What Are Featured Apps And How Do You Get Your App Featured?

When it comes to Android-featured apps, you’ll find them in the Editor’s Choice section. Once you open the Google Play Store app, scroll down and you’ll find the Editor’s Choice section. Alternatively, you can also find curated lists of Google featured apps as per categories.

There are 3 important lists in the Google Play Store which consist of Google Play Team, Popular, and New. These categories contain multiple sub-categories as well. 

On iPhones, open the iOS App Store and you’ll find the Featured apps clubbed together with the ‘Top Charts’ in the ‘Today’ tab.

To gain an Editors’ Choice badge, or end up on one of the Editors’ choice lists, you need to make sure your app follows the store’s minimum requirements to be eligible for featuring considerations, which include:

1. Comply with Policy Practices, Launch Checklist, and Design Guidelines, and meet Core App Quality Guidelines.

2. Simultaneously launch or update your app across key mobile platforms

3. Maintain a high user rating by listening to user feedback

• Minimum Rating Requirements for featuring;

- New Apps -Should be launched within 4 months of your desired date.

- Required rating - 3.8 or higher

• Updated Apps - Should have a significant update and update must be noteworthy and add clear value to the user.

- Required rating; -

JP, KR - 3.8 or higher

- All other countries - 4.0 or higher

4. Optimize device support, as relevant to the app (e.g. phones, tablets, wearables, TV)

5. Ensure mobile platform parity in both design & features

6. Localize apps in markets where you'd like to be featured

7. Adopt a Material Design UI

8. For new launches and major updates, launch an alpha/beta version to receive feedback from users

9. For newly launched apps - Apps must be released within 4 months of your desired feature date.

10. Submit APK/AAB for review at least 3 weeks prior to update (4 weeks ahead for newly launched app)

Meanwhile, here’s a guide on how to submit your app to Google Play Store.

However, you should also note that Google considers many factors when promoting an app, and meeting the above requirements does not guarantee a promotion.

To wrap it up, here are 6 simple tips to help you get your app featured in Google Play:

1. Follow the launch checklist
2. Have an attractive UI/UX design
3. Employ Google Product Initiatives
4. Choose simplicity. Avoid over-stacking your app with numerous complex features
5. Promote your app as much as you can in the best way possible
6. Analyze the larger market forces

According to Apple, there’s no precise checklist of requirements for apps to be featured. Instead, the selection is based on a variety of factors, which in turn will provide customers with a product they’ll love.

To get your app featured by Apple, focus on the following factors:

1. UI design - Great usability, appeal, and overall quality — such as beautiful visuals or intuitive gestures and controls.

2. User experience -  Cohesive, efficient, and valuable functionality that’s helpful and easy to use.

3. Innovation -  Solves a unique problem for users or takes advantage of new technologies to provide an optimal user experience.

4. Uniqueness - Stands out from the crowd, defines a new genre, or takes a fresh approach to a familiar category.

5. Accessibility  - Well-integrated features that provide a great experience for a broad range of users.

6. Localization - High-quality and relevant localizations, including culturally appropriate content and support for multiple languages.

7. App Store product page - Compelling screenshots, app previews, and descriptions, as well as ratings and reviews.

Additional considerations for games:

• Gameplay design
• Art and animation
• Controls
• Story and characters (if applicable)
• Replayability (if applicable)
• Sound effects and music
• Technical performance
• Overall value

To wrap it up, here are 7 simple tips on how to get your app featured by Apple in the iOS App Store:

1. Have an outstanding app
2. Continually update your app
3. Use Apple search ads
4. Establish real relations with whoever you reach out to
5. Tell a good story
6. Use Apple’s latest features
7. Analyze the larger market forces