At the time of this blog entry, iTunes does not have our three app descriptions indexed properly for search. The applications, My Eyes Only, MEO Free and ID Lock are all affected. Oddly, InstaContact is properly indexed.

If you search iTunes for ‘Aerochive’, our desktop application that does backup for the three mentioned apps, iTunes finds no hits. None. This is very odd. Why, because if you search for ‘cc11’ in iTunes you will find the two apps iTM Pad and iTM Tilt that have that string in their description. ‘cc11’ is not a word it’s just a very unique string. iTunes finds their app like magic. There are other specific keywords that should fix all three app. ‘CentreLink’ and Australian identification card for example is unique to our three apps. So what happens if you search for important keywords that customers would use to find my apps? Well it finds competitor apps just fine, but not any of our apps.

I have written iTunes Connect 4 time regarding this issue and will continue to keep them informed of their problems. I’ve written a bug report against iTunes in the developer bug reporting system. I have called a contact in Apple Developer Support and reported issue. I have written an old fashioned letter to Eddy Cue the SVP of iTunes regarding this issue.

I believe this problem has been affecting my sales for 3 - 4 weeks and has cost Software Ops many thousands of dollars thus far. This is unacceptable considering that our products has made Apple many 10’s of thousands of dollars. Software Ops is not getting the service we deserve.

Search does work on the application name or any text that is in the application name. So what we had done is the following; we’ve added a series of keywords to our application name. Here is an example:

My Eyes Only™ -Secure, Secret, Keeper,Password,Manager,Encryption,Credit Card,Electronic,Wallet,Notes,ID,Identity,Bank, Financial,Account,Management

If this seems like a crazy thing to do to get your application found, well it is crazy! But I believe that I’m working within the boundaries that iTunes has give me. I’m going my best to generate sales.

Update

Apple has responded and this is what they say was the problem:

Hi Joe,After further investigation of this issue, it was found that your application description contains names of multiple applications that are not your application. These names do not belong in your application description as keywords. Please remove these application names and your application will start showing in search results within 48 hours.If you do remove these names and do not see your application in proper search results within 48 hours, please let us know. Best Regards,iTunes Connect Support

Here was my response:

Hi,I understand what you are saying, and I have made the change.  Thank you for identifying the problem.But there is a problem.  I expect the same treatment as all other vendors in iTunes.  I can prove to you in 5 seconds that iTunes is not applying this "policy" fairly across the iTunes store.Search for eWallet, a competitor.  You will find the following hits: mSecure, Wallet Pro and Spd WalletThey ALL list eWallet in their descriptions.  Why is it the case that their application descriptions are still indexed?  Why is my application deprived of proper indexing just because I mention other applications?In addition, where does it say that I can't mention other Apps in my description?  I did a quick search in the iTunes Connect Developer Guide and I saw no mention of mentioning other apps in the description as a cause to be not indexed.  I also looked in the iTunes Connect FAQs.