What Happened
In May, Google started encouraging iOS app developers to index their app content so that it could eventually be surfaced in search results. This feature has been made available to “a small group of test partners” only, but now Google is expanding it by making the feature compatible with the deep link standards for iOS 9. This means now users can find iOS apps by searching for keywords like “chess games” and install them directly from the results page, or find relevant in-app content directly in the search results using Safari or Chrome for iOS. Google expects iOS users will start seeing app content in Safari by the end of this month.
What Brands Need To Do
For iOS app developers, this expansion means that they need to make sure their app is submitted to Google for indexing. For brands, app indexing will be key to allowing users to go directly from search to a branded app, which helps close the gap between mobile web and apps, as well as increasing the reach of in-app content.
IPG Media Lab, Ansible, and Reprise Media can help you strategize and produce content that will maximize the benefits from this new distribution tool on iOS devices.
Source: VentureBeat
