'App Packs' Ranking Tool?

[awestwood]

Hi there!

I have a few iOS apps I'm tracking in Google SERPs, but since Google has introduced the App Packs, I'm missing out on a lot of those rankings, as the tracking tool I use doesn't crawl App Packs (I understand is a big job not many ranking tools would be committed to dig into).

My apps have switched (actually, still switching back and forth) from showing the iTunes page in SERPs, to now be featured within those App Packs. Does anyone know by any chance any tool that can retrieve those app packs rankings?

I've been looking everywhere with no luck, so any tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

[KaneJamison]

I believe Stat can track those - getstat.com.

Don't know about the other larger rank trackers for sure, but would be worth asking them. Serps.com, Authority Labs, and a few others: http://www.evolvingseo.com/2012/01/24/the-ultimate-list-of-rank-checkers/

[Dr-Pete]

I think Kane's right about Stat, but I'm pretty sure most of the other rank trackers aren't reporting app packs yet. Reaching out to someone in the mobile space to see, and I'll let you know if she has more info.

[Dr-Pete]

Argh, sorry - Stat just confirmed that they track app packs, but not individual results in app packs. That's slated for future development. They can tell you if a SERP has one, but not if you're in it yet.

[KaneJamison]

Aha - got it.

As a tip to Awestwood - you might be waiting awhile before this feature is fully rolled out. I say that because app serps are relatively infrequent, and because most app companies are probably only monitoring this across a small set of keywords (not hundreds or thousands of keywords).

You could build your own solution if you're technical and/or willing to edit some open source options. All you're really doing is setting up a scraper for the URL of each keyword search that runs daily.

You'll probably need to plan on using a couple proxies over time depending on number of keywords, and you'll probably have to update code once in awhile as Google rolls out new formatting changes.

[Dr-Pete]

Yeah, on MozCast Mobile, we see app packs on about 6% of SERPs, if I recall. That's quite a few, IMO, but our keyword list also tends to be a bit more commercial. If you factor in the whole world of searches, that number is probably quite a bit lower. So, as a rank-tracking tool provider, where only X% of customers are interested in mobile now and only Y% of them are affected by app packs, it can be hard to get this kind of thing in the pipeline.

I strongly suspect we'll see tools in the next couple of years geared specifically to mobile rankings, especially as desktop and mobile diverge (which I think is coming, if it hasn't already started).

[awestwood]

Thanks guys!

I use STAT as my tracking tool and, before posting here, I asked my account manager about it - he told me they don't support this feature yet but they liked the idea, so they might write it down for future development. I understand it might take a while until one of these tools offer a feature like this, as it seems only a few are requesting it.

Thanks Kane, I will ask around about how feasible would be to build our own scraper in house. That's a good idea.

I'll get in touch with some other rank trackers, will let you know if I find any