A well-placed listing in the Shopify App Store or Salesforce AppExchange can drive thousands of installs monthly. But most marketplace listings underperform because companies treat them like afterthoughts.
Getting featured, ranking high, and driving installs from marketplaces requires strategy. Here's how to win in integration marketplaces.
Why Integration Marketplaces Matter
Marketplaces are where users discover integrations:
When Shopify merchant needs email marketing, they search Shopify App Store. When Salesforce admin needs analytics, they search AppExchange.
High purchase intent:
Users in marketplace are actively looking for solutions. Higher conversion than cold traffic.
Platform endorsement:
Being in marketplace carries implicit platform approval. Trust signal.
Viral distribution:
One install leads to recommendations to colleagues. Network effects within platform.
The Major Integration Marketplaces
E-commerce:
- Shopify App Store (highest quality, most competitive)
- WooCommerce Marketplace
- BigCommerce Apps
- Magento Marketplace
CRM/Sales:
- Salesforce AppExchange (enterprise, complex approval)
- HubSpot App Marketplace
- Pipedrive Marketplace
Productivity:
- Slack App Directory
- Microsoft AppSource (Teams, Office)
- Google Workspace Marketplace
- Notion Integrations
Marketing:
- Mailchimp Integrations
- WordPress Plugins
- Zapier App Directory
Developer Tools:
- GitHub Marketplace
- GitLab Extensions
- VS Code Extensions
Each has different rules, audience, and strategies.
Getting Approved and Listed
Application process varies:
Easy approval (hours-days):
- Slack App Directory
- GitHub Marketplace
- VS Code Extensions
Technical review, fast approval.
Moderate approval (1-2 weeks):
- Shopify App Store
- HubSpot Marketplace
Technical + business review. Quality standards.
Complex approval (weeks-months):
- Salesforce AppExchange
- Microsoft AppSource
Security review, compliance, partner requirements.
General requirements:
Technical:
- Working integration
- Meets platform technical standards
- Proper authentication (OAuth typically)
- Error handling
- API usage within limits
Business:
- Clear value proposition
- Support documentation
- Privacy policy and terms
- Support contact information
Quality:
- Professional branding
- App description and screenshots
- Customer reviews (for some platforms)
Start approval process early. Security reviews take time.
Creating a High-Converting Listing
App name:
Good: "Analytics Dashboard for Salesforce"
Clear, describes what it does.
Bad: "DataVision Pro Extreme"
Vague, no SEO value.
Include keywords users search but stay readable.
Short description (1-2 sentences):
Answer: What does it do? For whom?
Example: "Customer analytics and reporting dashboard for Salesforce. Track sales performance, pipeline health, and revenue forecasts in real-time."
Long description:
Structure:
- Problem it solves (2-3 sentences)
- Key features (bullet points)
- How it works (brief)
- Who it's for
- Support and resources
Keep it scannable. Bullets, short paragraphs.
Screenshots (critical):
Users decide based on screenshots.
Requirements:
- High resolution (1024x768+ typically)
- Show actual product, not marketing fluff
- Highlight key features
- Include captions explaining each screen
Order:
- Main dashboard/interface
- Key feature 1
- Key feature 2
- Setup/configuration (shows it's easy)
- Results/outcomes
Video (if platform allows):
30-60 second demo:
- Shows product in action
- Highlights key workflow
- No marketing speak, just showing value
Feature highlights:
Bullet points of key capabilities:
✓ Real-time sync with Salesforce data ✓ Customizable dashboards and reports ✓ Automated alerts and notifications ✓ Mobile app included
Focus on outcomes, not features:
Not: "Advanced algorithm" Instead: "Predicts churn 30 days in advance"
Pricing display:
Be transparent:
If marketplace allows pricing display, show it.
"Free plan + paid plans starting at $29/month"
Reduces friction. Users know what to expect.
Ranking in Marketplace Search
Marketplaces have search algorithms:
Factors that typically matter:
1. Install volume
More installs = higher ranking. Virtuous cycle.
2. Review rating
4.5+ stars preferred. Low ratings hurt visibility.
3. Keyword relevance
App name, description matching search terms.
4. Engagement
Apps that get installed and actively used rank higher.
5. Recency
Recently updated apps may get boost.
Optimization tactics:
Keyword research:
What do users search in marketplace?
Tools:
- Platform search suggestions
- Competitor app names
- Customer support tickets (what terms do they use?)
Include keywords in:
- App name (if natural)
- Short description
- Long description (naturally)
- Category selection
Don't keyword stuff. Marketplace may penalize.
Review generation:
Strategy:
- In-app prompt after successful usage
- Email follow-up to happy customers
- Support interactions ending positively
Timing: Ask when user experiences value, not immediately after install.
Don't:
- Incentivize reviews (against most policies)
- Write fake reviews
- Harass users for reviews
Engagement signals:
Build app that:
- Gets used regularly (not just installed)
- Low uninstall rate
- Return usage
Active usage signals quality to marketplace algorithm.
Getting Featured
"Featured" placements drive 10-100x more installs:
How to get featured:
1. Build relationship with platform team
Most platforms have partner managers or ecosystem teams.
Reach out:
- Introduce your app
- Ask about feature opportunities
- Share your roadmap
- Be responsive partner
Featured spots often go to partners they know.
2. Launch something newsworthy
Platforms feature:
- New apps that showcase platform capabilities
- Apps solving trending problems
- Technical innovations using new platform APIs
Time your launch with platform announcements.
3. Drive initial traction
Platforms feature apps with momentum:
Show:
- Install growth rate
- High review ratings
- Active usage
- Customer testimonials
Cold launch with no traction won't get featured.
4. Create co-marketing opportunities
Offer to:
- Write case study for platform blog
- Co-present webinar
- Speak at platform conference
- Create technical tutorial using platform + your app
Platforms feature partners who help their ecosystem.
5. Showcase platform features
Build app that:
- Uses latest platform APIs
- Demonstrates platform capabilities
- Solves pain point for platform users
Example: When Shopify launched checkout extensibility, apps showcasing it got featured.
6. Apply for feature programs
Many platforms have programs:
- "App of the Week/Month"
- Category features
- New & Noteworthy
- Editor's Choice
Apply when you meet criteria.
Driving Installs Outside Marketplace
Don't rely solely on organic marketplace discovery:
SEO for "[Platform] + [use case]"
Target keywords:
- "Shopify email marketing app"
- "Salesforce analytics dashboard"
- "Slack workflow automation"
Create content:
- Blog post comparing options (include yours)
- Tutorial using your app
- Case studies
Rank in Google → drive to marketplace listing.
Platform community engagement:
Active in:
- Platform forums
- Community Slack/Discord
- Stack Overflow (for dev platforms)
Help users, mention your app when relevant.
Content marketing:
Create guides:
- "Complete guide to [task] in [Platform]"
- "10 ways to improve [outcome] in [Platform]"
- Video tutorials
Link to marketplace listing in content.
Paid advertising:
Google Ads:
Target "[Platform] + [category]" keywords.
Send to landing page → link to marketplace listing.
Platform ads:
Some marketplaces (Shopify, Salesforce) offer in-marketplace ads.
Can be expensive but highly targeted.
Partnerships:
Partner with complementary apps:
Cross-promotion in-app or marketplace listings.
"Works great with [Partner App]"
Referral programs:
Incentivize existing users to recommend to colleagues.
Marketplace-Specific Strategies
Shopify App Store:
Highly competitive. Need:
- Exceptional UX
- Fast, reliable app
- Great reviews (4.8+ to compete)
- Active support
Tips:
- Offer free plan or trial
- Optimize for mobile (merchants use Shopify mobile)
- Respond to reviews (shows you care)
Salesforce AppExchange:
Enterprise focus. Need:
- Security review (takes months)
- Enterprise-grade app
- Professional services support
- Case studies and references
Tips:
- Target specific Salesforce editions
- Highlight Salesforce certifications
- Enterprise pricing
Slack App Directory:
Developer-focused. Need:
- Clean OAuth flow
- Useful slash commands/workflows
- Good bot design
- Clear value in catalog
Tips:
- Simple, focused apps perform better than complex ones
- Great for freemium (easy viral adoption)
HubSpot Marketplace:
SMB and mid-market. Need:
- Clean integration
- Maps to HubSpot data model
- Workflow automation value
Tips:
- Highlight time savings
- Free plan helps adoption
Monitoring and Optimization
Track metrics:
Install metrics:
- Daily/weekly installs
- Install source (organic search, featured, external)
- Install-to-active rate
- Uninstall rate
Engagement:
- Daily/monthly active users
- Feature usage
- Session duration
Business:
- Trial-to-paid conversion
- Average revenue per install
- Customer lifetime value
- Churn rate
Review performance:
- Overall rating
- Number of reviews
- Recent review sentiment
- Review response rate
A/B test listing elements:
Test:
- Screenshots order
- Description copy
- Pricing messaging
- Video vs. no video
Some platforms allow A/B testing. Otherwise, update and monitor impact.
Handling Reviews and Ratings
Reviews make or break marketplace success:
Encourage positive reviews:
In-app: After successful outcome: "Enjoying [App]? Leave us a review!"
Email: Post-onboarding: "How's [App] working for you?"
Support: After resolving issue: "Glad we could help! If you're happy with [App], we'd love a review."
Respond to all reviews:
Positive reviews: "Thanks for the kind words! We're glad [App] is helping you [outcome]."
Negative reviews: "Sorry to hear that. We'd like to make this right. Please contact support@ and we'll help."
Public response shows:
- You care
- You're responsive
- You fix problems
Fixes are more valuable than perfect rating.
Learn from negative feedback:
Negative reviews reveal:
- Missing features
- UX friction
- Support gaps
- Documentation issues
Use feedback to improve product.
Marketplace Fees and Economics
Most marketplaces take revenue share:
Typical:
- Shopify: 20% for first $1M, 0% after (for apps using Shopify Billing)
- Salesforce: 25% of license revenue (with minimum)
- HubSpot: 20-40% depending on program tier
Plus:
- Payment processing fees (2-3%)
- Platform API costs (sometimes)
Economics:
Example:
App sells for $99/month. 100 customers via Shopify = $9,900/month revenue.
Shopify fee (20%): -$1,980 Net: $7,920/month
Factor marketplace fees into pricing.
Worth it?
Marketplace brings customers you wouldn't reach otherwise. 80% of something beats 100% of nothing.
When to NOT List in Marketplace
Skip marketplace if:
Platform doesn't fit:
Your target customers don't use this platform.
Approval barriers:
Platform requirements don't align with your product approach.
Economics don't work:
Fees + support costs exceed customer LTV.
Better channels exist:
Direct sales or other channels more efficient.
Not every app needs to be in every marketplace.
Getting Started
Month 1: Choose marketplace and build integration
Focus on one platform first. Build quality integration.
Month 2: Complete listing and submit
Create compelling listing. Submit for approval.
Month 3: Drive initial installs
External traffic, content, community engagement.
Month 4: Optimize based on data
Update listing, improve reviews, refine messaging.
Month 6: Pursue featured placement
With traction, approach platform for featuring.
Integration marketplaces are high-intent distribution channels. Getting listed is step one. Optimizing listing, driving reviews, and getting featured is how you win.
Focus on one marketplace first. Win there. Then expand.