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.

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.

Navigate to Screen
Deep Link
Rich Landing

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

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.

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.

Next Steps

Analyze In-App Campaigns

Getting Started

Guide

Create Navigation, DeepLinks, and Rich Landing

Guide Users with In-App Message Navigation Actions

Configure In-App Navigation Actions

Understand Navigation Options

Deep Link Implementation Considerations for Developers

Handling DeepLinks for Native Frameworks

Android

iOS

Handling DeepLinks for Hybrid Frameworks (e.g., Flutter)

Compare Rich Landing and Deep Link

Next Steps

Getting Started

Guide

​Guide Users with In-App Message Navigation Actions

​Configure In-App Navigation Actions

​Understand Navigation Options

​Deep Link Implementation Considerations for Developers

​Handling DeepLinks for Native Frameworks

​Android

​iOS

​Handling DeepLinks for Hybrid Frameworks (e.g., Flutter)

​Compare Rich Landing and Deep Link

​Next Steps

Guide Users with In-App Message Navigation Actions

Configure In-App Navigation Actions

Understand Navigation Options

Deep Link Implementation Considerations for Developers

Handling DeepLinks for Native Frameworks

Android

iOS

Handling DeepLinks for Hybrid Frameworks (e.g., Flutter)

Compare Rich Landing and Deep Link

Next Steps