Posted on November 25th, 2017
It has been just over one year since Apple has rolled out its Search Ads platform, something that piqued the interested of developers interested in quality install channels world-wide. Search Ads is Apple's tool that helps developers bid on certain keywords at varying costs, allowing them to compete against other competitors in their market for their relative “hot keywords.” To this date, developers, agencies and marketers have spent upwards of $580 billion, according to a recent report by eMarketers. From a marketing perspective, it would only make sense to start spending it where millions of mobile users are browsing for the next big app. If you've got your campaigns all set up, how are they looking? Are you seeing the ROI you were hoping to see straight off the bat with your new investment in Search Ads? Hopefully your answer isn’t "no." If it is, then you may want to consider these five reasons why your Search Ads campaign may be failing: 1. Your Metadata is Irrelevant Make sure you fine tune your app’s metadata (title, subtitle, keywords, description) to make your app relevant for your most important terms in Search Ads. One of Apple’s first announcements was that your app would need to be as relevant as possible for all of the keywords you bid on. One of the largest pillars of App Store Optimization, relevancy can be built the following ways: a) Including the Search Ads keywords in your app's title b) Including the Search Ads keywords in your app's subtitle c) Including the Search Ads keywords in your app's promotional text d) Including the Search Ads keywords in your app's description Your ability to incorporate these keywords into your app description helps Apple determine how relevant you are for these keywords. This is not to say that you should keyword stuff- building contextual relevance for your targeted terms will help. The more relevant you are, the more likely you’ll appear and the more likely you’ll convert.
Posted on November 23rd, 2017
The holidays are just around the corner and app developers all around the world are updating their app’s metadata to let users know they are ready for the holidays. One thing developers have to consider when preparing their app’s metadata is how different territories celebrate the holidays. App developers that have their app deployed in multiple territories already know the importance of localization. What they might not know is how users in different territories take part in the holiday season. Some territories celebrate their version of Thanksgiving at different times, while some don’t celebrate it at all. As we move into December, many developers are looking to target Christmas, a holiday that some territories don’t celebrate or celebrate differently. Developers need to pay attention to the differences among territories. For instance, Japan celebrates Christmas Eve more than Christmas Day, and part of India celebrates Christmas by decorating banana and mango trees. It’s differences like these that developers need to pay attention to when localizing their apps for the holidays. If any developer is worried or unsure about where to start in the localization process, they can follow our tips to aid them this holiday season.
Posted on November 16th, 2017
With the release of iOS 11, developers everywhere are double checking their ASO checklists, especially in regard to their app
Posted on November 11th, 2017
As we near the holiday season, it means that we also get closer and closer to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Posted on November 10th, 2017
Now that the iPhone X is released to the public, more and more app developers are realizing that they’ll need to create different sized screenshots to accommodate the new display size. While many users are excited about the brand-new retina display, they are also excited about its 5.8-inch display, which is larger than any iPhone Plus display of 5.5-inches. iPhone X screenshots are currently optional, but they will not size down to scale for other devices, meaning developers will need to create another set of screenshots just for the iPhone X. If developers want their users to get a feel for how their app would look and feel on the iPhone X, it’s smart to bite the bullet and create screenshots that match the required resolution. Below are the resolution sizes for the new iPhone X screenshots:
Posted on November 2nd, 2017
Now that users and developers alike are used to iOS 11, they have a new iOS device to get ready for. The iPhone X is nearly here and Apple has kindly reminded app developers to get their apps and screenshots ready for the device. Since the iPhone X features a different sized screen, developers need to make sure that their app and screenshots will work with the phone. Developers can currently test their apps using the iPhone X simulator in Xcode to capture screenshots and upload their new metadata and app into iTunes Connect. Developers cannot forget about their creatives, especially with a new device being released. Creatives are key for converting users, and developers need to make sure that their screenshots are ready and looking good on all of Apple’s devices. Here are some things developers need to think about when creating screenshots for the iPhone X:
Posted on October 16th, 2017
Despite the anticipation behind iOS 11, many users and developers alike took note that the App Store was prioritizing old reviews first when the beta for iOS 11 was released, but now that it has launched, it seems those old reviews are still present. Previously, users could sort reviews by “Most Recent,” “Most Helpful,” “Most Favorable” or “Most Critical. Without those filter options, users are stuck seeing old reviews on outdated version of an app. Many developers are worried that these old reviews could deter new users from converting, meaning that they are losing out on improving their install and retention rate despite their app no longer having these issues brought up by users. While developers are worried about what their users are thinking, there is a way to combat old reviews until Apple either shows reviews in reverse chronological order or adds filter for users. Developers can take advantage of replying to old reviews to encourage users to either test the current version of the app and hope they write a new review or update their previous review with high star ratings.
Posted on October 10th, 2017
Apple Search Ads is growing rapidly, especially since Apple launched their new App Store redesign. Since Apple announced back in April 2017 that they were expanding their Search Ads to the UK, Australia and New Zealand, developers around the world have been reaping the benefits of Apple Search Ads. If any developer has been considering getting into Search Ads but hasn’t taken the plunge, now is the time, but there are some things you should know before getting started. Similar to ASO, Search Ads isn’t a one-time thing. Running Search Ads requires constant monitoring to make sure the campaign is working within the set budget and converting users. Many developers fail to realize having bad Search Ads management can actually hurt their apps more than not having a Search Ads campaign at all. Focusing on their budget, audience, and metadata, developers will ensure their Search Ads are optimized to attract and convert users. The key to making successful Search Ad campaigns is achieved by following ASO best practices.
Posted on October 3rd, 2017
Before the world met the newly designed App Store, many noticed that Apple made significant changes to their latest version of iTunes. This change completely removes the App Store from iTunes, returning the app to its original function of a music and entertainment player. For years, users have been able to get their iOS apps directly from iTunes, making the app massive and considered an all-in-one platform. Apple has taken significant steps in streamlining iTunes, most likely to match the newly redesigned App Store that launched on September 19th. Since its inception, the App Store gave users the flexibility to move apps around on their mobile devices and store old apps on their PC or Mac in the event they wanted to install them again. iTunes saved all data of purchased or free apps connected to that account, combining the functions of iTunes and the App Store. Even though iTunes is shifting its focus back to being the number one place for music, movies, TV shows, podcasts and audiobooks, many wonder what this means for their previously downloaded apps, and how “black hat” companies will respond? Where to Find Apps When looking at the overall body of changes introduced by Apple with iOS 11, it is very clear that the App Store team is trying to put the final nail in the coffin for companies that focus on buying incentivized installs to boost their chart rankings. In addition to relegating the ‘charts’ to a much smaller and less prominent presentation in the App Store (meaning fewer people will view them), this new change with iTunes will make it very hard for “black hat” off shore marketing companies who operate app install farms to survive. It is much harder (and more expensive) for these less-than-reputable companies to drive downloads from real mobile devices than it is to simply use iTunes from the desktop to trigger installs for a given target territory. Apple removing the App Store from iTunes also means that users will no longer be able to hoard old apps or reinstall directly from iTunes. Once iTunes 12.7 is downloaded, users who have been syncing apps through iTunes will need to redownload them onto their devices, which Apple has helpfully laid out here: guide to redownloading apps. By defining iTunes as a source for music, podcast, TV, audio books, and movies and redesigning the App Store, Apple has finally defined the intended purpose for both iTunes and the App Store, along with making it harder for “black hat” companies to operate. Finally, Apple’s two stores are separated for the first time in 9 years, giving Apple room to expand their efforts toward creating a beneficial experience for everyone across both platforms.
Posted on September 19th, 2017
Apple has finally announced when users can expect iOS 11 to launch, and that golden day is September 19th. For months, developers have been rapidly gathering their resources to make sure their app’s metadata is prepared for the all-new App Store. In order to make sure your app won’t get rejected or lose any of its visibility, look at our checklist for iOS 11 just in case you need to make any last-minute adjustments.
Posted on September 6th, 2017
We are thrilled to announce that we will be exhibiting at MWC Americas in San Francisco from September 12-14, 2017. In addition to exhibiting we will be sponsoring Mobile Growth House’s “Aha Moments in App Marketing” on Thursday, September 14 at 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM. Also, we will be a stop on the MWC Americas Tour of Mobile Advertising & Apps Tour. Gummicube is very excited to have the opportunity to exhibit and attend along with some of the top mobile leaders in the industry. We look forward to having transformative conversations and plant seeds for meaningful partnerships with our co-attendees. We will be located in booth 616 on the first level of the West Wing. Gummicube co-founders Anh Nguyen and Dave Bell, as well as some of our senior account managers, will be representing Gummicube to engage with customers and partners.
Posted on August 30th, 2017
With more and more dating apps in the app store market today, it's essential for developers to implement ASO best practices into their app marketing strategy to compete in an increasingly congested market.
