App indexing in Google Search is live, and it's spectacular

Google Play news never quite seems to get the love it deserves at Google I/O keynotes, but there was one nugget of news I was pretty stoked to see yesterday. App indexing, previously available to a select few, is now available for anyone who wants it.

Here's how it works: You'll add a little extra code in your app to tell it how to handle all this stuff, and then you add deep links to your website, and tell Google they're there. The result is what you see above. When someone searches on their phone or tablet for an item that's been properly indexed with these deep links, the results will turn up with an option to open in your app. Or if you're using the search bar, you'll see deep links that way, too. It's pretty cool, and it's a must-have for anyone with a kick-ass website and app.

Our app indexing is now live. And you can download our app here. Enjoy.

More: App indexing for Google Search

Phil Nickinson
17 Comments
  • Where's the "what you see above" bit?
  • It's like the emperor's new clothes, only the cool kids can see it. Let me just say, it looks sooooo amazing I almost want to gouge my eyes out because everything else I see for the rest of my life will pale in comparison.
  • It's hanging out with the Moto 360 Posted from the Avengers: Age of Droid Ultra
  • Seems it only works with one article. Got this googling 'HTC one android central' from my phone.
  • It's not just one article. How would that make sense?
  • Searching Android Central doesn't give us that option, at least for me. I added more to the search string, like the above, to get it to show. Posted via Android Central App
  • I don't know Phil, it only showed up for this article, and reading "Here's how it works: You'll add a little extra code in your app to tell it how to handle all this stuff, and then you add deep links to your website" I thought that you might have tested it with one article as a proof of concept or Hello world.
  • Ugh it's a 2 day old developers' preview of course it doesn't work for every page of a site. Give google time
  • I saw this last night with AC and was really happy. Posted via Android Central App
  • not yet showing up for me but thanks for the tip!
  • Not sure if the title is a Seinfeld reference, but every time I hear "and it's spectacular" I think of the episode with Terri Hatcher.
  • So when are we going to see the android L factory images?
  • I'm thinking Google is going to unleash them in the fall. They might do a new phone announcement/L release in one event. Probably Sept/Oct.
  • Sorry I meant for the developer preview
  • Don't seem easy to do on the Google developers page. I'll pass Posted via my LG LS740 and The Android Central App
  • Am I missing something here, I've been seeing the "Open In App" thing for a while now. Posted via Android Central App
  • Seems not any old site was allowed to use it tho, I've been getting it for B&H's store links for a while too tho.