ASO Weekly - App Store News

May 7th, 2022

by Anh Nguyen

COO & Co-Founder at Gummicube, Inc

Welcome to this week’s ASO Weekly. This week in app store news, Google makes updates to its Play Store. While the changes were primarily user-focused, it's important for all developers to understand how it may affect their App Store Optimization strategy. Gen Z has made it clear that it wants to keep it real on social media, so what can social media app developers do to keep up?

What To Find In The Latest Google Play Update

The Play Store Policy updates announced in early April made it clear that Google’s commitment to an improved user experience is here for the long haul. After all, any improvements in the user experience helps mobile marketers funnel users with less friction and barriers. So what can you expect with this round of Google Play Store updates?

1. Play as You Download – as the name suggests, users can start playing a mobile game as the app downloads in the background to reduce waiting times

2. Easier App Discovery – users can now discover apps easier with enhanced search features

3. Usability Improvements – bug fixes, and improvements to accessibility and security features.

4. Developer Features – better ad support for third-party apps, location services and utility performance updates

On the user side, there were significant bug fixes and improvements made to account management, system management and diagnostic services to enhance the user experience.

Many Android users are now raving about some of the newly-added features. One particularly stood out with a comparable service to AirDrop seen on iOS devices. With Nearby Share, users can send files, photos, links and texts to their Chromebooks or Windows PCs.

Gen Z is All about #KeepingItReal – What Are Social Media Apps Doing About it?

We reported on the BeReal app just a few weeks ago when it was still in the infancy stages of app store stardom. Now, BeReal has a spot in the top 5 charts on the App Store and Google Play in the US among other primarily English-speaking countries like Ireland and England.

The Paris-based developers of the BeReal app had one goal in mind when creating their app, and that was to reengage people on the premise of authenticity and transparency. This fundamental mission struck a chord with Gen Z’ers, who have time and time again shown us that real, is simply better.

According to emarketer, Gen Z tends to gravitate to social media platforms that have an element of “in the moment” sharing capabilities. TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram are the top preferred social media apps among this generation. However, Instagram has fallen out of favor among the younger generations in light of its effects on mental health. Since then, many social media companies have introduced new measures to reframe their marketing approach and features altogether.

Understanding what you can do in light of emerging and developing user preferences is a fundamental part of ASO. When there are changes taking place in a particular category, ASO technology helps us better understand user behaviors and search patterns and adjust to them accordingly through iteration.

Russian Android Users Can No Longer Update Paid Apps on Google Play

As of May 5th, 2022, Google Play announced that users in Russia will no longer be able to update their paid apps on their Android devices. As an increasing number of companies attempt to indirectly influence Russian market forces, the citizens of Russia are bearing the brunt of massive, global company withdrawal nationwide.

Apple has already withdrawn a significant portion of its operations, products and services from the country. In March, Apple announced that it has seized all product sales and Apple services to the country indefinitely. This bolstered underground sales and caused the third-party iPhone market to skyrocket in price.

Google’s decision to block paid app updates will undoubtedly have tremendous effects on developers who currently run their apps on Russian territory. A significant portion of their users will not be able to access new app features; many users may even opt out of the app altogether as a result.

Overall

Every change taking place in the mobile space affects your ASO strategy – whether it be with user preference changes, external events or platform updates. With the new Google Play updates, developers can share the benefits of an enhanced user experience. As for user feature preferences, partnering with an ASO company can make navigating and addressing changes affecting your app performance easier. The app store environment is always changing, so it’s important to keep up to date on the latest developments that may affect your performance.

Want to learn more about App Store Optimization? Contact Gummicube and we’ll help get your strategy started.

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