How to beat "the algorithm", Google Plays around with new ad slot in Play Store search and more!

Happy Wednesday!

Today’s news it’s about our newsletter! We decided to share our experiences as app marketers and bring to you every week a little bit about it, with some original content as the first topic of each e-mail.

We hope you enjoy today’s content that was written by Rômulo Gomes founder of Easy App Reports! Make sure to answer this e-mail and let us know what you think and if this was helpful for you:

How to beat "the algorithm"

The danger of trying to beat the algorithm is that it usually leads to short-term hacks and spammy tactics that tend never to last.

I learned that the hard way, so I do my best not to think like that.

Instead, I try to understand what's the game I'm playing and its rules.

Let's take the App Store as an example

Although Apple provides guidelines for app developers, they never disclose their algorithm's details.

So the best I can do is to test stuff and see what happens - which sometimes also includes observing what the others are doing.

On top of that, I also like to think like the enemy.

I remind myself that the App Store is like a supermarket, filled with millions of products. There, Apple is the owner, and my apps is just one of the millions of products they have available on their shelves.

And if I put myself in Apple's shoes, I can think about their goals and then try to use that information to my advantage.

For example, we could assume that Apple always aims to delight their customers while taking the iPhone and the App Store to gain more market share and revenue. Therefore, they probably need apps that are: high-quality, unique, trending, from top brands, or that leverage iPhone's unique features.

From that, I might realize my app doesn't use any of the iPhone's new features. Or maybe my customers are leaving tons of negative reviews. Or maybe my retention sucks. Or my ability to convert engagement in revenue us poor. Or all of the above.

Interestingly enough, Apple released a Benchmark feature this year. They're literally telling us: "Hey, look at these data points and see how you're performing agains other players from your category. What are you going to do about it?".

I guess my app could use a few improvements here and there. Therefore, I'm probably not the best one to recommend. So now I can start thinking about how could I change that.

Suddenly, we're aiming to go the extra mile and deliver something others will struggle to keep up with - instead of blindly trying to scam our way to the top.

This doesn't exclude the hard work of creating the best metadata I can and trying to squeeze performance from every little technical aspect of it. Instead, it means that I can also take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and try to identify the big leaps I could make.

Applying this concept to other algorithms

But it doesn't stop with the App Store. We can apply the same principle to any other black-box ecosystem you're dealing with.

You'll notice that your mindset will genuinely change if you do that. Instead of thinking about how to hack the system, you'll start thinking about how you can play a better game - and this is one of the things true experts do that the rest don't.

ps: if you try this approach, I recommend following the news about these platforms. Press releases and documentation updates are a true gold mine if you want to be one step ahead of the others.

Google Plays around with new ad slot in Play Store search

Google is getting ready for its yearly I/O developer conference in May, and has been seen experimenting with a fresh Play Store advertisement space that may enhance its search ads enterprise. This development could allow app developers to tap into a new and valuable advertising space to promote their apps, such as:

• Personalized suggestions
• Major boost to ad revenues
• Key takeaways

Read now

Strategies and tools for successful testing in mobile app development

Mobile app testing is a crucial factor that significantly impacts the efficiency and quality of mobile applications. As mobile apps are becoming more complex, it's important to have effective testing strategies and tools in place to provide users with a seamless experience.

This article will discuss the latest testing strategies and tools that can help you enhance your mobile app testing process. It covers a wide range of topics, including manual testing, automation, functional testing, and non-functional testing, such as performance and security testing.

By the end of this article, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of the best practices and tools for mobile app testing, and you'll be able to implement them in your development process to ensure the success of your mobile app.

Read article

‍

‍

Sharing is caring!

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with colleagues and friends who might find it useful. You can forward this page to them or share this link.

‍