Legal Definitions - deep link

A deep link is a type of hyperlink that directs a user from one website directly to a specific, internal page on a *different* website, completely bypassing that second website's main homepage.

The primary purpose of a deep link is to provide a more efficient user experience by taking visitors straight to the most relevant content, rather than requiring them to navigate from a homepage. However, this also means that the owner of the destination website does not have the opportunity to showcase their homepage or other general site content to the user who arrives via a deep link.

Examples:

• Product Review Blog: Imagine a technology blog publishes a review of the latest smartphone model. Within the review, the blog includes a link that, when clicked, takes the reader directly to the specific product page for that smartphone on a major electronics retailer's website. This is a deep link because it bypasses the retailer's general homepage and lands the user immediately on the detailed product information page.
• Social Media News Share: A friend shares a link on social media to a particular investigative report published by an online newspaper. When you click this link, you are taken straight to the full article page on the newspaper's website, not to the newspaper's general front page or news feed. This link functions as a deep link, guiding you directly to the specific content your friend intended to share.
• Travel Booking Site: A travel blogger writes about their experience at a specific boutique hotel and includes a link for readers to book a stay. This link doesn't go to the general homepage of a large online travel agency (like "TravelBookings.com"), but instead directs users straight to the booking page for that exact boutique hotel on "TravelBookings.com." This is a deep link because it efficiently brings the user to the precise booking option without requiring them to search or navigate from the agency's main page.