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Featuring Nominations Live in App Store Connect

November 15th, 2024

Featuring Nominations Live in App Store Connect
Anh Nguyen

by Anh Nguyen

COO & Co-Founder at Gummicube, Inc

Big news for developers: Apple has a new feature live within App Store Connect! Featuring Nominations is a game changer and a new opportunity for anyone looking to get featured on the App Store. Whether you're an indie developer or a well-known brand, this update opens the door to greater visibility and exposure for your app.

With the new Featuring Nominations feature, developers now have a direct path to nominate their apps for consideration by Apple’s editorial team. This tool not only empowers developers globally but also ensures that each selection is tailored to highlight the most relevant and timely content, making it an even more powerful way to increase your app’s downloads and long-term success.

By submitting your app for consideration, you take a proactive role in getting noticed. The Featuring Nominations feature makes it clearer than ever how apps can gain the visibility they deserve. Whether your app is focused on seasonal campaigns, major updates, or innovation in a specific category, this feature helps your app rise to the top where it can be discovered by millions of potential users.

Featuring Nominations: Your Opportunity to Shine

With Apple’s new Featuring Nominations tool, developers now have a more direct way to submit their apps for consideration. This feature gives you the opportunity to actively showcase your app, whether it’s a major app update, a seasonal campaign, or a new app launch. Instead of waiting for Apple’s editorial team to discover your app, you can proactively highlight why it should be featured, thereby increasing your chances of landing a coveted spot on the App Store's Today tab or in a curated collection.

For many developers, the thought of being featured on the App Store feels like a distant dream, but the Featuring Nominations tool allows you to take matters into your own hands. Apple’s editorial team values proactive engagement from developers, and submitting your app through this tool is a strategic move to increase your app’s chances of being highlighted across the platform.

This process allows you to pitch your app’s updates and innovations directly to Apple’s editorial team, offering a streamlined and efficient way to get noticed. While being featured can never be fully guaranteed, proactive nomination submissions provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate why your app deserves this prestigious visibility.

Apple Connect Icons Blog Image

How to Nominate Your App for Featuring

To get started, you’ll need to navigate to the “Nominations” section in App Store Connect, where you can create and submit your nominations. The process is simple, but successful nominations require careful planning and attention to detail.

Required Roles: Only certain roles can submit nominations, including:

  • Account Holder
  • Admin
  • App Manager
  • Marketing

Ensure that your team members have the proper permissions before submitting your nomination to avoid any delays or complications.

Step 1: Create a Nomination Once you have access to App Store Connect, you can create a nomination entry. Here, you'll provide important details about your app's new features, seasonal content, or app updates, making it clear why it’s relevant for the editorial team to consider. This is your chance to explain what sets your app apart and why it should be featured on the App Store.

Step 2: Submitting Multiple Nominations If you have several apps or multiple updates to submit, you can upload multiple nominations using a CSV file. Each entry should be detailed and aligned with Apple’s editorial standards to increase your chances of being featured.

Although the tool is designed to streamline the process, it’s essential to be thorough in your nominations. Apple’s editorial team receives numerous submissions, so standing out requires showcasing the most compelling aspects of your app. Additionally, being timely and strategic in your submissions can increase your chances of being featured, particularly during peak times such as holiday seasons or special events.

Key Details to Include in Your Nomination

While there is no official checklist for getting featured, the editorial team looks for apps that demonstrate the following qualities:

  • User Experience: Apps should be intuitive, efficient, and valuable to users. Whether it’s ease of use or the overall experience, an app’s usability plays a significant role in its eligibility for being featured.
  • UI Design: Visually appealing interfaces and seamless user interactions are essential. The design should be polished, professional, and capable of engaging users at first glance.
  • Innovation & Uniqueness: Apps that bring fresh ideas or redefine categories are highly valued. If your app introduces innovative functionality, it could be the deciding factor in whether it gets featured.
  • Accessibility & Localization: Features that make the app accessible to a wide range of users, with high-quality language support, are prioritized. In today’s globalized world, localization can set an app apart from its competitors by making it more approachable for a diverse audience.

The more relevant and engaging the information in your nomination, the better your chances of being considered for a feature. It's important to remember that Apple looks for apps that stand out not only in their design and functionality but also in their potential to offer value to users around the world.

Leveraging Featuring Nominations for Seasonal Campaigns

Timing your app's update around seasonal events or holidays can improve your chances of being featured. Apple often curates content around special occasions, and submitting your app during these times increases your relevance. By strategically aligning your app’s updates with these periods, you can capture Apple’s attention when they are curating for seasonal collections.

Example Use Cases:

  • Holiday Campaigns: Apps offering holiday-themed updates or promotions are likely to catch Apple's attention. These might include Christmas-themed content, Halloween challenges, or New Year’s fitness goals.
  • Back-to-School: Apps related to education, productivity, or organization can see increased demand during this season. For example, a school planner app or a study guide tool can be highly relevant for students returning to classes.
  • Event-Driven Features: Tailor your app’s content to coincide with major events, such as sports seasons, festivals, or industry conferences. This type of relevance boosts your visibility in related collections.

Aligning your app’s updates with these trends not only helps increase the likelihood of being featured but also connects your app to users actively seeking seasonal content. Understanding the cultural calendar and aligning your app with those times can create a strong competitive advantage.

The Benefits of Featuring for ASO

Getting featured on the App Store can significantly improve your app’s performance, not just temporarily but in the long run. Here are a few ways being featured can boost your app:

  • Enhanced Discoverability: Featured apps enjoy increased visibility, appearing on the Today tab, category listings, and curated collections. This exposure leads to a surge in organic downloads, allowing users who might not have discovered your app otherwise to find it.
  • Boosted Conversion Rates: Editorial endorsements from Apple serve as a trust signal, encouraging users to download your app. This validation from Apple adds credibility, resulting in higher conversion rates from the App Store’s browse and search functions.
  • Sustained Visibility: The increased downloads from being featured help improve your app’s rankings in search results and app categories, providing long-term visibility even after the feature has ended.

Being featured is more than just a short-term boost. It’s an investment in your app’s future performance. Apps that get featured often experience sustained growth in downloads, which helps improve their overall ASO metrics, making it easier to maintain strong rankings in the App Store.

Share Your Success: Promote Featured Placements

If your app is selected for a feature, Apple will notify you through the App Store Connect app. You’ll receive a variety of promotional assets that you can use to share your success on social media, driving even more traffic to your app’s listing. These assets might include banners, icons, and screenshots that highlight your app’s feature placement.

Sharing your app's featured status is an excellent way to generate buzz, attract new users, and build credibility with your existing audience. Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are perfect for showcasing your app’s accomplishments. Additionally, incorporating these assets into email marketing campaigns or paid ads can further amplify the visibility of your app. Don’t miss out on the chance to promote your feature placement to maximize the benefits.

LET'S CHAT!

Navigating the complexities of app store optimization can feel like a never-ending challenge, but with the right approach and tools, it becomes a powerful way to ensure your app stands out. Whether you're exploring new features like Featuring Nominations or refining your ASO strategy, it's always helpful to exchange ideas and insights.

If you're looking to discuss strategies for boosting your app's visibility or want to share your experiences with app features, we'd love to chat. Let’s explore how fine-tuning your app’s presence on the App Store can lead to lasting success. Reach out anytime — we’re here to help!

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