In-App Events

Apple recently rolled out a new feature that allows short-term promotion of events in the App Store. This means apps using our one of our containers, like Grandstand - Events & Guides or 4-H NOW could apply to be promoted in the App Store listing, opening up opportunities for search as well.

Enhancing Your App Store Listing

In-app events later show up across the App Store as event cards incorporating media, event name, short description and long description showcasing the uniqueness of the event, purpose of the event, target audience, and any extra information about the event.

Certain Grandstand packages have the option of temporarily enhancing their app store listing with information about a short-term event. Whether it’s part of Grandstand or a client’s year-round app that serves multiple events, this feature is perfect for events that may be part of a larger year-round event app.

Reach out to your Grandstand representative to see if this is included in your package.

Event Card & Event Details

Attach an image that represents your in-app event throughout the App Store. To make sure your events provide a high-quality user experience, consider the following guidelines when generating your information:

• Proper grammar, including capitalization and punctuation.
• Avoid using all capital letters and don’t use too many exclamation points.
• Avoid biased information. Phrases that can’t be proved, such as “the best.”
• Avoid too many words, such as “game event.”
• Don’t include any prices as it may not transfer over to other regions and could lead to rejection in the Apple Store Review.
• Don’t add borders or grain to your images. Crops and gradients are applied to your photos automatically on the App Store for consistency purposes.
• Make sure to have a consistent color theme throughout your event card.
• Lastly, make sure your metadata includes content that you created or have a license to use.

Adding Event Details

When you configure your event, add additional event details that could impact how your in-app event displays on the App Store.

• Determine event availability. Choose a date and time the app shows up on the App Store as well as how long the event is. An in-app event can last up to 31 days and be promoted up to 14 days before its start date. You can even customize the dates and times for each region.
• Provide an event deep link. As soon as you click on the link, it will automatically take you to the area with the event. This can be a universal link or custom link. Avoid using unnecessary things to your URL like shorteners and make sure to test the link multiple times!
• State your event purpose. Choose one of the following options that best fits your event’s purpose:
  • Attract new users: People who have never downloaded your app.
  • Keep active users informed: People who downloaded your app and have opened it recently.
  • Bring back lapsed users: These users are people who downloaded your app but have not opened it recently.
• Designate your event priority. Events appear on your product page chronologically based on start time, with the soonest start time displaying first.

Image and video specifications

Measuring event performance

You will be able to use App Analytics in App Store Connect to understand the performance of your in-app events. The following is the list of things you’ll be able to do:

• Figure out which events are best at acquiring app users by viewing downloads and filtering by a specific event.
• Learn where users find your events by viewing acquisition sources.
• Understand how well your event page engages with users.
• Monitor interest in your event by understanding the number of users who chose to be notified of your event.