Google has announced the launch of "App Indexing", a new capability which will deliver a seamless user experience across mobile apps and websites. Made by using the expertise of webmasters, the new feature will give users the choice of viewing content on their smartphone via application or on the website, straight from the Google search results.
Similar to crawling and indexing websites, Googlebot will index content in the Android application. In the same way users do for webpages, they will be able to indicate which app content they would like Google to index. This will be done by using the existing Sitemap file and Webmaster tools. When app contents and webpage get successfully indexed, Google will show deep links to the app in the search results, if it thinks that the links are relevant to the query put in by the user. On tapping on these deep links, the app will launch and take the user directly to the content searched for.
Google also shared an example of search for home listings in Mountain View
Google is presently testing app indexing and deep links for applications will start appearing in the Google search results only for the signed-in users on Android in US in the coming few weeks.
Google has also shared getting started instructions with those who are interested in enabling indexing on Android app. Click here
To know more about implementation and how to sign up, visit the developer site.
