When a user views or clicks on one of your ads, they are activating a link that notifies your attribution provider of the view or click. The attribution provider uses this information to track mobile app installs and re-engagements. The link can include other information, which will eventually be displayed in your reports.

Singular Links are Singular’s new tracking link solution. Marketers can create and manage their Singular Links through an intuitive UI that walks the user through all the available options for link behavior, attribution settings, and additional information to include in the link.

Singular Links automatically leverage iOS Universal Links and Android intent technology to create deep links whenever possible (see the Prerequisites).

Here is an example of a Singular Link - you can try it out on your iOS or Android device:

https://singularassist.sng.link/A59c0/nha7?_dl=singularassist%3A%2F%2F

Deep links are links that not only open the app on the user’s device (if the user already has the app installed) but also show specific app content or a specific user experience instead of just opening the app’s default screen.

 Learn more in our Deep Linking FAQ.

When a user clicks a regular link on the web, such as www.linkedin.com, the browser asks the URL’s server (in this case, LinkedIn) what it should do, and in return the URL’s server gives the browser some HTML to display to the user.

When a user clicks a tracking link, the link provider’s server tell the user’s browser to go to a different URL instead (the redirect URL), and to serve the content from that URL. The redirection is usually performed via HTTP 302.

In the context of deep linking, a fallback redirect is a redirect destination that you want to take the user to in case the deep link fails.

Typically, if a user clicks an ad for your app, you want the deep link to send them into a specific screen inside the app. But if the user doesn’t already have the app installed, you want to redirect the user to the app store instead, so they can download your app.

Singular tracking links have the following structure, where [SUB-DOMAIN] is chosen by you:

https://[SUB-DOMAIN].sng.link/[PARAMETERS]

For example, for a campaign that markets an app called Jewel Rush, you can create the sub-domain “jewelrush”. Then you can use it to create tracking links with the following structure:

https://jewelrush.sng.link/[PARAMETERS]

You can create a single sub-domain and use it for all your links, or you can create several to use for different purposes. You have to create at least one sub-domain.

Partners are services that are integrated with Singular’s attribution service.

When you create a Partner link, Singular automates the process by:

• Displaying only the options that are supported by that partner. For example, some partners support only iOS or only Android.
• Generating the tracking link with partner macros that allow the partner to pass campaign information to Singular.

Custom Sources are self-owned or self-managed marketing channels such as email or SMS campaigns, social media, and cross-promotion campaigns.

Note: If you are working with an email service provider, create a Partner tracking link. If you manage your own email campaigns, create a Custom tracking link.

Self-Attributing Networks such as Facebook and Twitter do not use Singular tracking links. To configure them, see Attribution Integrations: Special Instructions.

This is just a name you give your tracking link, and it can be whatever you want (although most users use the campaign name or a variation of the campaign name).

The Tracking Link Name will appear in your reports as “Tracker Name”.

You can sometimes - depending on the partner.

• Some partners support only iOS or only Android.
• Others support both platforms but require you to create a separate link for each.
• Finally, some partners allow you to create multi-platform links, where you create one tracking link for use with both platforms.

The Create Link page displays the options that are supported by the partner you have selected.

See our Best Practices and Examples article for more information.

Re-engagement is renewed use of a product by a user who has already been converted in the past. Singular can track re-engagement if you mark the campaign as one that aims at re-engagement. To do so, select Enable Re-engagement Tracking in the campaign's tracking link(s).

For more information, see the Re-engagement FAQ.

Note that not all partners support this type of marketing campaign.

Some partners do not support retargeting campaigns (campaigns that aim to create re-engagement). If a partner does support these campaigns but the option is not available in Singular’s Create Link/Edit Link page, contact Singular’s support team so we can update the integration.

Deterministic clicks/views are those that are attributed to a source based on a device identifier or Google Install Referrer.

Fingerprinted clicks/views are attributed based on device fingerprinting methods, i.e. a combination of various properties that Singular gathers about the user’s device at the absence of a device ID.

For more information, see Singular Attribution Methods.

By default, tracking links use the default lookback window configured for the partner in the Partner Configuration page. However, you can override the default lookback window and customize it for each individual link by selecting Override attribution windows under Attribution Settings.

This allows greater control for partners who have different types of channels that can benefit from varying attribution windows.

See The Attribution Lookback Window for more information.

Check if the link exists already. You cannot create a tracking link with the same source, tracking link name, and configured app site(s) as an already existing link.

After you click Generate and see the tracking link URL, you can select Shorten Link to create a shorter version of the same link. This is useful for custom channels where the URL is exposed to the end-user, or for channels with restrictions on the length of the URL, such as SMS.

This is an example of a Singular Link generated in the Create Link page:

https://nike.sng.link/C59c0/47bm?_dl=singular%3A%2F%2Ftestlink&idfa={idfa}&aifa={aifa}&pcn={campaign_name}&pcid={campaign_id}&pcrn={creative_name}&pcrid={creative_id}

The components of the link are:

See Tracking Link Parameters and Report Dimensions for the full list of query parameters.

The changes take effect as soon as you click Save in the Edit Tracking Link page.

If the link is already active in campaigns, any past clicks, impressions, and attributions belonging to these campaigns are not affected.

When you archive a tracking link, that link is hidden from your tracking link dashboard. The purpose is to declutter your dashboard by hiding old links that belong to past campaigns.

Archiving does not deactivate a link. If you archive a link that is still being used in a live campaign, the link will still redirect and attribute users.

To search and filter your link list, use the search bar at the top left of the Manage Links page.

Just type in a tracking link URL (or a part of it), a link name, a source name, etc., and the links that match your string will appear on the right under Available Links.