In this article, we will explain to you why iOS 15 in-app events are essential in your ASO (App Store Optimization) strategy, why they have a significant impact on the success of your Apple Store app listing and what are they best practices to follow to integrate them into your application creation.
In-app events appear as “event cards that include images or videos, the name of the event, and a short description.”
Apple Store customers can tap these In-App event cards to get more information, such as whether the event experience requires an in-app purchase or subscription.
If a person wishes to attend the In-App event, he will have the option to register and will receive a notification when the event is about to start. She will obviously have the possibility of sharing this event with her friends whether by message or on social networks thanks to a sharing tab.
1. In-app event presentation and ASO strategy
In general, in-app event is an event related to a specific action that occurs in the application. This event can be triggered by the click of a button, the touch of a page, a specific sound, a video, etc. The goal is to give the user a unique experience by motivating them to return to the application. This event can be linked to a win, a promotional action, a social game, etc.
For example, you launch a card tournament over a period and the person who wins the most matches wins the tournament. Are you going to have the opportunity to highlight this event on your application page, or are you a ready-to-wear brand and you want to highlight your new collection? Do not hesitate to highlight these events to allow your potential customers to participate in your events.
According to Apple, this feature appears in the form of "event cards including images or videos, the name of the event and a short description."
Mobile users can tap these event cards to get more information, such as whether the event experience requires an in-app purchase or a subscription.
If someone would like to attend the event, all they need to do is click on the event and register. She will then receive a notification when the event is about to start. She will obviously have the possibility to share this event with her friends whether by message or on social networks.
If you decide to host an In-App event, it will appear on your app's product page (along with previously published events), in search results, and in sections of the Apple App Store selected by editors, such as the Today, Games, and App tabs.
Before publishing your event, you will need to choose one of the seven event types:
📍 Challenge Event: If your event goal is to encourage users to achieve a goal, for example, a card game challenge in an app or beating a certain boss in a game before a certain date unlocks a recount, the challenge badge will be the badge you need
🏆 Competitions: If players must compete to obtain the highest ranking to win a reward, the “competition” badge must be awarded to your event
🎬 Live Event: This badge should be given to events that all users can follow and that take place in real time, such as a match, concert or webinar.
These events should offer users new content, new features or new goods.
🌟 Major update: introducing new features, new content or new experiences - for example, the launch of new game modes or levels. These events go beyond minor improvements like UI tweaks or bug fixes.
🗓 New season: launching new content, storylines or media libraries - for example, a new season of a TV show or a new battle pass in a game.
🧲 Premiere: First availability of content or media - for example, recently released movies or audio files.
⚠️ Special Event: Time-limited events that are not covered by another event badge, which may cover multiple activities or experiences - for example, an event featuring a collaboration. These events should offer users new content, new features or new goods.
2. Analyze data from IOS15 in-app events
In the App store connect IOS15 dashboard, you will be able to determine which events are the best in terms of app user acquisition rate. allowing you to view downloads and filtering by specific events.
By looking at the different acquisition sources you will be able to analyze this data and it will allow you to know where users discover your events by consulting the acquisition sources.
Understand how well your event page is engaging users by reviewing engagement data, such as event impressions, event details page views, and page opens. 'application.
Track interest in your event by understanding how many users have opted in to be notified when your event starts.
The advantages of in-app events:
📌Take advantage of in-app events to increase your visibility using event keywords
📌Engage active users and bring back inactive users
3. The advantage of IOS 15 in-app events for ASO (app store optimization)
IOS 15 in-app events can have an impact on your app store optimization as well on search results, on the exposure of your application on the "today, games, apps" sections and offer you more actions for returning users.
More search results: When a specific event is searched for by users, the event card appears in the mobile user's search results, next to the application. This means that the information provided on the event card, such as the event name and its short description, will be indexable and will offer developers a completely new method to increase the visibility of their applications by targeting essential keywords or by adding new ones.
Provide more options for returning users: When users who already have the app download search for it on Apple Store, the event card will also replace screenshots in search results. This provides developers with a new opportunity to increase engagement and retention with their current users. It's also worth noting that an early A/B test of the iOS 15 beta showed that search results might no longer show the screenshot gallery of apps users already have installed.
If this test is applied to the iOS15 release, in-app events could be a way to maintain your app's visibility in search results for existing users (thus preventing competitors from taking advantage of this increased visibility).
Exposure in Today, Games, and Apps tabs: In-app events will also appear in editorial and featured collections on the Today, Games, and Apps tabs, which can significantly increase the visibility of your Apple store listing . Upcoming events that are featured in the Today tab may also appear in the new App Store widget in iOS 15.
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