{"id":1981,"date":"2026-08-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/?p=1981"},"modified":"2026-03-07T03:50:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T08:50:22","slug":"app-store-featuring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/app-store-featuring\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Featured in the App Store"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting featured by Apple or Google is one of the most impactful organic growth events for a mobile app. A feature placement on the App Store or Google Play can drive tens of thousands of installs in a single week, with zero ad spend. But featuring is not random. Both platforms have editorial teams with specific criteria, and you can take deliberate steps to increase your chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For ASO fundamentals, see <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/app-store-optimization\/\">app store optimization (ASO): the complete guide<\/a>. For launch planning, see <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/app-launch-strategy\/\">app launch strategy: pre-launch to post-launch playbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How App Store Featuring Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apple App Store<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apple&#39;s editorial team curates the &quot;Today,&quot; &quot;Games,&quot; and &quot;Apps&quot; tabs. They select apps based on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Quality of experience<\/strong>: Design, performance, and user experience.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Innovation<\/strong>: Novel use of platform features (widgets, Live Activities, SharePlay, visionOS).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Storytelling<\/strong>: The narrative behind the app and its impact on users.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Timeliness<\/strong>: Alignment with seasonal events, cultural moments, or Apple product launches.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apple has a <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/contact\/app-store\/promote\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">self-nomination form<\/a> where developers can pitch their app for featuring. Submissions are reviewed, but there is no guarantee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Google Play<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google Play features apps through:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Editors&#39; Choice<\/strong>: Curated by the Google Play editorial team.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Top Charts<\/strong>: Algorithmic based on installs, ratings, and engagement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Collections<\/strong>: Themed groups (e.g., &quot;Essential apps for new phones&quot;).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Events<\/strong>: Promotional tiles for in-app events and offers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Google also has a <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/console\/about\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">featuring nomination form<\/a> available through the Google Play Console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Impact of Featuring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Placement<\/th>\n<th>Typical Install Boost<\/th>\n<th>Duration<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody><tr>\n<td>App Store &quot;Today&quot; story<\/td>\n<td>5x-20x daily installs<\/td>\n<td>1-3 days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>App Store category feature<\/td>\n<td>3x-10x daily installs<\/td>\n<td>1-7 days<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Google Play Editors&#39; Choice<\/td>\n<td>3x-15x daily installs<\/td>\n<td>Ongoing (until removed)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Google Play collection<\/td>\n<td>2x-5x daily installs<\/td>\n<td>1-4 weeks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The boost is temporary, but the secondary effects last longer: increased ratings count, better search rankings, and press coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Editorial Teams Look For<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Design Quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Apple and Google prioritize apps that look and feel polished:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Follow platform design guidelines: <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/design\/human-interface-guidelines\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple Human Interface Guidelines<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/m3.material.io\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Material Design<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Smooth animations and transitions.<\/li>\n<li>Consistent typography and color palette.<\/li>\n<li>Accessibility support (Dynamic Type on iOS, TalkBack on Android).<\/li>\n<li>Dark mode support.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apps with stock UI components and no design effort are rarely featured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technical Excellence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Signal<\/th>\n<th>Apple<\/th>\n<th>Google<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody><tr>\n<td>Crash-free rate<\/td>\n<td>99.5%+ expected<\/td>\n<td>99%+ expected<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Latest SDK adoption<\/td>\n<td>Uses latest iOS SDK features<\/td>\n<td>Targets latest Android API level<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Platform features<\/td>\n<td>Widgets, Shortcuts, SharePlay<\/td>\n<td>Material You, Adaptive Icons, Large Screens<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Performance<\/td>\n<td>Fast launch time, smooth scrolling<\/td>\n<td>Low ANR rate, efficient battery usage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Privacy<\/td>\n<td>ATT compliance, privacy nutrition labels<\/td>\n<td>Data safety section complete<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Adoption of New Platform Features<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is the single most actionable strategy. When Apple or Google launches a new platform feature, they actively seek apps that adopt it early:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>iOS example<\/strong>: When Apple launched WidgetKit, apps with well-designed widgets were prominently featured. Same for Live Activities, StandBy mode, and interactive widgets.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Android example<\/strong>: When Google introduced Material You dynamic theming, apps that adopted it early got featured in Google Play collections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Monitor <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/news\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple developer news<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/android-developers.googleblog.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Android developer blog<\/a> for new APIs and adopt them within weeks of availability, not months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Localization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apps available in multiple languages have a higher chance of being featured in regional stores. Apple and Google have regional editorial teams that feature locally relevant apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Priority markets for localization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>English (US, UK, AU)<\/li>\n<li>Japanese<\/li>\n<li>Korean<\/li>\n<li>German<\/li>\n<li>French<\/li>\n<li>Spanish<\/li>\n<li>Portuguese (Brazil)<\/li>\n<li>Chinese (Simplified)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Nomination Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Apple App Store Nomination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/developer.apple.com\/contact\/app-store\/promote\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apple&#39;s self-nomination page<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Fill out the form with:<ul>\n<li>App name and App Store link.<\/li>\n<li>What makes the app special (unique features, impact, design).<\/li>\n<li>Upcoming updates or launches.<\/li>\n<li>Any relevant press coverage or awards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tips<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Tell a story about why your app matters, not just what it does.<\/li>\n<li>Highlight specific new features, especially those using Apple&#39;s latest APIs.<\/li>\n<li>Include high-quality screenshots and app preview videos.<\/li>\n<li>Mention any awards, press mentions, or user testimonials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Google Play Nomination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/console\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Google Play Console<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Navigate to the promotional content section.<\/li>\n<li>Submit details about your app and upcoming updates.<\/li>\n<li>Google also considers apps automatically based on quality signals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Tips<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ensure your Data Safety section is complete and accurate.<\/li>\n<li>Target the latest Android API level.<\/li>\n<li>Support large screens (tablets, foldables) for additional featuring opportunities.<\/li>\n<li>Use Google Play&#39;s in-app events feature to highlight new content or promotions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Preparing for the Traffic Spike<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting featured is only valuable if you can convert the traffic surge into retained users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before Featuring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Test your onboarding<\/strong>: New users from featuring have no prior context. Ensure your first-run experience is clear and compelling.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Server capacity<\/strong>: Can your backend handle 10x normal traffic? If your app has a server component, load test it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deep link readiness<\/strong>: Ensure your deep links work correctly so that users who discover your app through a feature story can navigate to specific content. Set up <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/features\/deep-linking\">deep linking<\/a> for key in-app destinations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>App Store page<\/strong>: Polish your screenshots, preview video, and description. This is when the most people will see your listing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">During Featuring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Monitor crash rates<\/strong>: A spike in crashes during featuring damages your reputation with the editorial team.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Respond to reviews<\/strong>: New users leave reviews. Respond promptly and helpfully.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Track metrics<\/strong>: Monitor installs, retention, and engagement in real-time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">After Featuring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Retention focus<\/strong>: Acquired users from featuring behave like organic users (high intent, but varied motivation). Focus on day-1 and day-7 retention.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Follow up with the editorial team<\/strong>: If featuring went well, maintain the relationship. Update them on future releases.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leverage the badge<\/strong>: &quot;Featured by Apple&quot; or &quot;Editors&#39; Choice&quot; is a trust signal. Add it to your website, social media, and ad creative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Increasing Your Chances<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Action<\/th>\n<th>Effort<\/th>\n<th>Impact on Featuring Chances<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody><tr>\n<td>Adopt new platform features within weeks of launch<\/td>\n<td>High (development)<\/td>\n<td>Very high<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Submit self-nomination with compelling story<\/td>\n<td>Low (time)<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Achieve 4.5+ star rating<\/td>\n<td>Medium (product quality)<\/td>\n<td>High<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Localize to 10+ languages<\/td>\n<td>High (localization)<\/td>\n<td>Medium-high<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Maintain 99.5%+ crash-free rate<\/td>\n<td>Medium (engineering)<\/td>\n<td>High<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Support accessibility features<\/td>\n<td>Medium (development)<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Time major updates to platform launches (WWDC, I\/O)<\/td>\n<td>Medium (planning)<\/td>\n<td>High<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Achieve press coverage or awards<\/td>\n<td>Variable<\/td>\n<td>Medium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Mistakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Mistake<\/th>\n<th>Impact<\/th>\n<th>Fix<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody><tr>\n<td>Submitting a nomination with no story<\/td>\n<td>Editorial team cannot see why the app is special<\/td>\n<td>Write a compelling narrative about your app&#39;s impact<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ignoring design quality<\/td>\n<td>Immediately disqualified by editorial<\/td>\n<td>Invest in design before submitting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Not adopting new platform features<\/td>\n<td>Miss the window when Apple\/Google are looking for adopters<\/td>\n<td>Monitor developer news and adopt quickly<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Unprepared for traffic spike<\/td>\n<td>High crash rates, poor first experience, negative reviews<\/td>\n<td>Load test, polish onboarding before nomination<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Only targeting one platform<\/td>\n<td>Miss Google Play or App Store featuring separately<\/td>\n<td>Submit nominations to both platforms<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tolinku for Featured Apps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When your app gets featured, new users may discover it through various channels (the feature story, app store search, press coverage). <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/features\/deep-linking\">Tolinku<\/a> helps you set up deep links for specific in-app content referenced in feature stories, ensuring users land on the right screen. <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/features\/analytics\">Analytics<\/a> let you track which channels and campaigns drive the most installs during a featuring event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the full growth guide, see <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/mobile-app-growth-strategies\/\">mobile app growth: 25 strategies that work in 2026<\/a>. For ASO strategies, see <a href=\"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/app-store-optimization\/\">app store optimization (ASO): the complete guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Increase your chances of getting featured by Apple or Google. Learn submission guidelines, quality signals, and what editorial teams look for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1980,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"How to Get Featured in the App Store","rank_math_description":"Increase your chances of getting featured by Apple or Google. 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