How to get featured
There's no way to buy a feature, but you can make it more likely:
- Apple: submit a featuring nomination in App Store Connect (several weeks before a launch or big update). Apple editors also look at design quality, accessibility, use of new platform features and localization.
- Google Play: keep your app high-quality (low crash rate, good ratings), use Play features such as in-app events / promotional content, and talk to your Google Play partner contact if you have one.
What a feature brings
A large, short-lived spike in impressions and installs — often with a lift in ranking afterwards. It also brings a burst of new reviews from users who've never heard of you, so it's a good week to have review monitoring in place.
Example
An indie journaling app is featured in "Apps We Love" on the App Store. Daily downloads rise twentyfold for a week; the team answers dozens of new reviews a day to keep the rating high.