20% lift in user conversion with Branch

Unbill is a mobile app that tracks and pays your bills. Plain and simple. One big feature of Unbill is that it can split bill payments among your friends.

When developing this feature I was presented with a difficult problem. How do I link friends in a simple and user friendly way? I toyed with different methods such as email links, a web app with URL parameters for tokenized invites, native deep linking capabilities, you name it.

Then I came across Branch.io and was immediately impressed with their SDK and the magic that Branch links could provide.

Unbill, built with Ionic, was able to utilize the Branch Cordova SDK. After adding the SDK to Unbill, within a day I had a system in place where friends could send invitations to join their group using Branch links.

The Experience

Let me take you through the experience of inviting a friend in Unbill and how this experience was greatly enhanced because of the magic Branch links provided.

Up first is a user’s group. A user can view and invite their friends from one place within the app.

When the user wants to invite a new friend they click the invite button and are presented with the following view.

This view (generated from their device’s contacts) allows the user to select any number of friends they would like to join their group. After selecting their friends, a Branch link is created via the Branch SDK. Nested within this Branch link is the group ID and some meta data (name and avatar) about the inviter. The invite is then sent via a text message with the Branch link appended to the end of the invite.

When a friend taps the Branch link from their phone, they are redirected to the App Store. After downloading Unbill and launching the app, the Branch link is consumed. The meta data nested within the link is used to present this popup to the invitee and then link the invitee to the group of the inviter.

It’s a magical experience. The user opens their app for the first time and are immediately presented with a personal invite from their friend. This was only possible because of the magic Branch links provide.

Conclusion

Branch links have changed the way users interact with Unbill. Users that come from Branch links are 20% more likely to stay with the Unbill platform. In addition to linking friends together, Unbill uses Branch links for a friend referral program, SSOing into the mobile app from an email or text message, and for verifying personal information.

Having worked with the Branch SDK personally, I highly recommend their platform for any app built. Branch increases mobile conversion, retention, and engagement through deep linking, user routing, and personalized app experiences. All I have to say about Branch is…

Good luck Branching and don’t forget about the Mobile Growth Stories competition! If you would like to try out Unbill, use this Branch link :)