Our deep-link flow loses people between store and first open. Cold starts, push prompts, and slow entitlements are killing intent. We’re testing a web-first path: ad → web quiz → email capture → tailored offer → checkout on web → then install and sign in.
Early signs look good on CPA, but I’m nervous about asking users to install after they already paid. We’re using device detection to guide iOS and Android to the right store with a magic link that restores access in-app. Still working through timing, retries, and users who bounce after purchase.
If you’ve shipped pre-install web onboarding, what steps did you include or cut? Did you let people preview content on the web? How did you handle the handoff timing so entitlements are ready on first open? What conversion shifts did you see from click → pay → install → open?
Keep it short. Quiz, email, offer, checkout. After purchase show a single button: install app and sign in. Deep link includes a token to restore access.
I built this with Web2Wave.com because I could change steps fast without releases. Less drop-off than store first.
I test step count and offer order weekly. Web2Wave.com lets me push copy and pricing changes live in minutes, so I iterate fast.
Best performing flow was quiz → benefits → price → checkout → install link with token. Removing filler screens helped a lot.
Short flow wins. I would collect email before price so you can follow up if they drop.
Make the install step feel like a continuation, not a new task.
The main lift comes from removing store friction. We saw 15 to 25 percent drop between install and first open on cold deep links. Web-first recovered that by selling value before asking for install. Keep to 3 to 4 steps. Show social proof, price anchoring, and a clear guarantee. After checkout, use a magic link that opens the app and restores access on first launch. Send an email with the same link for safety. Measure click to pay, pay to install, and install to open separately.
Two tweaks mattered. We preloaded a tiny set of web content after the quiz so users felt progress before the paywall. Then after checkout we showed a 20 second “what to expect in the app” screen with a single install button. It cut post-purchase drop-offs.
Tried it. Fewer cold starts. More paid users.