Apple's press conference actually hides a wave of iOS11 traffic dividends

There were many changes mentioned at the Apple conference, including iPhoneX, in-depth application of artificial intelligence , and the upcoming official version of iOS11, but what is most relevant to APP developers is how to use Apple's new traffic distribution system.

If I am not mistaken, iOS 11 was only mentioned once at this Apple conference. However, for APP developers, what is more important than iPhone 8/X is the promotion bonus period during the official release of iOS 11. Generally speaking, about 60% of Apple users upgrade within one month after the new system is released (September 19), and the proportion can reach about 80% after three months. Therefore, the time window of December is actually a very important promotion bonus period. We can adapt the new system characteristics to the product and formulate promotion methods to seize the bonus of these three months.

How to benefit from the traffic dividend of Apple’s new version of AppStore based on iOS 11 ? Laymen watch the excitement, while experts watch the doorway. From the release of the iOS11 beta version on June 6 to now, many companies, especially iOS traffic service companies and some large-scale APPs, have been actively researching new traffic methods. This article comes from the roundtable content of the closed-door sharing session held by Liangjianghu on September 6. The guests are all practical experts in iOS promotion: Liu Wei of Meituan , ASO researcher Zimu, Xu Shaohua of 58 Group, and host Sun Hao of Liangjianghu. Let’s see what insights and explorations they have on the new version of AppStrore’s traffic dividends.

Host (Sun Hao): After the launch of the new version of AppStore, we all need to redefine the way ASO works. I think many companies will make some preparations in advance. I would like to ask all the guests, what preparations or key areas have you focused on in this regard?

Liu Wei: First of all, upgrade to iOS 11 as soon as possible to see what the new version of App Store looks like, and then make subsequent strategies more convenient. The new version has undergone some major changes. The rankings have been weakened, and traffic has been concentrated on the search portal and editor recommendations. There are also some details such as automatic video playback, the addition of two videos, and the addition of subtitles . I found that many apps, especially those from large companies, have already updated their videos, subtitles, promotional texts, app descriptions, etc.

After iOS 11 comes out, the most basic thing is still ASO. First, data integration must continue. Second, the new content on iOS11 should be followed up closely, and improvements should be made based on the new display format and new entrances. Third, the changes to comments this time are very big, and their priority must be placed before ASO. Meituan has done some exploration, such as studying new forms of likes.

Sun Hao: Liu Wei mentioned some of Apple’s new ways of playing and also mentioned the exploration of comments. Now, please share your preparation or research.

Zimu: I have personally started paying attention to Apple quite early, starting with promotion in 2014. I have been studying Apple's sorting rules and how to put our comments at the front. For example, using iTunes on the PC can put the comments in a better position. In 2017, iOS 10.3 was released, along with a message: developers can be supported to reply to user comments. Then in April, you can like the comments through 3DTo uc h's interactive operation. When the iOS 11 public beta was released on June 6, everyone saw the upgrade to reviews, with clear display of reviews on the product details page.

It can be seen that Apple attaches more and more importance to reviews. Why is it so important? I think the biggest reason is to enhance user experience . Comments are displayed at the bottom of the details page, which serves as a credit endorsement for users, including subsequent badges, etc., which are all strengthened endorsements. We also learned a trick during our communication with Apple: if developers actively respond to user comments, the number of comments will increase by 1.5 times the overall average. This is a more official data, so comments are worth everyone's attention.

Speaking of iOS 11 as a whole, I think the biggest change is that search and recommendation have become the core. The more content displayed after the search, the more possibilities there are. For example, before, search keywords could only cover products, but now you can search for in-app purchases, which is very important for games or apps with in-app purchases. Subsequent searches may have more possibilities.

Sun Hao: Regarding the new version of IOS11, comments, etc., Shaohua has some insights to share with us.

Xu Shaohua: We only did ASO before, and we found that the traffic had reached the bottom, so we wanted to see if there were other methods to combine it to make the overall operation more effective.

After the iOS11 beta version was released, 58 upgraded its devices as soon as possible. In terms of overall changes, first of all, Apple needs to create content. There is an APP in China called the Most Beautiful App, which is a storytelling application promotion and distribution platform. Apple may think this approach is good, so it wants to promote more creative apps to everyone through the AppStore. This is also very consistent with Apple's tone. It likes to integrate technology, humanities and art together. If Apple recommends developers, this type of app will definitely be given priority.

After doing ASO for a while, I found that the information was not transparent. There was actually no standard tool or data to measure the effectiveness of the money spent. What should I do if the effect is achieved or not, or the ranking does not move up? Usually the channels will only tell you: Apple has changed the rules and there is nothing we can do about it, so this development model will definitely not last long.

The early dividends of ASO appeared between 2014 and 2016. Many apps and small companies took advantage of the dividend period to do ASO machine brushing and point walls in advance, and grabbed a large amount of traffic in this way. The general understanding of traffic now is that APP traffic is definitely more valuable than PC traffic. Because it takes up more of the users' time, and to capture the users you actually need to get more of their time. When Apple is creating content, it also hopes that people will spend more time on the App Store. It really wants to resist WeChat . I remember when iOS 11 was released, there was a detail in a short video where an old lady from overseas said: My WeChat can’t be used. In fact, it is just a hack into WeChat, which means that WeChat is just an APP that survives under my system.

Now another traffic dividend is ASM . After it goes online in China, many large companies will invest in it. After the investment, a lot of the volume may really be monopolized by large companies. We don’t know the specific situation now, so what can we do? First, analyze the ASM delivery situation clearly to see what its delivery structure is and how its account structure is set up. Then look at the development situation within the industry. You can also cooperate with efficient third-party companies such as Liangjianghu Intelligent Investment Platform.

In addition to ASM, iOS 11 has some new features, such as titles, subtitles, promotional texts, comments, etc. Infrastructure construction should be done as early as possible for new features, such as scoring code and ASM attribution code. First, build the infrastructure, update new content as soon as possible, optimize the content, and see what the effect is.

Sun Hao: I had a brief communication with Liu Wei before the meeting. Meituan is currently testing subtitles. Can you share your test results?

Liu Wei: In fact, we had already done it before the subtitle was included in the algorithm. Then on June 22, we suddenly saw a 10% increase in keyword searches . We traced it back at the time, but we didn’t know the reason. Later, the industry broke the news that subtitles could improve coverage and searches.

The subtitle is a long suffix after the main title. Apple has been suppressing our titles, saying many times that it is because they contain keywords. In fact, we have tested it many times and found that it is not because of keywords. It is that Apple thinks your text is too long, and the probability of passing will increase if the number of words is reduced. So when Meituan failed, it became “Meituan - everything from food, drink and entertainment” with 100% approval.

Sun Hao: The biggest adjustment this time is the recommendation of high-quality products , both in terms of quantity and frequency. Apple's editorial recommendations focus on originality, APP tone, and the combination of art and humanities. It is understood that some products that have been recommended by editors will be included in the editor's recommendation review library, which we call the seed library. When developers who have been recommended submit applications for recommendations for other products, the probability of success will be higher. So, I would like to ask if you have any experience in recommending high-quality products?

Zimu: There are a few important points. First, everyone may think that the recommendation team is in the United States, but in fact the recommendation team is in China, and all recommendations for the Chinese region are completed in Beijing. Second, regarding the recommendation itself, this time Apple’s revision is to support small and medium-sized developers. This is a bit different from the past. At first, you might think that Apple favors big companies because many big companies have always been recommended by boutiques. But in fact, the main reason is not because it is a big company, but because the products are well made. Apple editors value product quality. For a product, it is very important whether there are some functional innovations and whether it is first released on the Apple platform.

The other is the content level of the product. For example, during the Chinese New Year, stores are busy. Can your products gain cooperation with them during this special period? Apple will have promotional themes, and if your product fits this theme, you can apply in advance.

In the early days, we applied 2-3 weeks in advance, because the frequency was once a week, so they could handle it, and there was not so much demand. Now it is updated every day. Due to the high demand, the second review time will be longer, and developers try to submit the application within 4-6 weeks.

Why does it take so long? In fact, the purpose is to communicate with you. If you are applying for improvements to product functions, it will give you some suggestions. Secondly, it will look at the schedule to see if there are some themes or contents that can correspond at that time. If your product has updates, the content is OK, and it can match his timing, then the chances of being recommended will increase.

Sun Hao: The new version is online and the search results have been adjusted. In the old version, when we searched for a word, only some APPs would appear. There are big changes in the new version. For example, when searching for games, there may be a column or special recommendation, or even in-app purchases. This will squeeze the space of our natural search results. In addition, ASM will greatly affect the keyword ranking. After ASM is launched, the Top 1 position will be occupied by advertising space . So what impact will it have on the scale of ASO acquisition?

Xu Shaohua: I have also been thinking about this issue. Apple previously said that traffic from searches accounted for 65%. Apart from ASM, how is this 65% divided? How much will be given to ASM customers? How much should be given to natural users? Let’s talk about the effect of ASM. If the conversion rate is low, you need to pay a higher price to buy this position. Those who have money can buy it, but those who don’t have money will not buy it after reaching a certain level.

ASM is a commercial delivery mechanism that can also trace the subsequent conversion behavior of users who click in. This system is different from the ASO system. ASO must be done to increase exposure. However, if ASO is done alone without coordinating offline activities and advertising information flows , the effect will be very general. For example, when the peak season arrives, we at 58 will invest a lot in offline activities, and we can see a significant improvement in ASO.

ASO and brand communication complement each other. Your application weight plus brand exposure will affect users' awareness of the product. The more face recognition is used, the more advantages you will have when placing advertisements . But it is difficult to say specifically how the 65% of traffic will be divided.

Sun Hao: Shaohua mentioned that the ASO system and the ASM advertising system are two different traffic distribution systems. For example, a word may have a certain search index or search popularity in ASO, but its popularity in ASM is zero, which means that the same word has different meanings in the two systems. ASM also involves the issue of product weight. If the product has a large overall user base, and the user quality, activity, and usage time are also relatively good, Apple will determine that the product has a higher weight, which will bring a bonus effect to product exposure. Can Zimu say a few words about the changes in ASO gameplay after iOS11?

Zimu: My biggest feeling is that it was very difficult for us to evaluate the effectiveness of ASO keywords in the past. However, through ASM delivery, we can see the volume-enhancing effect of this word. After testing the effect, it would be a better strategy to use ASO for delivery.

Regarding the overall volume of ASO, I participated in a sharing session in 2015, which talked about the concept of integrated marketing , that is, ASO is the foundation. On top of the foundation, there are still many things to do, including cooperation with the operation team and market promotion. It uses multiple dynamics to assist you in ultimately achieving your promotion goals.

For example, last year there was a game called The Most Embarrassing Game. In fact, when the product first came out, we were very puzzled and thought it was a machine-generated operation, but we did not detect it being released on any channel. Later, their marketing staff came out to share and mentioned that they did a lot of promotion on Weibo, including finding opinion leaders, big Vs , KQL and the like to spread the game and trigger self-propagation, bringing very significant results through integrated marketing.

This game is not new and has been lukewarm since its launch. It was only because of online marketing that it triggered user spread and led to a surge in downloads. This shows that even if ASO is done well, there will be no good expectations without the support of offline activities. We must have an integrated marketing concept and not just focus on inflating the volume. For example, the points wall is actually very simple. It is just keyword selection and keyword placement. The channel tells you the price and you place the placement. This is a repetitive process and there is nothing new in the operation.

Sun Hao: When a new channel emerges, there will definitely be a bonus period. As a new channel, ASM will definitely be launched in China, although the launch time is yet to be determined. So how do we prepare in advance for the ASM bonus period, how do we seize the traffic during the bonus period, what are your expectations for the duration of the bonus period and the promotion effect?

Liu Wei: If you want to prepare in advance, I suggest you try investing overseas in advance. If ASO and ASM are combined, I think it is a combination strategy. For the same word, you should use the channel with the lowest cost. After all, what matters is the result.

ASM's bonus period in China may be relatively short, because everyone is ready to go and the competition will be fierce. It is still necessary to prepare in advance. The earlier you enter, the earlier you can reap the dividends.

Speaking of ASM keywords, in fact, we have been doing ASO for so long that we have accumulated some data and conclusions. Because the keywords overseas and domestically are different, for domestic ASM delivery, we can first try the experience accumulated by ASO on ASM, find keywords with higher conversion rates , verify them on ASM, and then do subtraction, so as to continuously screen out high-precision words.

Regarding ASO, someone once asked me the difference between method and methodology. Method is to solve a problem, a strategy, a way of playing, while methodology can solve multiple problems and multiple strategies. For example, if you do ASO well, ASM well, and Android well, and use the same set of methods, this can be called methodology. I believe that we can summarize a methodology from ASO to ASM.

Sun Hao: I came into contact with ASO in 2014. At that time, many companies in China were already doing it. The explosive growth period was probably in 2015 and 2016, including the rise of the points wall. We can first use the words that ASO does well as seed words, and once ASM comes, we can invest the seed words in. Apart from this, do you have any other expectations?

Zimu: The entire Chinese market environment is better for large manufacturers because they may have resources and sufficient budgets for all aspects. But for small manufacturers, it is vicious competition. I think this is a relatively big problem. Because ASM has no brand protection, any word is a simple search word, and your brand word will be used by competitors . This means that you not only have to bring in volume, but also maintain your own brand word, which invisibly increases the budget.

Large companies also face the same problem. For example, Tencent Browser invested in Baidu Mobile Assistant . Baidu Mobile Assistant did not need maintenance before, but now it needs maintenance. In turn, it also has to invest in Tencent Browser's keywords, which will create vicious competition.

Sun Hao: Shaohua, do you have any other opinions on the benefits of the new version of AppStore?

Shaohua: The biggest bonus is definitely the daily recommendations. This is great for small and beautiful boutique apps, and traffic is definitely indispensable. For users, they used to dislike the App Store because it was unchanging. After downloading products from some big manufacturers through the rankings, users found that the cost of high-quality small APPs would be very high. First, they could not be searched because the products ranked at the top were from wealthy big manufacturers. Second, there were relatively few recommended positions.

In the future, a large part of the AppStore will become recommendations, with a lot of space. This means that many small and beautiful or high-quality niche apps and boutique apps in China will get more exposure and will make huge profits.

In the past, when users changed their phones, they could find some apps on the list and install them. The top 100 apps on the list were enough, and there was almost no traffic after that. Now that the rankings have been weakened, with only three items shown on each list, users will naturally go to see the apps recommended by Apple, which will generate a large amount of new traffic.

The new version of AppStore will continue to launch many new apps, which everyone will like. Apple will strengthen user stickiness through content, and user visits and stay time will increase. The more users there are, the more high-quality and boutique apps there will be, and developers will be more willing to develop good apps. This is a virtuous circle. As for whether AppStore can make this happen, we will have to wait and see.

Conclusion:

With the official release of iOS11 imminent, major manufacturers have begun to study various traffic methods. The new version of AppStore will no longer be simply an application distribution store, but will move towards media and content. Recommended upgrades will bring a better experience to users. Apple will try its best to make users spend more time reading content on the App Store or guide users to find new apps.

In the new version of AppStore, the difference between large companies and small and medium-sized developers is that the dividends in ASM will be more snatched away by large and medium-sized APPs. After all, it is a bidding system (Apple also does it for revenue). Apple’s editorial recommendations will support small and medium-sized apps, so each has its own advantages in traffic and everyone has a chance. Finally, everyone should quickly upgrade to iOS 11 and study how to use traffic. By the time you wait for others to figure it out and summarize, the benefits will be gone.