Having an app published on Google Play can be very rewarding. Done well, you can make money and grow the business in a very short time. But sadly many apps don’t make.
Google take down thousands of apps every year for a variety of reasons and knowing this can make the endeavor seem daunting. So what can you do to ensure that your app stays up?
Why do Apps get taken down?
Having an App taken down is very disheartening. It can happen literally overnight. One day it’s riding high in the rankings and the next it is nowhere to be found. There are a whole bunch of reasons why an app can be taken down. Often it is down to carelessness in one form or another.
When developing your app, you should be paying very close attention to the guidelines and policies on your chosen platform. All too often apps are taken down for simple policy violations, so it’s a good idea to get into the small print and make sure your app complies.
“If you are creating an app to improve on what has come before, make sure that it is original enough to avoid copyright infringement. Improvements and innovation are fine, outright plagiarism is not,” shares Maria Anderson, IT expert at Draftbeyond and Writinity.
You should also check that your app is protected from attacks. Apps can be very quickly shut down if there’s even a hint that they might be harmful. Security is a big issue for users and you shouldn’t underestimate just how quickly even the most temporary issues can travel.
It is also very important to consider three fundamental areas: Is your app still relevant, useful and discoverable?
What information can you find out?
With so many apps being uploaded every day it is very important that you keep yourself informed on what is out there. Your app may very quickly become irrelevant if someone discovers a better way to deliver what you do.
Some app developers build their business models around seeing where others are failing and filling in the gaps. So take a leaf out of their book and listen to your user feedback. Understanding and acting on the feedback provided creates user loyalty. This will keep you from losing out to your competitors.
“For those who have just started publishing apps, you may feel like your app has just floated without really getting anywhere. This is where App Store Optimization comes in. With ASO you can look at the tools you will need to get your app to a wider audience,” says Cynthia Stamp, mobile application enthusiast, and writer for Last Minute Writing and Researchpapersuk.
How you can make sure your app is still visible
ASO is the app equivalent of SEO. Understanding how the user has found your app and how you can make that journey easier is key to growing your business. It helps to take a long view of your business, and again user feedback can be useful here.
It may be that in developing your app, the idea has transformed. This is natural and should be encouraged as it promotes growth. But in order to maintain and grow a user base, your descriptions should remain relevant. Constantly research similar products and look at how they maintain visibility and update your metadata accordingly. Keep your description concise and accurate so that everyone understands what it is your app does. Think carefully about your title. If you’ve not got much of a user base, ask yourself whether your apps name is appropriate.
Most importantly, once you have a demographic, you should seek to continue improving the app. ASO is crucial to keeping your app visible but will be for nothing if the interface is useless. Happy users will want to give positive feedback. Positive feedback can lead to greater exposure and brand visibility.
