What is the next step, after the whole app development process is completed? The next step after app development is to promote it and the most effective way is to get your app featured in the App Store. However, this is not a one-night affair, it is might be very difficult since the competition for App Store is fierce. In fact, there is no formula for getting featured in the App Store but with some helpful tips, you can make it happen.
Every app developer wants their app to get featured on the App Store. The reason for getting featured is that you will increase your visibility which is an effective way to get more traffic and increase your downloads.
How to get featured on the App Store
Before you think of submitting to the App Store, you must ensure your app is a high-quality one, creatively designed, and most importantly ensure you design an app that will solve the problems users are facing. These are the three key issues that you must address before you find out how to get your app featured in the App Store.
Why are Apps featured in App Store?
The smartphones we use today are made valuable by the various apps that come with the phones or which are downloadable from the App Store. This is the reason why Apple features these apps.
With thousands of apps published in the App Store every month, how do you make sure your app appears on the Apple App Store Featured list?
In this article, I will share some of the effective ways that app developers are using to ensure they get featured on the App Store. In case you are asking yourself where is the featured tab on the App Store, the newest version of the App Store has a menu bar that has a featured tab.
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1. Learn how the App Store works
To get your app on the App Store Editor’s choice list, you must understand how apps get selected as features. You need to understand that these apps are hand-picked by editors. App Store has a local editorial team that is tasked with determining the valuable and most relevant apps. This way, Apple ensures that the apps that are featured will be helpful to local users. Therefore, as you create your strategy to get your app featured in the App Store, ensure to have this in mind. Note that you can develop an awesome app but if the editorial team feels it won’t be valuable to local users, it won’t appear on the Apple App Store list.
2. Build an outstanding App to get it featured on the App Store
Although this point seems obvious, I thought I should emphasis on it. Quality is the king always, so, have an outstanding app. In fact, this is the most important point that you should consider before looking on the ways to get featured on the App Store. You will do every sort of promotion and marketing to have your app featured but if it is a poor-quality one you won’t get featured. In any case, the reason why Apple designed the App Store is to ensure it sells good products particularly for iPhone, iPad as well as Apple Watch users.
After the launch of your app, take your time to see whether it is polished as the already featured apps.
So first, check whether your app is good enough to get featured if not, improve it before you invest time and energy in getting featured.
3. Create an App that is Apple-friendly
I must make it known to you that Apple prefers applications that are created specifically for iOS, therefore, ensure your app is not a cross-platform one. Invest your time and energy to ensuring your app is available to all the available Apple products in the market such as Apple watch, iPad and iPhone as this is a sure bet to broaden your visibility and a way to make Apple feel that you are steadfast to creating high-quality iOS apps.
4. Keep your App updated frequently
Apple likes apps that are frequently updated with new features or small patches so keeping it up to date is advantageous when it comes to getting featured. Note that constantly updating your app makes it appreciated by both Apple engineers and users as well and can boost your ratings.
5. Make your App description enticing
You may craft an outstanding app but if the description is poor, the chance of getting featured on the App Store is equal to zero. The app description is vital as it is one of the promotion strategies, therefore, ensure to make it desirable and informative which will attract user’s interests and most importantly, ensure to include attractive screenshots.
6. App Store Optimization is a must
To make your app discoverable, you must ensure to optimize your listing for your app to appear in the first pages of search engine results. App Store Optimization is also a way of getting more traffic which increases your apps downloads. Ensure to use keywords appropriately throughout all the sections of your app listing. Note that you should include your main keywords in the title of your listings
Conclusion
Taking your time to understand how Apple works, will help you to know the criteria used when it comes to getting your app featured in the App Store. However, it all boils up to one important thing which is ensuring your app is good enough to be appreciated by Apple engineers and users as well. Since Apple likes products that are native, you must craft an Apple-friendly app. Last but not the list, describe your app in an appealing way and ensure to optimize it for discovery and before I forget, ensure to keep your app updated constantly.