Displaying the content of iOS applications in Google Search results and other good news

Hi, Habr! Just a couple of days ago, we talked about displaying the content of Android applications in Google search results. But we didn’t stop there and today we present you the indexing of iOS applications. Now, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users can also open mobile app pages right from the Search results!



This feature will be available to iDevice owners in the coming weeks. For its work, you will need to log in to your Google account through our official application or Google Chrome browser, after which you will be able to receive content from the first indexed applications.

How to request indexing of your iOS application

Unfortunately, we cannot yet provide access to this feature to anyone. To date, this opportunity is implemented in a limited number of applications from the most popular and responsible developers, who are fluent in iOS development and have a large enough audience to successfully test innovations. But this does not mean that you can not join them. In the near future, all software companies will be able to index their applications. In the meantime, we recommend that you prepare.
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Four simple steps, and you will be one of the first to take advantage of direct access to application content from search results!

1. Implement support for content links in your iOS app;
2. Make sure that you can return to the search results from a single click;
3. Create descriptions of links to content in your application on your site;
4. Send us an index request . Remember that sending a request does not guarantee the appearance of links to the content of your iOS application in Google search results.

Links to content in applications using goo.gl

The second good news also concerns the integration of applications in the modern Web. Thanks to new features for indexing application content, from this day goo.gl can be used not only to point to web pages, but also to create short links to content inside your mobile applications.

In order for this feature to work, you need to index the Android or iOS application . After indexing the content, you will be able to create special URLs goo.gl, which will lead not only to a specific page of the site, but also to open the content of your choice inside your mobile application (if it is installed), simplifying the lives of mobile device owners.

If the user does not have your application installed, the link will work “in the old manner” and send it to your website. This feature supports both new and previously created short URLs goo.gl.


^{Zillow places a short URL on its Twitter page that allows you to go to a specific page within its application.}

Universal links for everyone

You can use the URL Shortener API in the “share” function of your application, after which users of any devices will be able to share the universal short links goo.gl for content within your application, as well as place them on their resources.

Here's how it works: Suppose you want to share the address of your favorite restaurant using the Google Maps application. Since it supports sharing with new goo.gl links for different platforms, when you click on the Share button, a single short URL will be created that is convenient to share. When clicking on such a link, the system determines the user's platform and the presence of the Google Maps application. If it is installed, the content will be shown directly in it. Otherwise, the user will go to the page with this content on the Maps.

Try it yourself! To do this, open the following link on your smartphone with the Google Maps application: http://goo.gl/maps/xlWFj .

Setting links to content in goo.gl

Working with our link shortener is easy:

1. First, index your Android or iOS app. To do this, follow the instructions on the g.co/AppIndexing page so that we can collect data about existing content. Please note that, unlike content links in Google Search, goo.gl links are available to all Android or iOS application developers. When the indexing is complete, the short goo.gl links will redirect to your application;
   
2. You can also implement the URL Shortener API in the “share” function of your application or email list.
   In this case, links will automatically be created, according to which users can go directly to your application.
   

At the Google I / O conference , which takes place this week, the question of indexing applications will be covered in more detail: follow the broadcast and do not miss anything. Documentation for this feature can be found at g.co/AppIndexing . If you have any questions, ask them in the help forum for webmasters or here in the comments to the post.