Why Apple News is not really the death of Apple Newsstand

Discoverability has been tough for a few years now. It’s a far cry from the launch back in October 2011 which I remember fondly thanks to our instant 25 per cent market share and tens of thousands of pounds rolling in daily as users rushed to try out Newsstand and subscribe to their favourite magazines. But as time went on the Newsstand got cluttered, it was unloved and poorly managed by the App Store, which drastically reduced organic visibility. This gave marketers the unenviable job of driving significant download numbers in the face of huge market decline.

Engaging existing users became even more crucial, which will continue to be the case for any publisher who wants to maintain a steady or (whisper it) growing revenue stream. Whilst discoverability may not immediately change and the need for regular ASO (App Store Optimisation) remains, the ability to engage with users should be helped. Access to a user’s favourite magazine no longer has to be instigated through search (because if like me, you don’t want to trawl through the Newsstand app) or a tap, scroll, tap action. By moving all Newsstand apps into a normal folder, Apple has made it possible to place Newsstand apps anywhere on the device screen. A favourite magazine will be just one simple tap away.

Read the full article here.

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