App Store Digest #16: Google PlayTime Recap - What To Expect In 2025
Welcome to this special edition of App Store Digest!
We're diving into the biggest updates from Google PlayTime 2024, Google’s annual event for app publishers. The event introduced Google Play’s vision for 2025, unveiling powerful tools and feature updates to transform the platform from an acquisition tool to a robust engagement ecosystem for apps and games. Here’s everything you need to know.
🤖 Google Play Store
Collections: Engaging users where they are
Google Play has introduced Collections to encourage more engagement.
Collections create curated, immersive spaces on app users’ home screens, showcasing fresh content, unfinished activities, and tailored promotions. By drawing users back into their apps, Collections helps apps maintain visibility and relevance.
Currently rolling out in the US, this feature will expand globally by Q2 2025, starting with four categories: Health & Fitness, Sports, Travel, and Dating.
Promotional Content: Boosting discoverability
Google is enhancing its promotional content capabilities to give apps a greater edge in visibility.
App publishers can now use deep links to direct store visitors to specific in-app content, streamlining the user journey and improving discoverability.
They will also be able to target specifc audience segments, allowing their promotional content to reach even more relevant audiences.
Custom Store Listings: Creating tailored experiences for users
Google highlighted CSLs' power for reaching specific user segments with personalized messaging, sharing how Audible achieved an 8% boost in conversions for the keyword “podcast” by leveraging CSL.
With Custom Store Listings, Google is encouraging developers to think beyond the one-size-fits-all approach and favor tailored engagement methods.
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Although no major feature updates were announced for CSLs at PlayTime 2024, this focus on CSLs reinforces Google’s commitment to a more personalized Play Store experience.
Portrait Videos for Listings: Enhancing immersive experience
Developers can now upload portrait-oriented videos to their Play Store listings, which are displayed in a full-screen, creating a more immersive experience for store visitors.
This more immersive format has proven to increase engagement, with a 7% rise in watch time and a 5% boost in app installs.
Soon, app develors will be able to link their store listing to a YouTube channel or playlists, allowing visitors to watch recent videos from within the Play Store. Videos uploaded within the last 90 days will be displayed in a carousel format, potentially increasing engagement with existing users and boosting app opens and reinstalls.
AI-Generated Reviews and FAQs: Bringing smarter insights and better support
Google will be rolling out AI-powered featured to highlight user feedback and improve support.
AI-generated review summaries will provide a quick overview of an app's strengths and weaknesses, allowing store visitors to form a better informed opinion before deciding to download an app. AI-generated FAQs might provide answers to common user questions.
👀 Read the full recap:
👋 That’s a wrap!
Enjoyed what you read? Any thoughts on the upcoming changes on the Play Store? Tell us in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more app store updates!
See you next time,
The AppTweak Team