Google App Indexing lets your app content appear directly in Google Search results. When a user searches for something your app contains, Google can show a link that opens the app directly to that content, or prompt installation if the app is not installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is not just an SEO tactic. It is a user acquisition and re-engagement channel. Users who find your content through search and land directly in your app skip the browser entirely, resulting in higher engagement and better conversion rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This guide covers the full setup process: Digital Asset Links<\/a> verification, deep link handling, content indexing, and Search Console validation. For the broader app indexing strategy, see app indexing and SEO for mobile apps<\/a>. For Android App Links implementation, see the Android App Links guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google App Indexing connects your web content to your app content through deep links. The flow works like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two types of app indexing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before setting up app indexing, you need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Android App Links are the foundation of Google App Indexing. They tell Android (and Google) that your app can handle specific HTTPS URLs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In your The In each Activity, extract the URL and route to the correct content:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create the For your debug keystore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For your release keystore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use Google Play App Signing<\/a>, get the SHA-256 fingerprint from the Google Play Console under Setup > App signing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After hosting the file, verify it with Google's tool:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The response should include your app's package name and fingerprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tolinku<\/a> automatically generates and hosts the For Google to connect your web pages to your app content, add If your web URLs and app URLs use the same structure (recommended):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Add structured data<\/a> to your pages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Add app deep links to your XML sitemap<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Verify that your app handles deep links correctly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use the URL Inspection tool<\/a> in Google Search Console to test specific URLs. It shows whether Google can find your app link annotations and whether the page is eligible for app indexing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google provides an App Indexing API<\/a> that lets you proactively report viewed content from your app. This is optional but can help Google discover new content faster:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Google Search Console<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After linking, check:<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Google App Indexing Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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https:\/\/<\/code> URLs that match your website. This is the preferred method because it uses the same URLs as your website.<\/li>\nyourapp:\/\/products\/123<\/code>. These are less preferred because they require explicit annotation in your web pages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nPrerequisites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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assetlinks.json<\/code> file that declares your app as a handler for your domain.<\/li>\nStep 1: Set Up Android App Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Add Intent Filters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
AndroidManifest.xml<\/code>, add intent filters for the URLs your app handles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<activity android:name=".ProductActivity"\n android:exported="true">\n <intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">\n <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" \/>\n <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" \/>\n <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" \/>\n <data\n android:scheme="https"\n android:host="www.yourapp.com"\n android:pathPrefix="\/products" \/>\n <\/intent-filter>\n<\/activity>\n\n<activity android:name=".ArticleActivity"\n android:exported="true">\n <intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">\n <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" \/>\n <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" \/>\n <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" \/>\n <data\n android:scheme="https"\n android:host="www.yourapp.com"\n android:pathPrefix="\/articles" \/>\n <\/intent-filter>\n<\/activity>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nandroid:autoVerify="true"<\/code> attribute tells Android to verify your app's ownership of these URLs using Digital Asset Links.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHandle Incoming Deep Links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
class ProductActivity : AppCompatActivity() {\n override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {\n super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)\n\n val uri = intent.data ?: return\n val productId = uri.lastPathSegment ?: return\n\n \/\/ Load the product\n loadProduct(productId)\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 2: Host Digital Asset Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
assetlinks.json<\/code> file and host it at https:\/\/www.yourapp.com\/.well-known\/assetlinks.json<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n[\n {\n "relation": ["delegate_permission\/common.handle_all_urls"],\n "target": {\n "namespace": "android_app",\n "package_name": "com.yourapp.android",\n "sha256_cert_fingerprints": [\n "AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF:00:11:22:33:44:55:66:77:88:99:AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF:00:11:22:33:44:55:66:77:88:99"\n ]\n }\n }\n]\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nGet Your SHA-256 Fingerprint<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
keytool -list -v -keystore ~\/.android\/debug.keystore -alias androiddebugkey -storepass android -keypass android\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nkeytool -list -v -keystore your-release-key.keystore\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nVerify the File<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
curl -s "https:\/\/digitalassetlinks.googleapis.com\/v1\/statements:list?source.web.site=https:\/\/www.yourapp.com&relation=delegate_permission\/common.handle_all_urls" | python3 -m json.tool\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nassetlinks.json<\/code> file for your custom deep link domain based on your Appspace's Android configuration.<\/p>\n\n\n\nStep 3: Add Web Markup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
link<\/code> elements to your HTML pages:<\/p>\n\n\n\nOption A: App Links Meta Tags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<head>\n <!-- Android App Link -->\n <link rel="alternate" href="android-app:\/\/com.yourapp.android\/https\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123" \/>\n<\/head>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nOption B: Schema.org Markup<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<script type="application\/ld+json">\n{\n "@context": "https:\/\/schema.org",\n "@type": "Product",\n "name": "Product Name",\n "url": "https:\/\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123",\n "potentialAction": {\n "@type": "ViewAction",\n "target": [\n "https:\/\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123",\n "android-app:\/\/com.yourapp.android\/https\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123"\n ]\n }\n}\n<\/script>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nOption C: Sitemap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<urlset xmlns="http:\/\/www.sitemaps.org\/schemas\/sitemap\/0.9"\n xmlns:xhtml="http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml">\n <url>\n <loc>https:\/\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123<\/loc>\n <xhtml:link rel="alternate"\n href="android-app:\/\/com.yourapp.android\/https\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123" \/>\n <\/url>\n<\/urlset>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 4: Test App Indexing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Test with adb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
# Test a deep link\nadb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW \\\n -d "https:\/\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/123" \\\n com.yourapp.android\n\n# Verify App Links\nadb shell pm verify-app-links --re-verify com.yourapp.android\nadb shell pm get-app-links com.yourapp.android\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nTest with Google's URL Testing Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Test with the App Indexing API (Optional)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
import com.google.firebase.appindexing.FirebaseAppIndex\nimport com.google.firebase.appindexing.Indexable\n\nclass ProductActivity : AppCompatActivity() {\n override fun onStart() {\n super.onStart()\n\n val url = "https:\/\/www.yourapp.com\/products\/$productId"\n val indexable = Indexable.Builder()\n .setName(productName)\n .setUrl(url)\n .build()\n\n FirebaseAppIndex.getInstance(this).update(indexable)\n }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\nStep 5: Monitor in Search Console<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Link Your App<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Check Indexing Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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assetlinks.json<\/code>, broken deep links).<\/li>\nCommon Issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n