App Store Featuring Nominations: How to Pitch Apple Editors (and What to Fix First)

Why nominations matter for small teams

For years, "getting featured on the App Store" sounded like something that happened to apps with a PR agency and a contact at Apple. That changed when Apple added Featuring Nominations to App Store Connect: any developer can now tell the editorial team about a launch, a major update, or new content, directly from the same place they submit builds.

A nomination is not an application form with a guaranteed outcome. Apple reviews nominations and decides what to feature; if your app is selected, they contact you at the email you provided. But it is free, it is official, and it is the only channel most indie developers have. Using it well is mostly about timing, clarity, and having a product page that is ready to be seen.

The three nomination types

When you create a nomination, you pick one of three types. Apple's CSV import template spells them exactly as:

If you have several distinct updates coming on different dates, Apple's editorial team has said it is best to submit them as separate nominations rather than one combined pitch. That way each one can be evaluated, scheduled, and dated on its own.

Lead time: earlier than you think

Apple gives a few related numbers, and they are worth knowing precisely:

• The App Store Connect help page recommends submitting as early as possible, with a minimum lead time of 3 weeks before your planned publication date.
• Apple's "Getting Featured" page asks for a minimum of two weeks' notice, and recommends submitting up to three months in advance for wider featuring consideration.
• In a Meet with Apple session on game curation, an editor explained that a story about your game can take longer to plan, and suggested around eight weeks for that kind of coverage.

The practical takeaway: treat three weeks as the floor, not the target. If you are planning a launch, put the nomination in as soon as you have a firm date window and a build editors can try. Editors have said they play the games they feature, so a TestFlight build is important for new games.

Dates can change. You can edit a submitted nomination and adjust the publish date if your release slips, which is better than letting editors plan around a date you will miss.

Field limits and what goes where

Apple's nominations CSV template documents the fields. The key ones:

You can create nominations one at a time (saved as drafts until you submit) or upload several with a CSV file. CSV imports are submitted automatically and cannot be saved as drafts, so double-check them before uploading.

Writing a description editors can act on

You have 1,000 characters. An editor is reading many of these, so write for someone who has never heard of your app.

A structure that works:

1. One sentence on what the app is. "Tally is a habit tracker built around one-tap check-ins from the Lock Screen."
2. What is new, specifically. "Version 3.0 adds an iPad layout with a two-column dashboard and full Apple Pencil support for journaling."
3. Why it matters to users. "Users asked for a bigger canvas to review weekly progress; the iPad layout shows a full month at a glance."
4. Apple platform craft. Mention the platform features you adopted with real care: widgets, Live Activities, accessibility support, localization, or design work for a specific device.
5. Dates and markets. "Launching worldwide on November 12 in 8 languages."

What to avoid:

• Marketing superlatives ("the best habit app ever"). Editors need facts, not adjectives.
• Download counts or revenue as the main argument. Apple's featuring guidance focuses on user experience, design, innovation, and quality.
• Vague dates ("sometime in Q4").
• Pasting your App Store description. The nomination should explain why now.

Use Helpful Details (500 characters) for the human story: a solo developer, an accessibility motivation, a collaboration with a community. Apple's template explicitly invites you to share what makes your app or team unique.

Get the product page ready first

A nomination sends an editor to your product page. If it looks unfinished, the pitch loses credibility. Before you submit:

Screenshots

• First three screenshots should tell the core story without needing the rest. See how to make App Store screenshots that convert.
• If you are pitching an iPad or Mac enhancement, upload proper iPad or Mac screenshots, not scaled iPhone images. Specs are in App Store screenshot sizes 2026 and Mac App Store screenshot sizes.
• Keep device frames consistent and accurate to the platform you are pitching.

Metadata

• App name and subtitle should state the category and value clearly.
• Promotional text can mention the upcoming launch or update; it can be changed without a new version.
• Localize metadata for the markets you list in the nomination. A nomination that says "8 languages" with English-only screenshots raises questions.

In-App Events

If your news is time-bound (a season, a challenge, a collaboration), consider creating an In-App Event and linking it in the nomination. Events have their own artwork and metadata rules, covered in our In-App Events artwork guide.

Build quality

• Crash-free on the devices you list.
• No placeholder content, debug menus, or "coming soon" screens in the main flow.
• Accessibility basics working: Dynamic Type, VoiceOver labels on key controls, sufficient contrast.

A simple nomination calendar

If you are already inside the three-week window, submit anyway. There is no penalty for a late nomination; it simply has less chance of being planned in.

Common mistakes

• One giant nomination for a whole year of updates. Split it by release.
• No build available. Editors cannot feature what they cannot try.
• Picking every platform. Only list platforms where the experience is genuinely good.
• Ignoring the email address. If Apple selects your app, they reach out by email. Use an inbox someone actually reads.
• Treating rejection as final. Not being featured this time says nothing about the next update. Keep nominating meaningful releases.

Checklist

• Correct nomination type (App Launch / App Enhancements / New Content)
• Submitted at least 3 weeks ahead, ideally much earlier
• Description under 1,000 characters, specific and factual
• Helpful Details filled in with your team's story
• Platforms and localizations match what actually ships
• TestFlight build available (especially for games)
• Screenshots, subtitle, and promotional text updated
• Related In-App Events linked if relevant

Bottom line

Featuring Nominations will not guarantee a spot on the Today tab, but they turn featuring from luck into a repeatable process. Nominate every meaningful release, give editors enough time and a build to try, and make sure the product page they land on is the best version of your app.