The Google Play Store, originally called Android Market, was released on October 22, 2008, alongside the T-Mobile G1.
The term gained recognition in the industry, with sites such as Search Engine Watch and TechCrunch advocating the practice by February 2012.
[6][7] As store guidelines have become increasingly strict in recent years,[8][9] ASO has steadily become more relevant.
Being ‘featured’ refers to being promoted by store editors as a particularly relevant, high-quality, and engaging app.
While it is notoriously difficult to be featured on the app stores, studies show that it drives visibility, traffic and downloads significantly.
‘Black hat’ ASO practices are those that are forbidden by the stores, breaching rules and/or guidelines with the aim of driving further exposure under the guise of a more ‘popular’ app.
While some marketers attempt to manipulate app stores with black hat strategies, the success of such techniques has become increasingly difficult through the years.