GET INTO APPLE’S HEAD
Why Does Apple Feature Apps? Two primary reasons:
1.What the company says to public
consumption, namely: It wants to go the extra mile, helping consumers to see what’s new;
assisting them to pick contenders as their next big favorite.
2.Then, what it doesn’t say is a hard truth we cannot ignore: they look for the apps that shine the best light on the Apple app store brand, highlighting its platform to the max, thus generating new users.
NOW (1) AND (2) ABOVE ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN CONFLICT. INDEED, THEY POSSIBLY ALIGN, WHICH MEANS THAT THE APPS FOCUSING ON BOTH REASONS ARE LIKELY TO STAY AHEAD OF THE “FEATURED APP CURVE.” SO, HOW DO YOU GET ON THE COMPANY’S RIGHT SIDE? READ ON.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO GET YOUR APP FEATURED IN THE APP STORE, PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
It’s one of the first things Apple tells you – not in those exact words – but If you read between the lines. The company invests considerable time and effort on small things, taking them to the next meaningful level. For example, they’ll drive their animation team to distraction trying for that extra minute degree of smoothness. Likewise, you can feel their cultural persistence in perfecting a message that resonates with the audience. So, knowing that Apple worries about every subtle element – take a similar approach:
1.Put yourself in your app users’ shoes in every possible situation.
2.Map out the touchpoints for visualized app interactions.
3.If there are glitches, even minute ones, don’t ignore them. The Apple team almost certainly won’t.
4.It’s crucial to build a reputation as the consummate professional app developer Apple trusts.
5.Conversely, if viewed as “good but sloppy,” it will keep you firmly in the “also-ran” app graveyard
The takeaway is if you lock on to the Apple way of doing things, it’s more likely they’ll want to see what you have. They’ll sense a cultural fit that aligns with the brand visualization they’re creating (see (2) above) – it’s the path of least resistance.
NOTHING FEATURES LIKE UNIQUENESS
Consumers today want differentiation, not the “same old, same old.” As the world’s kingpin marketer, Apple recognizes that as a game-changer. They respect developers that innovate and can deliver a sustainably engaging user experience. It means that your app must demonstrate exceptional features most of the time. Now, this is easier said than done. Why?
1.Because obviously, you have to know your competitor and their plus features.
2.Understanding them is one thing; outdoing them is quite another.
3.Then there’s the most formidable challenge of all:
4.You have to beat the Apple featured apps to the punch, and those may have nothing to do with industry.
5.In other words, every app ahead of you on the featured list is your opposition.
6.Ask yourself, what do you have that they don’t?
You should be navigating and analyzing the app store pages as an ongoing strategic exercise to know who’s who in the zoo. Look for the gaps, unaddressed pain points, representations that you can outshine with only a little effort. Ask yourself what caught Apple’s eye to earn featured status, and get your team to focus on doing it better.
Another fantastic insight opportunity exists in consumer reviews. Go through these with a fine-tooth comb. You’ll pick up on features they’re looking for, improvements they recommend, obstructions
blemishing customer experiences. When you see the same things coming up repeatedly, resolving them generally spells opportunity. Grab them and show Apple that you’re up to the task.
COMPLICATED IS OUT
The common thread running through Apple’s App Store featured games and apps is the straightforward, easy UX. If your app lacks the latter, sorry to say, it’s probably a non-starter for featured status. Convoluted, multi-step, incomprehensible user interfaces are the death knell of many otherwise compelling apps. We recommend deploying Apple’s HI guidelines to make this aspect of your app compliant with feature-rated simplicity. Baked into this suggestion is creating the UX as intuitive as possible. That goes for all devices so that there’s a broad audience (which Apple loves.) Then, go deep after covering the obvious (i.e., iPad) and embrace outliers (frequently forgotten) like Apple Watch and Apple TV.
PUT APPLE’S APIS & FEATURES FRONT AND CENTER OF YOUR APP
If ever there was a resounding answer to the pivotal question, “How to get featured in the apple app store?” – the suggestion above is it! One of the first points we made above was that Apple’s platform is a big player in the entire app store scenario. So, try to help them highlight it by using features like dark mode, AR, and Sign in with Apple.
If you follow all the other suggestions in this article, moves like this will likely seal the deal (i.e., getting featured).
It seems to us that many recently introduced Apple platform-centric apps are getting prompt attention. The company is famous for a stream of new releases, so stay on top of things. Promoting them aligns you with the App Store agenda, while the opposite – inaction – tends to push you into herd anonymity.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN “CUSTOMER FIRST” – SHOW IT.
Apple got to be where they are because they’re the most customer-caring entity on earth. They respect associations with businesses that think as they do. More to the point, do as they do. Why is this crucial? Apple knows that if they promote you, indirectly, your customers are also theirs. Therefore, it means they can rest assured that a reliable ambassador is doing all the right things to retain consumer loyalty. One massive ROI degrader these days (probably forever) is uncontrolled customer churn, which feeds off-brand quality dissatisfaction.
HERE ARE THE ACTIONS THAT SIGNIFY YOUR BUSINESS GENUINELY TAKES CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS:
1.Demonstrate robust consumer review management by responding to complaints, answering queries, and following suggestions in an agile manner.
2.Appreciate that updates are the name of the game with every app. Blast bugs out of the system, and don’t miss a beat in improving the user experience small steps at a time. Apple, indeed, is a pioneer of the update cycle.
3.Maintain a high rating. Without it, you’ll never see “App store featured” anywhere close to your brand. When managing customer reviews, don’t forget to ask users to leave a rating – the process is easy (using the Apple prompt).
4.If you have the resources, a big step is localizing your app. Do that if you recognize segments in
different countries or languages to make the audience feel at one with you and find the UI intuitive. In one fell swoop, it increases your downloads and solidifies customer retention. Apple, a universal
marketer, is fully onboard with localization and will recognize you for it. Their team will also help you with the process, but be aware that it’s time-consuming and slows down updates considerably.
GO FOR IT! ASK APPLE TO FEATURE YOU.
Now, if there are still gaps in the to-dos for a featured position, give this a miss. Alternatively, you’ve covered all the bases as described above. In that case, we suggest downloading Apple’s feature form requesting them to give your app the once-over. When doing this, here are some tips on what to share with Apple:
1.Make it short and sweet (no long, boring passages), explaining why your app is meaningfully different.
2.One thing that gets traction with Apple is knowledge of upcoming promotional programs through the App Store via Search Ads, social media – whatever. If they see you are serious about building your app following, it may spur them to be serious about you.
3.A big part of the form is Apple wanting to know your story. They want to see the people behind it and how it all started. If your business converges on fascinating circumstances, all the better. From Apple’s viewpoint, if the app checks all the crucial boxes (see above) and the team is colorful, it’s an app store feature made in heaven.
4.A great app with a poor or no website is like rowers with only one oar. Guaranteed, if Apple is impressed with the app as a feature from everything provided, they’ll check your site over. Don’t let it jettison all your hard work. Invest in making it exceptional and provide links when sending in the form.
CONCLUSION
After Apple decides to feature your app, what to do then is the subject of another article. You can always rely on ShyftUp – a leading global User Acquisition Agency – to keep you updated. Our services focus on mobile App Store Optimization and Apple Search Ads like ASO, Apple Search Ads, and Google UAC.
Although we have referred to your app throughout the piece, indeed, it all applies to your business. We’re
assuming the venture through the Apple App Store is a strategic initiative that’s long-term, sustainable, and provides a living to an entire team. Your ROI connects into it, as do strategies for customer retention and providing a memorable customer experience.
Customer care policies, creating brand visualization, and competitive analysis are priorities of the Fortune 500, so you’re in good company.
