How to Get Featured in the Android App Store

With over half a million apps in the Android app store, getting your app to stand out in the crowd can be a somewhat daunting task.  However, as the most recent Distimo report suggests, the rewards are very definitely worth it.  According to the report, apps in the Google Android app store that were “featured” benefitted from an 828% gain in ranking that continued even after the “featured” status was removed.

No, that’s not a typo, and developers are often blindsided by the spikes in their download traffic until they notice that their app was featured.  It seems like a formula for instant success; the problem, of course, is figuring out how to get featured in the first place.

There’s no magic formula that determines what gets featured and what does not, and the Distimo report remained tellingly silent on the subject.  That said, one thing we’re certain of is that there’s no substitute for developing a high-quality app.  (And if you’re considering developing a mobile app, we can help with that.)  Beyond that, as is the case with most products in environments as competitive as the mobile app market, what’s required is aggressive networking and just a dash of luck.

Last year an Android representative explained the process by which apps are chosen to be featured:  “A team of editors and category managers that proactively look at new apps being released on Android Market. If an app is determined to have high potential, it is thoroughly reviewed to make sure it meets the high bar for being featured.”  Discussions on Quora explain how developers might help that process along and recommend that developing a relationship with the app store’s management can go a long way to greasing the wheels.  It’s important not to be a pest, but otherwise there’s no downside to starting a conversation with app store managers about getting your app featured.  If nothing else, they may remember both your name and the name of your mobile app, and in this high-volume market that already puts you ahead of the curve.