# ASO Monthly #9: January 2017 - Link: https://phiture.com/asostack/aso-monthly-9-january-2017-56a5f7e197ac/ - Published: 2017-02-02T13:23:30+01:00 - Author: Moritz Daan #### In-App ratings in iOS 10.3 and more ![ASO Monthly #9- January 2017 ](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ ASO-Monthly-9-January-2017-min.jpeg) In the [ASO Monthly-series](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/) we want to shed a light on trends in app store optimization, algorithm changes, insights in conversion rate optimization and tool updates. Last month a lot happened in ASO, from tool updates, to algorithm changes & the news of the month that Apple is going to revamp the way reviews work, so let’s dive straight in. ### **App Store Optimization News from January 2017** ### **January 3** ### **Mobile Action launches ASO Report** Mobile Action [launches ASO Report](https://www.mobileaction.co/blog/aso-report/amp/) which includes a handy weekly keyword distribution chart that allows you to see how you’re ranking, as well as history graphs on a keyword level. Especially the handy history graphs stand out as a welcome addition: ## ⌊keyword distribution ⌉⌊keyword distribution ⌉ ### **January 14** #### **Potential Google Play Algorithm bug / change** [Daniel Peris](https://medium.com/u/9d50b88512d5?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)( The Tool) and [Gabe Kwakyi](https://medium.com/u/6827ce31c75c?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)( Incipia) where quick to [discover](http://incipia.co/post/mobile-app-marketing-industry-updates/1-20-17-google-play-keyword-ranking-bug/) a glitch in Google Play which seem to cause Google to return an incorrect number of results. Whilst it seems that that bug has indeed been fixed, it coincided with noticeable jumps in keyword rankings that have until this day not recovered yet. ⌊keyword that suffered from the january 14 glitch- apptweak⌉⌊keyword that suffered from the january 14 glitch- apptweak⌉ _A keyword that suffered from the January 14 glitch (but got back up on January 15) (Screenshot: [AppTweak](https://medium.com/u/d8462c6114a1?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------))_ ⌊huge drops on january 14 ⌉⌊huge drops on january 14 ⌉ _We’ve seen several clients with keywords that had huge drops on January 14, but never found their way up again._ ### **January 24** #### **The App Store overhauls reviews in iOS 10.3** ![enjoying reviewtest rating](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/enjoying- reviewtest-rating-min-176x300.png) Calvin Chestnut shared a preview of what is coming in iOS 10.3, where users won’t have to leave the app anymore in iOS 10.3 to leave a rating. By far the most important ASO news this month is Apple’s stab at fixing their broken Ratings & Reviews mechanism in iOS 10.3. We’ve reported earlier in our [Black Hat ASO presentation](http://www.slideshare.net/MoritzDaan/black-hat-aso-presentation-emetrics) that it currently takes up to 12 steps to leave a review behind. There are a couple of things you should know about the changes: 1. **As of 10.3, you can ask users to rate your app from ****_within_**** the app.** This reduces the friction of leaving a review behind extremely, and will likely increase the number of reviews a lot — we expect all apps but especially games to profit from this. 2. **You can only fire the dialog 3 times per year per user.** 3. **You can only prompt users who didn’t opt-out on system level**. This is more great news for both users who just hate being asked to leave a rating behind, as well as for the developers that don’t want to lose these users with their so-called nag-screens. 4. **Finally: developers will be able to respond to reviews similar to Google Play.** As soon as iOS 10.3 ships, developers can respond to customer reviews. Everyone will be able to see your response. It’s unclear yet how this will look like for users and / or how developers can reply. ⌊in-app ratings and reviews⌉ _Users can opt-out for the in-app rating prompt. It remains to be seen if developers can still nag them with a traditional prompt._ #### **Tune publishes report on what app store elements influence conversion** Based on a survey of 3,005 smartphone owners, [John Koetsier](https://medium.com/u/a108592620b4?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) from Tune publishes a report on how users make their app install decisions on Google Play and the App Store. [The report is definitely worth](https://www.tune.com/blog/mobile-users-make-app-install-decisions-google-play-app-store/) checking out and hosts a lot of insights, such as that women disproportionately care about ratings and reviews. ⌊women vs men factors that drive installs⌉⌊women vs men factors that drive installs⌉ #### **Predictions on ASO in 2017** Also on January 24, the interview with [Gabriel Machuret](https://medium.com/u/4bf4157386bb?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------), [Laurie Galazzo](https://medium.com/u/8846cda856ce?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------), [Steve P. Young](https://medium.com/u/7af34d955a74?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------), [Gabe Kwakyi](https://medium.com/u/6827ce31c75c?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------), [Aykut Karaalioglu](https://medium.com/u/a1c9ce7da8d7?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------), [Ian Sefferman](https://medium.com/u/45c11307fed6?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) and myself is published on [Business of Apps](https://medium.com/u/af3db5c8edb9?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------). In the interview we share some ASO predictions for 2017. Check it out on [http://www.businessofapps.com/app-store-optimization-trends/](http://www.businessofapps.com/app-store-optimization-trends/)( and see also Gabriel’s [response post](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-all-aso-experts-world-wrong-gabriel-machuret?published=t) why we indeed might all be wrong). ### **January 31** #### **Further Tool updates** [Silke Glauninger](https://medium.com/u/828fd16101e2?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) from App Radar announces **“App Radar Publisher” — **a tool that promises to help you with all the facets of App Store Management. Knowing what a hassle it can be to manage several apps, up to 30 different localizations, and hundreds of screenshots, we’re excited to see App Radar expanding in this space.[⌊appradar my apps⌉](https://medium.com/u/5d84afbb0549?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) [Eugeny Krouglov](https://medium.com/u/5d84afbb0549?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) from ASO tool Appfollow [announces](https://blog.appfollow.io/appfollow-v2-3-2016-latest-update-5b938784751#.nwwh2kt08) a major update too, with Appsflyer integration and allowing you to view to Google Play reviews via Telegram. #### **App Store algorithm changes in January?** [Gabe Kwakyi](https://medium.com/u/6827ce31c75c?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) and other people around the web, point out a potential App Store keyword algorithm change early January. #### 󠀁[**Possible App Store Keyword Ranking Algorithm Update January 2017 | Incipia**](http://incipia.co/post/mobile-app-marketing-industry-updates/possible-apple-keyword-algorithm-update-january-2017/)󠁿 #### 󠀁[If you’ve seen your iOS app’s rank change significantly in early-to-mid January 2017, you’re not alone. While anecdotal…](http://incipia.co/post/mobile-app-marketing-industry-updates/possible-apple-keyword-algorithm-update-january-2017/)󠁿 #### 󠀁[incipia.co](http://incipia.co/post/mobile-app-marketing-industry-updates/possible-apple-keyword-algorithm-update-january-2017/)󠁿 #### We’re seeing similar changes in early-mid January, as well as one a bit later in January, which is confirmed by 󠀁[Tune’s Sonar](http://tune.com/)󠁿: ![mobiledevhq sonar report](https://phiture.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/mobiledevhq- sonar-report-min.png) MobileDevHQ’s Sonar reports indeed two moments of increase change activity Early- Mid January, and one at the end. #### **Last but not least, this is also worth checking out:** * [Great overview](https://stories.appbot.co/apple-is-allowing-app-store-review-replies-heres-the-what-why-and-how-c06b9e0157bd?gi=c6dd2d1eb559#.m4epq4bk9) on the App Store Review changes in iOS 10.3 by [Stuart Henshall](https://medium.com/u/ea1293e8d293?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)( Appbot) * Prisma A/B testing [case study](https://splitmetrics.com/blog/prisma-how-we-ab-tested-and-optimized-2016s-app-of-the-year/) by [SplitMetrics](https://medium.com/u/70fcdade9c11?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------) * Case study on Google App Indexing and the question whether it’s worth the effort: [https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2017/01/case-study-app-indexing-google-worth-the-effort/](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2017/01/case-study-app-indexing-google-worth-the-effort/)( via Kristian Rabe & [ThomasBCN](https://medium.com/u/991bcd095ddf?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)) * The Tool published an [infographic on the decline of Super Mario](https://thetool.io/2017/super-mario-run-infographic-30-day-growth) * Google Play published a blog post on how they use machine learning to try to nullify Black Hat ASO attempts: [https://research.googleblog.com/2017/01/app-discovery-with-google-play-part-3.html](https://research.googleblog.com/2017/01/app-discovery-with-google-play-part-3.html) * If you’re in London, February 23rd make sure to check out the 4th edition of ** ASO Barcamp** (organized by [Hugh McCallion](https://medium.com/u/acb6795a1aab?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)): [http://www.asobarcamp.com/](http://www.asobarcamp.com/) #### **Thanks, that’s it from us for January!** **If you like the ASO Monthly series, please click the 💚 button below. **Also make sure to follow the [**ASO Monthly**-series](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/) or sign up to the left so that you’re the first to hear when the next edition comes out. Let’s discuss in the comments, and like always: if you have noticed anything related to ASO, please let me know on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/moritzdaan) or reach out to **moritz.daan@phiture.com.** #### **Other ASO Monthly editions:** 1. [**May 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-1-may-2016-kick-off-edition-81ab00984a96#.xmhrhfadq)**:** App Store broken + 5 localized store listing experiments… 2. [**June 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-2-june-2016-99b191f11256#.1eob99dpb)**:** Announcement search ads… 3. [**July 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-3-july-2016-171539d0abee#.46k8iu40h)**:** Google Play Store testing with 2nd ad… 4. [**August 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-4-august-2016-505a4f53523#.arqtgnkth)**:** Simplified screenshot submission… (by [Peter](https://medium.com/u/ae0050886f84?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)) 5. [**September 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-5-september-2016-32e45947eac9#.6ey54n2fy)**:** 50 character title-rule… (by [Gabe](https://medium.com/u/6827ce31c75c?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)) 6. [**October 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-6-october-2016-86c51c536f3c#.cpiint2f6)**:** Apple launches Search Ads… (by [Maximilian](https://medium.com/u/d6241b879daa?source=post_page-----56a5f7e197ac----------------------)) 7. [**November 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-7-november-2016-a16cf91d4ac6#.u1zfsdkpq): Google Play adds conversion rate benchmarks… 8. [**December 2016**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-8-december-2016-91bd70d4f696#.p62w40giu): Priori Data launches Keyword Tool … 9. [**_January 2017_**](https://medium.com/app-store-optimization-monthly/aso-monthly-9-january-2017-56a5f7e197ac#.ldwo829rl)_: In-App ratings in iOS 10.3 and more_ 10. [**February 2017**](https://medium.com/p/a6b695b8e374/edit)**: **Play Store starts using retention for keyword rankings