Google I/O Day 3 Session Notes -- Part 1

Getting Discovered on Google Play

Major install sources:

1. Browse & Discovery
1. charts
2. personalized recommendations
3. related/ cross-sell (users who viewed x also viewed y)
2. Search
1. search actually makes up vast mjority of installs for apps
2. categorical
3. navigational -- user knows exactly what they are looking for
4. in any given day - 12% of users search for apps

Vision Summary

1. "personalized play made personal"
2. "bringing the rest of google to play
3. search and browse are main

Focus on the good (anatomy of good app metadata) - what goes into the algorithm

1. title
1. most important piece
2. uniqueness and creativity encouraged (but be clear)
3. helps a lot for seo
2. functional & vivid description
1. main message first -- be cear above the fold what value is
2. think like your user
3. beginning of description helps for search
3. Real Screenshots
1. users actually check this
4. Video previews
1. the dark horse
2. users have told google ideos are amng the most convincing pieces of an app page
5. Reviews & Ratings
1. Google sorts results that are most relevant (by device, by people they know)

Reaching your target audience

1. target your app in the developer console to reach the right people
2. only matters if your app is targeted at a really specific audience
3. helps keep pollution out of ratings from users you arent buildign for

Discovery features in the store (how good data manifests itself)

1. Statistics
1. installs
2. uninstalls
3. long installs (if person uses app for a long time vs uninstalls right away)
4. engagement (when, how are people using it)

Personalization Statistics

1. user dimension ---> user feedback
2. using feedback personalize by device, locale, etc

Finding the right result

1. navigational suggestions
2. what google thinks you are searching for based on what most people do, takes you right to the app

Top Lists:

1. top new & top paid
1. eligibility: published in last 30 days (globally)

Trending Lists (movers & shakers)

1. to highlight apps that are growing faster than we predict
2. 30 day moving window

Related/Cross-sell

Personalized recommendations

1. what they look for:
1. apps that are complimentary & supplemnetary to other apps they bought
2. popular in area
3. +1 or reviewed by circles
4. other apps by you

Personalzing search

1. navigational queries
1. angry birds, hotel tonight, beautylish
2. categorical queries
1. free games, train schedules, multiplayer games

5 things you can do (after building a good app)

1. designed for tablets (get the designation)
2. ensure helpful web anchors
1. link in techcrunch article, etc -- if its interesting google will give you a boost
3. avoid common mistakes
1. 6m+ uniwue phrases searched monthly
2. 50% misspelled
3. dont choose names easiy mispelled
4. country & carrier restrictions
5. give correct developer URL, if one exists
1. 8% .google.com links
2. upload it in developer console if not .google
4. Make your apks smaller
1. smaller get installed more
2. get uninstalled less
3. % of core code vs sdk code
4. libraries you link with
5. Create the viral loop for your app: social reviews
1. friends ahve rated these apps highly
2. rolling out soon
6. create the viral loop: +1s by friends, from within the app
1. in app +1
2. coming soon -- in app rate & review
7. Create the viral loop: social leaderboards, meltiplayer, etc
1. google+ moments API
2. intergrate with google play game services

User acquisiton

1. organic
2. viral
3. paid

Lifetime value

1. user acquistion
2. user retention
1. short term -- mostly users like what you're doing
2. long term -- moslty you delivering on your promise
3. user monetization
1. big picture -- revenue per install (cost per install)
2. revenue per active user