be used interchangeably.
Tracking Click Statistics for Deeplinks
Driftscape does not collect or provide any tracking data to customers for deeplinks. If you want to track the performance of the deeplinks in your own campaigns, you should do that in the marketing tools you use with them. For example, if you are using the deeplinks in a social media campaign such as Facebook, then track the statistics there. Or, if you are using the deeplink in a web page, then use Google Analytics with an event tag to track performance.
Our deeplinks will work with third-party marketing tools that ‘wrap’ the URL for tracking purposes. For example, most email campaign tools will replace the link with a custom link that redirects to the associated deeplink. This will work properly on Android, iOS and Driftscape for Web.
If you need further assistance contact support@driftscape.com!
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