Guide Users with In-App Message Navigation Actions
In-App messages are a powerful tool to engage your users and guide them through your app. MoEngage offers three distinct navigation actions that you can add to your in-app message widgets: Navigate to Screen, DeepLink, and Rich Landing. These actions direct users to specific locations within your app or to external content, enhancing their journey and improving feature adoption.
This article explains how to configure these navigation actions within your in-app messages and outlines the purpose of each method.
Configure In-App Navigation Actions
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Prerequisites Ensure that you are at Step 2 of creating an In-App campaign. For more information, see Create In-App Campaign. |
Follow these steps to configure navigation actions in your In-App campaign:
- After you select a template in the Content section, select a widget to add a navigation action.
- Scroll down to the Actions section, and then click + Actions.
- From the dropdown list, select Navigation.
- Select one of the three available radio buttons for your navigation action:
- Navigate to screen
- DeepLink
- Rich Landing
- Select the target screen or enter the target URL.
- Click Next.
Understand Navigation Options
This action sends users to a specific screen within your app when they tap the configured widget. It is designed to keep users within your app, guiding them seamlessly between different sections or features.
- What it does: Opens a specified screen within the current app.
- When to use it: Guide users through onboarding flows, direct them to new features, promote specific product categories, or encourage content consumption without leaving your app.
- How to configure: Select the target screen from the dropdown list in the MoEngage platform. Your app's screens must be defined in MoEngage for this option to work.
Deep links allow you to direct users to specific content or screens within your app, to another app, or to an external website. Unlike the "Navigate to Screen" action, deep links can open external applications or web content, offering broader redirection capabilities.
- What it does: Opens a specific screen within your app, another app, or an external URL.
- When to use it: Redirect users to an app store if they do not have your app installed, lead them to a specific product page on your e-commerce site, or open a social media app from your campaign.
- How to configure: Enter the desired URL or deep link in the input box. Deep links require specific setup within your app by your development team to function correctly.
Deep Link Implementation Considerations for Developers
Implementing deep links requires specific technical setup within your application to ensure they resolve correctly on different platforms (Android, iOS, Flutter, etc.). Digital marketers should coordinate closely with their development teams to ensure deep links are properly configured and tested before campaign launch.
Handling DeepLinks for Native Frameworks
Android
- Create a DeepLink and add it to the manifest file. Refer to the Android documentation.
- Ensure the links are added to the manifest, otherwise, it will open the browser instead of the app screen.
- After following the above steps, add the DeepLink to the input box while creating the campaign.
iOS
- Add the URL scheme (not the entire URL) in the build settings within the Info.plist file.
- After following the above steps, add the DeepLink to the input box while creating the campaign.
Handling DeepLinks for Hybrid Frameworks (e.g., Flutter)
MoEngage SDK does not handle in-app redirections by default for hybrid frameworks, unlike push notifications. Except for Rich Landing pages, you must implement in-app click callback methods.
- Implement in-app click callback methods in your root/app widget.
- Call the moengage_plugin.initialise() method after registering for callbacks.
- In these callbacks, handle the redirection for DeepLink or screen-based redirection.
Refer to the detailed callback documentation for further guidance.
By following these steps, you can effectively configure and manage different navigation actions within the MoEngage dashboard, ensuring a smooth and engaging user experience
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Information For detailed implementation steps and callback methods required to handle deep links in native (Android, iOS) and hybrid frameworks (for example, Flutter), refer to the MoEngage Developer Documentation for In-App NATIV. |
Rich landing pages display web content directly within your app's web view. This action ensures users remain within your app environment while viewing web pages, providing a seamless and integrated user experience.
- What it does: Opens a specified HTTPS URL inside a web view within your app.
- When to use it: Show product detail pages, display survey forms, present promotional content, or share blog posts without directing users out of your app.
- How to configure: Enter the complete HTTPS URL of the web page you want to display.
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Important Only HTTPS URLs are supported for rich landing pages. HTTP URLs will not load. |
Compare Rich Landing and Deep Link
The table below highlights the key differences between rich landing pages and deep links:
| Aspect | Rich Landing | Deep Link |
|---|---|---|
| Content Display | Within the app’s web view | Within the app or externally (browser, other apps) |
| User Experience | Keeps the user within the app | Can direct the user out of the app |
| Primary Use Case | Displaying web content seamlessly within the app (for example, product details, surveys) | Directing to specific in-app screens, external websites, or other apps (for example, app store redirect, specific content) |
| Technical Requirements | Requires HTTPS URLs | Requires app-side configuration of URL schemes and intent filters by developers |
| Advantages | Enhanced user retention, seamless transition for web content | Versatility, broader reach across apps and web |
| Examples | In-app product detail pages, survey forms, promotional content, blog posts | Redirect to specific app sections, open external websites, or direct to app stores |
By using these navigation actions effectively, you can configure and manage diverse user experiences within the MoEngage dashboard, ensuring smooth and engaging user journeys.