It was reported about a week ago that Apple updated their App store search ranking algorithm. Not much is known about what the changes targeted specifically, but many companies with multiple apps available in the app store have reported a change in rankings for their keywords.
At this time, only a subset of iPad & iPhone app developers in the US App Store has been affected, some negatively, some positively.
According to a study done by TechCrunch, “Facebook’s iPad app offers a good example of the change, as its app moved from a #2 position in “Social Networking” and a #7 ranking “Overall” the day before, down to #4 and #24, respectively, on Friday, and then it crashed to #38 in “Social Networking” and a practically invisible #858 “Overall” by Monday. The app’s download ranking has since begun climbing back up, reaching again #2 in “Social Networking” and #9 “Overall” by mid-week.