App Store Top Trends Vol.2 - Apps, Growth & Tips

August 10th, 2022

by David Bell

CEO at Gummicube, Inc.

Welcome to Gummicube’s ASO Top Trends – a quick, one-stop-shop for the latest developments in App Store Optimization, app store trends, quick tips to improve your ASO strategy, and so much more.

Let’s take a look at the top-grossing apps making headlines this week. Also, check out the quick ASO tips we’ve put together to help you make sure your app is in tip-top shape.

TOP APPS MAKING HEADLINES

1. BeReal Social Media App

By design, the BeReal app is inviting and democratizes the social media space with its anti-social media, social media approach. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have largely come under the fists of negative public opinion.

From our latest App Store Spotlight blog, we cited:

“Reports of declining mental health stemming from their use called for a new, fresher take on social media – in came the BeReal app to answer the call.”

BeReal continues to climb up the app store charts, and when our app marketing company first reported on it in our April blog, its growth appears to not have slowed down a bit. With a 4.8 star rating and downloads in the millions, the clear direction for this social media platform is up.

Sometimes, simplicity goes a long way in user experience, and younger generations seem to gravitate toward a less algorithm-driven platform – an antithesis to many of the larger competitors in the space.

Sleep App Category Skyrockets in China – Why?

Sleep courses in China have risen since the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s even more interesting is the cause behind it. The pandemic has caused social strains that weighed heavily on society even far past the most difficult parts of it.

Some of the largest companies in the space are seeing ways to capitalize on the reliance on apps to help China combat its need for more accessible and affordable ways to sleep and take care of mental health.

According to data from iiMedia Research from 2016 to 2020:

“… the overall market size of China's "sleep economy" has increased from 261.63 billion yuan ($38.69 billion) to 377.86 billion yuan, an increase of 44.42 percent and is expected to exceed one trillion yuan in 2030.”

One of the more lucrative app categories largely defines a whole geographic area. Using an app optimization strategy to penetrate highly competitive markets is essential. Large-scale growth within an entire category may mean that competitors within the space will engage in growth strategies that will last. App Store Optimization can help.

TOP TRENDS IN APP STORES

1. iOS 16 Racks Up Widget Popularity

Either you widget or you don’t, but the new iOS 16 update is causing lots of developers and beta users alike excited about the add-ons. As iOS 16 is expected to release in September, app developers are gearing up to “widgetize” their apps.

Love them, or hate them, widgets are great harbingers of continuous engagement. When you learn ASO basics, you might find that the primary objective is user acquisition, but that’s only half the battle.

Widgets provide developers a way to engage their users outside of the immediate in-app experience. This contributed to user longevity and retention. Using ASO technology to optimize that widget experience is a great way to get a foot forward.

2. Who’s seeing success in LiveOps Beta on Google Play? Everyone.

When our ASO company first released coverage over Google Play’s LiveOps, we were still in its infancy stages. To reiterate:

“Developers can submit content to be featured on the Play Store. In the beta stages of LiveOps, developers have seen 5% more daily active users and 4% higher revenue after a LiveOps feature. Comparable to In-app Events and Spotlight on iOS, LiveOps has helped developers highlight deals, special events, and new features to a relevant target audience.”

While still in beta, many apps have seen tremendous successes in their root KPIs. With the newer switch to an improved user experience on the app stores, developers now have a way to re-engage and attract new users with exciting value propositions and seasonal events.

Learn ASO Tips to Outshine the Competition

Back to school? Halloween? Seasonality changes are essential to keep up with search pattern changes!
Are your data sources coming from the right places? Don’t let web data touch your mobile data in organic optimization!
Have a great design concept? Test it out without launching it in the app stores with Splitcube!

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