Moburst’s Monthly Mobile Marketing Roundup #6
Welcome back to our monthly mobile marketing news roundup, where we give you insights into the latest ASO (App Store Optimization), developers, and MMPs (Mobile Measurement Partners) news & updates for the current month.
In this edition, we’ll discuss Google’s new wave of generative AI-powered Search Experience (SGE) features, Apple’s latest user privacy updates, and much more.
Mobile News & Updates
TikTok Introduces Search Ads
TikTok has officially launched its Search Ads Toggle feature, which allows brands to showcase their ads within the platform’s search results, providing a unique opportunity to reach TikTok’s massive user base.
Housed within the TikTok Ads Manager, the Search Ads Toggle feature uses existing In-Feed Ad creatives to display ads alongside organic video search results that match user queries. This is not a standalone feature but an extension of the existing TikTok video ad offering.
- This feature is a game-changer for brands and businesses looking to tap into TikTok’s 100 million active monthly users in the U.S.
TikTok’s search results ads will carry a “Sponsored” label. It can be placed in various positions on the results page, depending on relevancy, user intent derived from their search query, and broader insights from other user behaviors.
Users will encounter these ads during their search journey, which begins when they click the search button at the top of the ‘For You’ feed and enter a query. Ads will appear among the search results, and once clicked, users can continue scrolling through the results in their original order, reflecting the typical in-feed TikTok experience.
Advertisers also have the flexibility to add negative keywords, ensuring that their campaigns don’t run alongside content that doesn’t align with their brand message. Notably, the Search Ads Toggle is turned on by default when setting up In-Feed Ads but can be deactivated if desired.
- According to TikTok’s internal data, the feature is already yielding positive results, with 70% of ad groups seeing more efficient performance when the Search Ads Toggle is activated, primarily due to improved conversions from search ads.
This move comes after extensive testing of search ads and indicates TikTok’s ambition to compete with major players like Google and Microsoft. As the platform continues to evolve and innovate, it’s clear that TikTok is becoming a formidable force in mobile advertising.
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Google Bard, SGE, Natural Language AI & ASO
Google has been transforming its traditional search functionalities with generative AI in recent months. During the 2023 Google I/O, Google Search AI was announced alongside some significant updates to Google Bard, the company’s experimental chatbot aimed to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
While both Google AI Search and Bard share some similarities, they also have notable differences in functionalities and use cases – most of which are expected to impact both SEO and ASO strategies.
Google Bard, which is currently in development, is an experimental chatbot aiming to enhance search by providing recommended results above other Google search results. This integration is expected to impact both SEO and ASO strategies, requiring mobile marketers to adapt to new ranking criteria presented by the chatbot.
- Although the exact details of Bard’s search result display are unknown, app store pages are anticipated to be considered.
This emphasizes the importance of securing a prominent position for your app by creating engaging, user-centric, and SEO-optimized metadata.
- When analyzing app store pages, Bard will likely consider factors users commonly evaluate when choosing an app.
- When determining which apps to recommend, Bard’s main ranking factors are likely to consider unique app features, reliability, user reviews, price, flexibility, sharing, accessibility, interface, and other aspects that contribute to valuable recommendations.
One of the best ways to ensure Google Bard Search indexes your app is to adapt its metadata based on these ranking factors. This can be done by leveraging Google’s recently integrated Natural Language AI methodology, known as NLP (Natural Language Processes).
Google’s NLP (Natural Language Processes) Model
Google Bard utilizes the company’s innovative NLP model, LaMDA, which marks a major shift in conversational AI.
The Natural Language API, powered by Google’s machine learning, derives valuable insights from text. This methodology uses the analyzeSyntax method, which provides detailed information about the linguistic structure of text, including important concepts like morphology, syntax, and the relationships between words and their relevance.
- Currently, the NLP offers analysis features like sentiment analysis, entity sentiment analysis, content classification, and syntax analysis, evaluating them according to the relevant categories (based on the text) while providing a confidence level of the text in each category.
These features and performance scores can be leveraged to assess app metadata quality and improve ASO to ensure your app has a high chance of being recommended by Google Bard.
App marketers and developers must pay close attention to the upcoming updates from Google Bard and Google Search AI, as these might significantly impact ASO strategies moving forward.
App Store Updates & Features
Customers Can Now Resolve Billing Issues Without Leaving Your App
Back in April, Apple announced it was rolling out a way for customers to resolve payment issues without leaving the app. Starting August 14, this convenient update will be rolling out to users, making it easier for subscribers to stay connected to your content, services, and premium features.
If an auto-renewable subscription fails to renew due to billing issues, a system-provided sheet will appear in your app, allowing customers to update their Apple ID payment method.
You can test this feature in Sandbox mode and even control its timing and display using messages and StoreKit. No additional action is required as this feature is available in iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 or later.
Apple Increases Efforts to Protect User Privacy
As part of Apple’s commitment to uphold user privacy, the company has taken a significant step forward. They’ve identified a handful of APIs, which, in the wrong hands, can be manipulated for device fingerprinting and unauthorized data collection.
They made a significant announcement at the recent WWDC23 to address this matter. According to the new policy, apps that use APIs known for potential fingerprinting must provide a justified reason for their usage in their privacy manifest. The aim is to ensure that these APIs are exclusively utilized for their intended purpose, thereby preventing potential abuse.
This new process requires developers to select from a roster of approved reasons, which should accurately represent how their app employs the API. Consequently, the API can only be utilized within the confines of these selected reasons.
Starting this fall, Apple will also introduce a system where uploading a new app or an update to App Store Connect, which leverages an API requiring a declaration (including those from third-party SDKs), will prompt a notification if an approved reason hasn’t been provided in the app’s privacy manifest. Fast forward to spring 2024, providing an approved reason in the privacy manifest will become a prerequisite for uploading any new app or update on App Store Connect.
To best prepare for these upcoming changes, we recommend checking out our complete guide to SKAdNetwork 4.0.
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Google Play Store Updates & Features
Play Store for Larger Screens
Google’s recent Play Store revamp, following last year’s Google I/O announcements, is set to enhance the experience for users of tablets, Chromebooks, and foldables. This shift underscores the significance of App Store Optimization (ASO) for larger screens. Here’s the condensed overview:
- Enhanced App Listing Pages: Mobile games can now utilize video banners on their listing pages, providing a richer user experience. This change, combined with the refreshed multi-column layout for app and game details, encourages marketers to fine-tune their visuals for larger screens to ensure optimal engagement.
- Optimization and Visibility for Larger Screens: Starting in late August, apps tailored for bigger screens will benefit from higher search rankings and prominence in the Apps and Games Home section. This prioritization means developers should adapt their apps to various screen dimensions. Those not meeting the Play Store’s quality benchmarks might face warnings or diminished visibility.
- Streamlined Navigation and Discovery: Google has refined navigation for expansive screens by introducing a left-side rail for easier menu access. Coupled with a revamped search experience that presents results and app details in a split-screen layout, potential users will be able to discover and explore your app more seamlessly.
These changes will be implemented gradually in the coming weeks, marking the beginning of a tailored Play Store experience for larger screens. Developers can visit Google’s app design gallery for further inspiration and examples of high-quality large-screen apps.
MMPs (Mobile Measurement Partners) & Developer Updates
AppsFlyer’s Organic Search Attribution Update
AppsFlyer has unveiled a new organic search attribution solution, specifically designed to track re-engagements, which are instances that occur when existing users reopen an app. This feature allows businesses to attribute these re-engagements to various organic search engines, such as Google or Bing.
When users search for a term on their mobile browsers and click on results linked to an app they have installed, the app directly opens. AppsFlyer’s solution captures this activity, attributing the app’s reopening to the specific search engine used. If the user doesn’t have the app, they’re directed to a web landing page, where AppsFlyer’s tools can further guide and attribute their journey.
For businesses and marketers, this update is a game-changer. By understanding which search engines drive the most re-engagements, they can refine their App Store Optimization (ASO) and SEO strategies. The insights provided by this feature offer invaluable feedback, enabling brands to gauge the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and optimize organic search conversions.
Google Launches Final Beta Ahead of Android 14 Release
Google has released Android 14 Beta 5, the final planned update before the official launch of Android 14. This update is the last opportunity for developers to ensure app compatibility and provide feedback before the official launch of Android 14.
The update, available for Pixel Tablet, Pixel Fold, all supported Pixel devices, and the Android emulator, comes with finalized developer APIs and app-facing behaviors. It’s an open invite for developers to integrate these into their apps, target Android 14’s SDK version 34, and publish on Google Play.
As the countdown to Android 14’s official release begins, developers are urged to wrap up their final compatibility tests and roll out any updates needed for a smooth app experience. This is especially important for those building SDKs, libraries, tools, or game engines, as this step can help prevent potential compatibility issues.
Beta 5 also introduces several user-centric behavioral changes, including partial access to photos/videos, secure full-screen intent notifications, default denial of exact alarms, and non-linear font scaling up to 200%.
Developers should also install their production app onto an Android 14 Beta 5 device for a comprehensive check for any functional or UI issues.
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