Website-to-Mobile App Attribution Forwarding for Mobile Web

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Jared Ornstead
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Web-to-App Forwarding

Overview

Web-to-App Forwarding bridges the gap between your mobile website and mobile app by preserving campaign attribution data when users transition from web to app. Instead of losing valuable marketing information about how users discovered your app, this feature automatically transfers UTM parameters or Singular WP parameters from web campaigns into your website button or link to get or open your mobile app.

When implemented, Web-to-App Forwarding enriches your mobile app attribution reports with the original web campaign source, helping you understand the complete user journey from initial web discovery to app install or re-engagement.

How It Works:

  1. A user lands on your mobile website via a web campaign (e.g., Google Ads with UTM parameters)
  2. The Singular Web SDK detects these parameters in the page URL
  3. When the user clicks your app install/open button, the SDK automatically appends these parameters as _web_params to your Singular Link
  4. Singular attributes the mobile install or re-engagement to the original web campaign

Before and After

Before Web-to-App Forwarding:

Attribution before Web-to-App showing generic Mobile Web to App source

All mobile installs from your website are grouped under a generic "Mobile Web to App" source, hiding the actual campaign performance.

After Web-to-App Forwarding:

Attribution after Web-to-App showing specific campaign sources

Mobile installs now show the actual web campaigns that drove users to your website (e.g., "Adwords", "Some_source"), providing actionable attribution insights.

Prerequisites

  1. A mobile app integrated with the Singular SDK. NOTE: Deep link support must be configured to support re-engagement on web-to-app flows.

  2. Singular Web SDK version 1.0.8 or higher integrated on your mobile website either using the Native JS or Google Tag Manager approach.
  3. Singular campaign parameters applyed to your Web Campaign destination URLs.
  4. A Singular Link configured as a Web-to-App baselink for your Mobile App.

    Important: Contact your Customer Success Manager to obtain your Web-to-App baselink.

Implementation Methods

The implementation method is based on how the Singular WebSDK was implemented on your site.

Method 1: Native JavaScript SDK Implementation

Method 1: Native JavaScript SDK Implementation Options:

The Singular Web SDK provides two JavaScript functions for Web-to-App Forwarding. Choose the method that best fits your implementation:

Option A: openApp() - Automatic Redirect

Use this method when you want to immediately redirect users to your app (or App Store if not installed).

Description Builds the Web-to-App link with captured parameters and automatically redirects the user
Signature singularSdk.openApp(baseLink, deeplink, passthrough, deferredDeepLink)
Parameters
  • baseLink (required): Your Singular Web-to-App baselink
  • deeplink (optional): Deep link path to open specific app content
  • passthrough (optional): Additional custom parameters
  • deferredDeepLink (optional): Deep link for new installs
Example 

// Basic usage - redirect to app with web parameters
singularSdk.openApp("https://mydomain.sng.link/Buour/55cx");

// With deep link to specific content
singularSdk.openApp(
  "https://mydomain.sng.link/Auour/55ba", 
  "product/12345",
  null,
  "product/12345"
);

Option B: buildWebToAppLink() - Manual Control

Use this method when you want to construct the link but control when/how it's triggered.

Description Returns the complete Web-to-App link with parameters; you decide how to use it
Signature singularSdk.buildWebToAppLink(baseLink, deeplink, passthrough, deferredDeepLink)
Parameters Same as openApp() above
Example 

// Build link and assign to button
const webToAppLink = singularSdk.buildWebToAppLink(
  "https://mydomain.sng.link/Buour/55cx"
);

document.getElementById("download-btn").href = webToAppLink;

// Or redirect programmatically
window.location.href = webToAppLink;
Method 2: Google Tag Manager SDK Implementation

Method 2: Google Tag Manager SDK Implementation

If you manage the Singular Web SDK through Google Tag Manager, implement Web-to-App Forwarding using the Singular Web SDK GTM template's supported tag types. Do not use Custom HTML tags to build or rewrite Web-to-App links.

For the complete GTM setup, including installing the Singular Web Tracking template and configuring the Init tag, see the Web SDK - Google Tag Manager Implementation Guide .

Mobile Web-to-App Tracking

  1. Add the Open App tag and set the firing trigger on the button click that opens or installs your app.
  2. When configuring the Open App tag, specify your Mobile Web-to-App base link from the Singular Manage Links page.

Open App tag configuration in GTM

Desktop Web-to-App Tracking

Desktop Web-to-App forwarding presents a QR code, which requires a QR Code Generator cleanup tag (a Custom HTML tag used only to inject your chosen QR code library). For the full setup, see Step 7: Implement Web-to-App Forwarding in the GTM guide.

Enhance Mobile Web-to-App Attribution accuracy with this tip:

TIP! A common challenge in mobile advertising attribution occurs with in-app browsers. Mobile in-app browser web views (like those used by Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) can cause attribution loss due to browser context switching—from the time an ad is clicked until the app download link is clicked, or if a user moves to the mobile device’s native browser before clicking the link.

To help minimize attribution loss use the proper Singular tracking link format for each of these ad networks. The link can be built to redirect a user to your website landing page or direct to the app store. This method allows for a mobile click to be captured before the redirection to the in-app browser. Flow the guides here:

Parameter Priority and Mapping

Parameter Capture Priority

The Web SDK automatically captures parameters from your page URL in this priority order:

  1. Singular WP parameters (highest priority) - Custom parameters prefixed with wp_
  2. UTM parameters - Standard marketing parameters like utm_source , utm_campaign

UTM to Singular Dimension Mapping

UTM parameters from your web campaigns are automatically mapped to Singular reporting dimensions:

UTM Parameter Singular Dimension
utm_source Source
utm_campaign Campaign Name
utm_content Creative Name
utm_term Keyword
utm_medium Available in user-level exports

Note: All captured parameters are also preserved in the passthrough column of user-level exports for granular analysis.

Reporting

Reporting dashboard showing Web-to-App attribution

After implementation, mobile app installs and re-engagements originating from your website will appear in Singular reports with:

  • Tracker Name: "Mobile Web to App"
  • Link Type: "Mobile Web to App" (new dimension)
  • Source/Campaign/Creative: Original web campaign parameters (if UTM parameters were present)

This allows you to measure the true ROI of web campaigns that drive mobile app growth, not just immediate web conversions.

Troubleshooting

Links aren't being updated

  • Verify the Singular Web SDK is loaded before your Web-to-App code executes
  • Check browser console for JavaScript errors
  • Confirm your baselink is correctly formatted (should include sng.link )

Web parameters aren't appearing in reports

  • Ensure your website URL contains UTM parameters or Singular WP parameters
  • Verify the Web SDK version is 1.0.8 or higher
  • Check that the _web_params query string is present in the generated link

Need additional help?

Contact your Singular Customer Success Manager for implementation assistance and baselink provisioning.