The Step-By-Step Guide to App Store Submission & Optimization

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The Step-By-Step Guide To App Store Submission & Optimization ABOUT US

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A Guide To App Store Submission A GUIDE TO APP STORE SUBMISSION & ASO App submission is often an afterthought. But ensuring you submit your app to the App Store properly (a service included in our end-to-end development) is an important first step to ensure exposure and entice users to download.

That’s why we made this step-by-step guide to App Store submission. This guide contains all the steps required to properly submit an iOS app to the App Store; tips on getting your app approved; and best practices for App Store Optimization (ASO) so that your app can be found easily by users.

A Guide To App Store Submission HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APP TO THE APP STORE Submitting your app to the App Store can be time consuming, particularly if you’re new to the submission process. This step-by-step guide will equip you with everything you need to successfully submit your application to the App Store, without a hitch.

PREREQUISITES

1. Project that is ready for submission and passes Apple’s App Store Guidelines 2. Valid Apple developer account 3. Computer that runs Mac OS X 4. The following programs installed: Xcode Keychain Access

STEP OVERVIEW Below you will find a list of guides, each describing how to do one of the steps required for submitting an app. 1. Assemble App Store Information 2. Create a Bundle Identifier 3. Create a Certificate Signing Request 4. Create an App Store Production Certificate 5. Create a Production Provisioning Profile 6. Create an App Store Listing 7. Create a Release Build 8. Fill in the Version Information 9. Submit Version for Review 10. Release

A Guide To App Store Submission 1. ASSEMBLE APP INFORMATION

It is very important to collect all of the information you need to submit before you start the process. More Information Here

Requirements Notes

You need at least one for every supported device screen size. The Screenshots screenshots cannot contain transparency

Name Name of the app as seen by users

Description A description of your app, detailing features and functionality

Keywords Separate keywords with a comma

Support URL A URL with support information for your app

Marketing URL A URL with marketing information about your app, optional

This icon will be used on the App Store and must be in the JPG or App Icon PNG format, with a minimum resolution of at least 72 DPI, and in the RGB color space. It must not contain layers or rounded corners.

Categories Secondary category is optional

Generate your rating based on the questionnaire. More Information Rating Here.

Trade Representative Only appears on the Korean App Store, optional Contact Information “The username and password for a full-access account for your Demo Account app. Include details for additional accounts in the Notes field.”

A Guide To App Store Submission 2. CREATE A BUNDLE IDENTIFIER

The bundle identifier is the name of your app, as seen by both the App Store and iOS devices. 1. In your browser, navigate to Apple’s Developer Portal 2. Log in 3. Click Identifiers 4. Click the “+” in the top right of the screen 5. Name the App ID the same as your app 6. Make sure the Bundle ID follows the standard naming convention: com.yourcompanyname.yourappname 7. Check any App Services the app needs, click Continue 8. Verify the services are correct, then click Submit

3. CREATE A CERTIFICATE SIGNING REQUEST

Certificate Signing Requests are used to link your computer to your Apple developer account. 1. Open a program called KeyChain Access 2. In the top left menu, click Certificate Assistant 3. Click Request a Certificate From a Certificate Authority… 4. User email: Enter your email address 5. Common Name: We recommend using the name of the app 6. CA email: Enter your email address again 7. Check Saved to Disk, click Continue 8. Save the Certificate Signing Request for later

A Guide To App Store Submission 4. CREATE APP STORE PRODUCTION CERTIFICATE

Code Signing Certificates are used to link iOS apps to your Apple developer account. 1. In your browser, navigate to Apple’s Developer Portal 2. Click Certificates 3. Click the “+” in the top right of the screen 4. Click the App Store Production 5. Currently named “App Store and Ad Hoc” under Production 6. Click Continue 7. Upload the Certificate Signing Request created earlier 8. Download the Certificate 9. Install the certificate on your computer by double clicking 10. Keep this file somewhere safe

5. CREATE A PRODUCTION PROVISIONING PROFILE

Provisioning Profiles are packaged with iOS apps so users devices can install them. 1. In your browser, navigate to Apple’s Developer Portal 2. Log in 3. Click Provisioning Profiles 4. Click the “+” in the top right of the screen 5. Click the App Store Distribution option, click Continue 6. Select the Bundle ID created earlier, click Continue 7. Select the Certificate created earlier, click Continue 8. Make sure the Profile Name follows the standard naming convention: 9. App Name App Store Distribution 10. Click Generate 11. Download it 12. Install the provision profile on your computer Keep this file somewhere safe

A Guide To App Store Submission 6. CREATE AN APP STORE LISTING Reserve a slot in the App Store for your app for users to see. 1. Start in your browser, navigate to iTunes Connect 2. Log in 3. Click My Apps 4. Click the “+” in the top left of the screen 5. Click “New iOS App” 6. Bundle ID: choose the one created on Developer Portal 7. For convenience, make the SKU match the Bundle ID created earlier 8. Click Create to create the first version listing

7. MAKE THE RELEASE BUILD

Package the actual binary that users will be uploading to the store.

1. Start Xcode 2. Open the project or workspace 3. Update the version and build numbers 4. Open Build Settings 5. Make sure All settings is selected 6. Scroll to Code Signing 7. Use the provisioning profile created earlier 8. Use the code signing identity created earlier 9. In the top menu, select iOS Device as the build destination 10. Menu, Project, Archive 11. Click Distribute 12. Sign in as your apple developer account 13. Submit to app store 14. Wait for the confirmation

A Guide To App Store Submission 8. FILL IN VERSION INFORMATION Users will decide whether or not to install your app based on your store listing. 1. Enter all of the information assembled in step 1 2. Select the build you wish to tie to the version (Note: This usually appears 10-15 minutes after sending from Xcode) 3. Fill in pricing information 4. Click Save 5. Fit any errors based on the messages that appear and save changes

9. SUBMIT VERSION FOR REVIEW Every app that is submitted to the store has to be reviewed by the Apple team before release.

1. Select the release type Manual release – after the app is accepted, a Release button will appear Automatic release – as soon as the app is accepted, it will be released 2. Wait for approval This process usually takes 2-3 weeks for a new submission 3. If your app was not approved, review the notes in the Resolution Center and make any necessary changes to the app or version information then resubmit

10. RELEASE Enjoy the final, most satisfying step. 1. If you selected Manual release, click Release your app when ready 2. Wait for the green “Ready for Sale” version status (This might take from 1 hour to 1 day after release) 3. Search for your app on the App Store 4. Celebrate!

A Guide To App Store Submission HOW TO GET YOUR APP APPROVED Now that you’ve read the step-by-step guide to App Store submission, you can use these tips to ensure that your app submission is approved.

APPROVAL PROCESS AND TIMELINES We mentioned above that App Store submission is often an afterthought. This is a big mistake, as it can throw off the entire timeline of your project. App Store submission needs to be planned out and accounted for as thoroughly as any other phase in the project lifecycle. The timelines for approval show why:

• App meets all App Store Requirements with no issues: 2-3 weeks • App rejected and you submit an appeal: case-by-case basis. Typically if your appeal is valid you can expect a timely resolution, but appeals have been known to range from about 2 days to well over a week • App rejected and you resubmit: 2-3 weeks (on top of initial submission time)

Note: If you need fast approval for an urgent bug fix or time-sensitive event, Apple does have an expedited review process.

In the worst case scenario, your app can take 4-6 weeks to be approved. In some cases approval time is longer than development time. The result is missed deadlines, wasted resources, and ultimately money lost. Here are a list of tips to keep in mind to ensure your App Store submission is accepted the first time around.

A Guide To App Store Submission 1. DON’T MENTION ANDROID

Even if your app supports other platforms, mentioning Android, Windows, etc., in your submission is a surefire way to get it rejected. There have even been reports that some apps have been rejected in the App Store for mentioning Pebble smartwatch support (an Apple Watch competitor). Do yourself a favor and keep this information out of your submission.

2. AVOID SUBMITTING BETAS Any submission that includes Beta – or any language/indication that the app is somehow incomplete – will lessen your chances of your app being approved. Remember, it’s not just Apple that wants the products to be high quality; users do, too.

3. BE DETAILED Many App Store submissions get rejected because they simply don’t include the necessary detail. In fact, incomplete information is the most common reason for rejection. Typically, people fail to provide everything needed under the App Review Information section. To ensure you have all the detail you require, follow our App Store submission process outlined above.

4. GET ORGANIZED BEFORE SUBMITTING Don’t go into the submission process with the idea that you’re going to wing it. Be organized. Compile all the necessary App Store information that you need prior to beginning, ensure that you have a valid Apple Developer account and computer that runs OS X, and make sure you have Xcode and Keychain Access installed. It’s also prudent to make sure your app meets that App Store Review Guidelines prior to beginning the process.

A Guide To App Store Submission 5. BE WARY OF CROSS-PLATFORM LIMITATIONS If you’re using a cross-platform development tool such as PhoneGap, you may run into some issues with your submission. This is because – unlike native apps – these tools can affect performance or UI/UX, which can result in rejection. While PhoneGap apps do not violate the Terms & Conditions of the App Store, Apple reserves the right to reject apps and the decision is made on a case-by- case basis. One way to avoid any issues, apart from coding for each platform separately, is to use J2ObjC, which converts Java to Objective-C.

Ultimately, it’s wise to treat App Store submissions as you would other project requirements. This means planning in advance, identifying and meeting requirements, and including it in your project timeline. That way you can avoid any issues and ensure your app goes to market on schedule.

A Guide To App Store Submission HOW TO DRIVE DOWNLOADS WITH APP STORE OPTIMIZATION So you’ve got the submission process down and are aware of common mistakes that cause apps to get rejected. Now, you should focus on App Store Optimization to drive more app downloads.

According to a survey by Forrester Research, the majority of users discover apps by searching within the app stores (Apple App Store, Google Play, etc.). In fact, browsing accounts for 63% of all app discovery for iOS apps, and 58% for Android. This means that search within app stores themselves is actually the most important method for app discovery. Showing up higher in these search results is therefore crucial to driving more downloads.

WHAT IS APP STORE OPTIMIZATION? App Store Optimization is the process of optimizing your app store listing so that your app shows up higher in search results. SEO is based on the same principles; the only difference is that ASO focuses on app stores rather than traditional search engines. And like SEO, App Store Optimization is meant to drive more traffic and ultimately more conversions (in this case, more downloads) by increasing visibility.

A Guide To App Store Submission FACTORS THAT AFFECT APP STORE RANKINGS NUMBER OF DOWNLOADS According to app marketing firm Fiksu, the number of downloads is one of the most important factors affecting app store rankings. Unfortunately, this knowledge doesn’t help us out with App Store Optimization – given that the end goal of ASO is to drive more downloads, “get more downloads” isn’t particularly useful advice. If you’re just starting out and want to drive downloads, this article from Arkenea Co-Founder Rahul Varshneya has some great (free) growth hacking tips.

DOWNLOAD CONSISTENCY The velocity of the downloads your app receives also helps to increase visibility in app stores. While a consistent rate of downloads won’t adversely impact rankings, growth in download velocity will go further in improving your rankings. The App Store Optimization strategies we’ll discuss below can help you ramp up download velocity.

RATINGS AND REVIEWS The rationale behind using ratings and reviews as a ranking factor is that they are (at least in theory) reflective of user experience. The higher the rating, and the more positive the reviews, the better the quality of the user experience. Developers should encourage their audience to submit reviews, should be diligent in managing and seeking to resolve negative reviews, and should keep communication channels open to field user feedback (it’s also helpful to work out any bugs as quickly as possible).

A Guide To App Store Submission UNINSTALLS If a lot of users who have downloaded your app uninstall it, app stores take this as an indication that the user experience is poor, and rankings will fall as a result. One way to avoid this is to ensure your description is relevant and accurate. Another is to ensure that the user experience is as seamless as possible through thorough mobile app testing.

While the factors mentioned above impact app store rankings, they are not directly part of ASO practices per se. They more neatly fall under the categories of user experience, marketing/PR, and customer service. The next part of this post will focus on specific, actionable App Store Optimization practices that can help you boost your app store rankings.

A Guide To App Store Submission APP STORE OPTIMIZATION TIPS TO INCREASE VISIBILITY 1. KEYWORD RESEARCH For the unfamiliar, keywords are queries that potential users search to find applications. Using the right keywords can go a long way in increasing the visibility of your app in app stores. Since keywords should be strategically placed throughout various sections of your app listing, it’s important to identify them prior to submitting to stores.

Ideally, you want to focus on three factors when researching keywords: relevancy to your audience (ie. what would your ideal audience search for to find your app?); competitiveness of the keyword (will it be easy or difficult to rank for the keyword?); and of course, search volume (how many people are searching with that keyword?).

Check out these tools/resources to help ramp up the quality of your keyword research: • KeywordTool.io • Sensor Tower • Search Man • AppTweak • App Annie

2. TITLE The title of your listing in the app store should include your main keyword(s) that you identified in the keyword research process. The advantage is twofold: you will typically rank better for searches containing those keywords, and you can broaden the number of keywords you can potentially rank for. According to KissMetrics, app titles that contain keywords have a 10.3% higher ranking than those that don’t.

A Guide To App Store Submission However, you need to find a balance between including keywords and keeping your title succinct. Avoid keyword stuffing, as it has the same effect in ASO as it does in SEO. For more information on optimizing your app titles for app stores, check out this post on 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Creating App Names.

3. DESCRIPTION In the App Store, users will only see the first 5 lines of your description at first glance, unless they click through to read more. This means you want to pique interest in the first few lines of the description. Depending on the nature of your app, this could mean listing key features, providing major benefits, or simply making the first few lines very, very compelling. If you’re having trouble with your description, check out these 5 tips on writing an app store description that excites.

4. ICONS AND SCREENSHOTS The visuals you use in your app store listing provide potential users with an idea of what they can expect. You want to make sure that both your icon and app screenshots are visually appealing and eye-catching so that people are drawn to download it. Keep in mind that the visuals are what the users’ eyes are drawn to first – think of your icon and screenshots as your first impression. Best practice with screenshots is to include the most important one first, as that’s what will display first.

CONCLUSION Given that almost 65% of app discovery comes from searches within app stores – the most popular app discovery method – if you aren’t using App Store Optimization (ASO) to increase your app’s visibility, you’re throwing away a huge opportunity. While a large part of driving downloads is fueled by marketing, PR, and outreach, using ASO strategies can result in huge wins – without you having to spend a dime.

A Guide To App Store Submission