Google Play keeps on upgrading! From changes coming to app discovery to increased personalization across different Play Store pages, the latest Google Play updates announced in Q2 look to shake up how users find new experiences and interact with apps across the marketplace.
Here’s what you can expect.
Google is doubling down on its initiatives to increase app discovery beyond just the app listing. Most recently, Google I/O 24 announced updates to the Play Store highlighting a new design, Premium Growth Tools, and updates to Custom Store Listings. Following this announcement just a few days ago was another aimed at improving app discoverability across the Play Store.
Google will now incorporate App Highlights into search results. These AI-powered highlights will act as snippets of relevant information, providing potential users with a summary of what to expect. They will highlight the app’s main features and unique value proposition in different sections informing users before clicking through to view the main listing.
We can see in the example that Google’s AI attributes certain terms to the app in question, but how do we know it’s accurately describing it? This is where ASO comes into play.
Google has not directly stated where it grabs phrases and terms from to describe an app. However, developers should ensure their app listing is optimized to include the terms most likely to be attributed to their app for good measure. Similar to its indexation process, the Google Play algorithm may be scanning your app listing for relevant keywords that are later used for App Highlights.
To increase your chances of having quality app highlights be sure to include keywords across several fields in your listing:
Additionally, be sure to balance keywords with readability to not only facilitate the reading experience for potential users but to enable Google’s AI-powered tech to easily scan your listing.
We mentioned how this year’s Google I/O brought changes to several Play Store features. Among them were Custom Store Listings, which now allow developers to create personalized experiences for different audience segments using keywords. Following this trend of increased personalization are the new updates coming to Google Play’s Apps & Games tabs.
Google’s curated spaces are new placements found across the Play Store. Users can now see a new area focused on providing content relevant to their specific interests. Google initially tested this feature with a curated space for cricket on the For You section of the Apps page in India. However, the country also announced geo-centric curated spaces, exemplifying it in a new section labeled “Comics” for the Japanese Play Store.
This push towards more relevant content reinforces Google’s aim at making the Play Store experience unique to each user’s interests, hopefully increasing their lifetime value with the apps found in the marketplace.
Expanding upon their plans for even more personalization comes a subtle, yet possibly significant change to how users receive custom game recommendations. Google Play will now prompt users navigating the Games page to select preferred gaming genres to improve the recommendations they see in their For You section. Once selected, users will get a refreshed view of what games the Play Store recommends.
Increased personalization correlates with a higher probability of a user finding the right app for the experience they're looking for and connecting developers with their intended audience.
Because Google is continuously making strides towards creating custom experiences for users across Google Play, developers are more likely to attract their target client base. However, this is only the case if their store listings are optimized to receive that influx of new users. Developers must make sure their assets - from their metadata to creatives - all accurately reflect the user experience and resonate with their target audience’s needs.
Optimized listings also improve a developer’s chances of being featured across the Play Store, possibly having their Promotional Content displayed in the new placements constantly being pushed to support personalized experiences.
Is your app ready to capitalize on the new Google Play features and reach new users? Let our ASO experts guide you through the process. Get in touch today!
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