Apple has quietly rolled out AppStore.com vanity URLs for developers.
This means that developers will be able to create custom links for their
apps on the AppStore.com domain facilitating end-users who'll be able
to remember these links or key them in on their devices. This will
benefit developers, specially when they're publicizing their apps on
non-digital media such as radio, television, out of home ad campaigns
and print publications.
The development was first spotted by CNET.
In fact, the vanity URLs made their debut with a TV commercial for the
upcoming film, Star Trek: Into Darkness, during the Super Bowl. The
commercial featured the vanity URL, AppStore.com/StarTrekApp.
All
URLs will be accessible worldwide and will direct users to their
respective country's App Store. Apple has created a separate page in its
iOS developer library documentation for developers detailing out the process. The page
mentions that developers can create vanity URLs based on the name of
their company, name of their app and name of their apps with the company
name. Vanity URLs can be created for Mac apps in a similar manner but
the URL will start with appstore.com/mac/ in that case. If a URL carries
the name of the developer, the resulting page will display all apps
developed by that particular developer.
Apple also mentions that
previously, short links were available using the itunes.com URL, and
that the iTunes.com links will continue to work but the company plans to
update them as soon as feasible. In case there's a conflict and there
are more than one apps using the same name, the URL will direct to a
search page. Apple has recommended that developers should use unique
names if they want their vanity URLs to work without hiccups.
Image courtesy: CNET