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App developers now have a new way to promote their app launches, updates, and other new features on Apple’s App Store. First announced at the company’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June, Apple this week introduced a “Featuring Nominations” option in App Store Connect — the service developers use to submit their apps, games, and updates to the App Store. Now, instead of waiting for Apple to recognize their work, developers can nominate their own apps for featuring.
The feature will allow developers to inform Apple about three different types of updates: new content, app enhancements, or new app launches.
Ahead of the change, the App Store Editorial team would create stories about apps and their developers as well as round-ups of apps into collections which are highlighted across the App Store’s many sections and pages. However, there was no formal process to request consideration to be included in these featured positions, which can drive significant traffic to apps as consumers browse the App Store.
The new process will likely become a key step in developers’ ongoing marketing and promotional efforts for their apps, games, and other updates.
To use the “Featuring Nominations” option, developers will access a nominations dashboard in App Store Connect where they can enter nominations one by one. For larger publishers, the ability to upload a spreadsheet to nominate apps or games in bulk will be useful. Apple suggests using a memorable name for the nomination that will help its App Store Editors understand what the app’s new content or feature is focused on.
In addition to the update’s name, developers should include a text description that explains the relevant details about the update and the expected publish date. In another field, “Helpful Details,” developers can also add other relevant information about the submission — like the developer’s story, how they created the app, or some other key factor they want Apple to take notice of, like accessibility improvements or use of new developer tools, perhaps.
If the App Store Editorial team selects their app for featuring, developers will then receive a notification from App Store Connect. They can tap on this notification to be taken to a page where they’ll be able to take advantage of new Promote Your App marketing assets that will make it easy for them to quickly capitalize on their featured position by sharing the news across social media and other marketing challenges.
Apple says it will also provide marketing materials for other big moments in an app’s lifecycle, like when it first launches or releases a new version. Apple’s marketing assets will include a provided link that will direct consumers to download the app or game from the App Store.
The feature will not only make it easier for App Store’s Editors who are already involved with curating app launches and updates to make the App Store always seem to have fresh offerings, but it will also benefit developers and consumers who are looking to discover the latest content, updates, and new releases. Plus, featured updates could help pull consumers back into apps they may have otherwise forgotten about — something Google Play recently addressed with its Collections feature designed to drive users back to apps to complete purchases, stream media, place orders, engage with social media, and more.
