Keywords not used fairly!

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by Syndicated Puzzles, Sep 19, 2009.

  1. Syndicated Puzzles

    Syndicated Puzzles Well-Known Member

    #1 Syndicated Puzzles, Sep 19, 2009
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2009
    I am really starting to feel angry about the " Keywords " on iTunes. I am really thinking that the playing field should be fair to all or to nobody.

    Perfect example

    I got nailed an 4 apps for Keyword infringements so I did some research on the new iTunes 9..... to figure out how to avoid this conflict.

    Sudoku

    The first day iTunes 9 came out and I searched for Str8ts it wasn't present under the Keyword Sudoku (my first Keyword)

    To my delight all the apps listed on the 2 pages were all Sudoku apps. I was more than happy with the fact that only pure Sudoku apps made the 2 pages.

    I just got an email from pluto 6 asking me why Str8ts wasn't present under the Keyword "Sudoku "'? All your competitors games are present. KenKen ,Hidato, Latkin etc.)why isn't Str8ts?

    So I did a new search on iTunes and to my horror the 2 Sudoku pages have all my competitors games listed and on top of that Bikini slider puzzles etc. ( junk ).

    How is that possible if my first Keyword on all my Str8ts versions is Sudoku and not one of them is listed under Sudoku?

    I am trying to understand the app store but am getting to the point where
    the logic and fairness are not understandable and are not applied evenly anymore.

    It really looks like the devs have to keep an open eye on how iTunes applies our keywords!

    Jeff
     
  2. Stroffolino

    Stroffolino Well-Known Member
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    Apr 28, 2009
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    What exactly did you type for your keywords string?

     
  3. tchme

    tchme Member

    Sep 19, 2009
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    Seems like there are a lot in the same boat. I would try emailing itunes connect. May take a week for them to respond but they should listen. Just don't sound too frustrated just ask them and they should do something about it. Seems like one of those odd situations.

    My understanding to your situation is: if the keyword is in your app name it doesn't get blocked by the name of another app. But if an app name is in your keyword list, it makes that keyword invalid. Good luck.
     
  4. Syndicated Puzzles

    Syndicated Puzzles Well-Known Member

    My Keywords

    Stroffolino here are my Keywords for Str8ts,

    Sudoku, logic puzzle, number puzzle, poker, math, education,cards,sequence,straights

    That is the actual order....
     
  5. rdklein

    rdklein Well-Known Member

    Apr 3, 2009
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    sw developer, tv producer, hw developer (microcodi
    Munich
    care ful on the extra blank after the comma,
    like xxx, yyy
    if might be " yyy". with ablak before.
    As aaa bbb, is "aaa bbb" for example as far as I understood the keyword system. But sudoko at the first place should be found, very strange thing.
     
  6. Syndicated Puzzles

    Syndicated Puzzles Well-Known Member

    rdklein sorry I was just sloppy I did the spacing neat and correct on iTunes!

    Some oddities with the the Sudoku search!

    I have seen two different search results in the last few hours. One search (US Store) resulted in one page a later search (same store) had two pages.

    I am certain only 1 page of results for everything using Sudoku as a Keyword would be next to impossible . Even two pages would not be enough. I would estimate a massive amount of non-related games would even try to use the Keyword "Sudoku ". Especially now that the Keyword squeeze is on.

    So is it possible iTunes rotates the visibility of games using the Keyword Sudoku?

    Has anyone notice while doing a Keyword search that total different screens come up?

    What is odd is the Sudoku search does result games that have absolutely nothing to do with Sudoku. (Moto Chaser , Vault Breaker , American Idol etc.) How did they make the list and not the hundreds of other games that used the keyword Sudoku!

    An evenly applied filter to the compatibility of an app related to a Keyword would be appropriate. ( if such a filter even exists)

    This would simply mean that a lot of devs are wasting their 100 letter count on keywords that aren't working for them!
     
  7. nightbeaver

    nightbeaver Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2008
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    if you put sudoku in the title it might work since the title is a keyword spmething like "str8ts(sudoku alternative)" or something like that or maybe the phrase "sudoku alternative" instead of just the single word sudoku. these are just some suggestions not sure if theyll work though. im pretty sure the title thing will work ive seen it in a couple other apps i think
     
  8. Noah

    Noah Well-Known Member

    Sep 30, 2008
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    You seem to complain a lot about your keywords.

    Why don't you concentrate on making your game better instead of worrying about keywords.

    But being featured on the "We're Playing" list is sure to help.

    Maybe it will stop the complaining?
     

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