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App Store Optimization Services

Apps haven’t stopped growing in usage and importance in the mobile world. They are excellent tools for businesses that want to reach their customers and they provide a very good way to keep them engaged.

However, they first need to be discovered on the App Stores, and to do that, marketers should know all about app store optimization services. In this article you will discover every step to make your app a success.


Table of Contents

1. What is ASO?
2. Importance of ASO
3. Benefits of ASO
4. ASO Factors
5. App Indexing
6. Keyword Optimization
7. Screenshots and Video
8. App Ratings and Reviews
9. App Localization
10. How to Measure Results
Conclusion


What is ASO?

App Store Optimization (ASO) is the practice of optimizing your app’s visibility in the app stores with the ultimate objective of improving its ranking on app search results and increasing the number of downloads.

App store visibility is key in ensuring that your mobile app is a success, however, this practices doesn’t only care about making your app standing out, but involves a much detailed optimization to make sure that people that found you through search, convert and become loyal customers later on.

This marketing practice uses different techniques including app market research, keywords, reviews, ads, a/b tests, localization, etc and it works for both kinds of app stores: iOS and Android.


Importance of ASO

ASO is of great importance in an era where mobile apps account for nearly half of global internet traffic and account for over 90% of internet time on smartphones and 77% of internet time on tablets.

Mobile apps are a useful resource for businesses seeking to better communicate with customers, and therefore need to be discovered amongst the more than 8 million apps and in the main app stores.

Of course there are many ways to promote business apps in order to cut through the clutter, however, organic searches are one of the main ways, with 63% of people discovering apps through app store searches and 20% of total discoveries made through this source.

app-growth

In other words, if you’re not using the latest trends in ASO to get your app discoverable in the app store, you are missing the opportunity to get your app easily discovered.

 


Benefits of ASO

There are many benefits you can get from optimizing your apps with ASO, some of the ones are listed as follows:

Improved App Discoverability: Optimized apps rank higher in search results and they are more easily found by potential users.

Better Targeting: Through the use of specific keywords, ASO targets customers that are genuinely interested in what your app does, thus increasing the chances of getting your app in front of the right users.

Increase in Organic Traffic: Organic traffic gotten through ASO is the best type of traffic an app can get because is cheaper and attracts more users with higher retention rates and a higher chance of spending money on your app.

Improved Conversion Rate to Install: ASO improves your visibility on app listings thus increasing the number of conversions for your app.

Lower Acquisition Cost: With a good ASO strategy your organic installs will increase and this will derive in a lower eCPI (Effective Cost Per Install) in case you run paid marketing campaigns.

Stable App Monetizacion: If you monetize your app (from ads, subscriptions, in-app purchases, etc) then ASO will benefit you thanks to the increase of downloads you will receive organically.


ASO Factors

The main ASO factors are usually divided in two: Search Ranking Factors and Conversion Rate Factors.

Search Ranking Factors

The most important objective of app store optimization is to rank organically when users search for your products or services, and this objective is achieved through the optimization various factors.

Based on the latest study made by The Tool for the year 2018, the textual on-metadata elements appeared to have the most influence on search rankings, followed by the volume of installs and localized product page.

Also according to the study, one of the main factors that help to gain visibility in searches are keywords included into the App (in the title, subtitle, keywords field, short and full description, and url), as well as volume and speed of installs.

Conversion Rate Factors

Search rankings are not useful if your app is not attractive to your potential users. For this reason, ASO also observes factors that ensure that your app converts and gets more installs.

Based on the mentioned study, it is clear that visual elements are of vital importance for all users, such as app icon, screenshots and video previews. Also customer feedback on the form of reviews and ratings impact on the conversion rates and need to be improved through a better user experience.

The following infographic provides a bit more detail about this information:

aso-factors-infographic

 


App Indexing

The visibility of your app in the app stores is the main focus of ASO, however you should also take advantage of search engines and use app indexing to make your app appear in Google search results alongside relevant web pages.

This practice works by letting Google index apps just like websites. When you index your app, deep links to your android or iOS App appear in search results and they direct users to the right content within your app.

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To be able to show up on search results you just need to provide Google with the information that relates your app to your website . This way if the person has the app that appears in the search result, the link will open it on their device, or otherwise will be taken directly to the app listing if it isn’t already installed in the mobile device.

Some of the benefits of App Indexing are:

Boost of conversion rates: By bring direct traffic to your app listing, you will have the opportunity to convince your potential users to download it.

Increase of retention rates: By taking potential users to the relevant page of your app you will increase your number of active users.

Increase of credibility: If your app shows up on search engines it will be regarded as more trustworthy and credible.

Reach of potential user: Search results are an amazing way to reach your potential users in an affordable way.


Keyword Optimization

Keyword optimization is the most basic and important element in app store optimization as it lets you rank for relevant terms related to your app in the app store. This optimization involves choosing the right keywords and add them in the right places within your app listing.

Choosing the right keywords is the first step before you even launch the app on the app store, and it needs to be done based on the understanding of your app and your audience needs.

Your keywords also need to be competitive and for this you need to study the keywords your competitors are using and analyze the popularity they have by using keyword suggestion tools.

A good way to find the ideal keywords is to find the right balance between keyword popularity and competition. This usually means using specific keywords that answer user needs, rather than general keywords that don’t target the right users for your app.
keyword-triangle

Once you chose a list of keywords to use on your app, it is time to optimize your textual on-metadata,by adding these keywords into your App Name/ Title, Subtitle or Short Description and Keyword Field. Follow the next recommendations:
App-Store-Optimization-Keywords

App Name: Place the strongest and more relevant key phrases in the App Name: Since the App Name has more weight in the algorithm, this is where you should place your best keywords and key phrases. Remember to keep the actual brand name short to a maximum of 30 characters.

App Description Keywords: Make the most of the 252 characters you have in this space by making it concise and attention-grabbing. Avoid blanks lines and interrupted sentences and focus on your app’s values instead of the features.

Keyword Fields: This space includes a set of 100 characters keywords and it is important that you use it wisely. A good tip is to make the most of this is by using commas to separate short keywords because this will allow you to create more combinations.

 


Screenshots and Video

One of the main elements that will increase your conversion rates is the visual part of your app. You need to pay attention to app screenshots or videos added to your app listings in order to grab the attention of your audience.

The App Screenshots need to tell users why they should love your app. Make sure to add some caption text on your images and to show your strongest message in the first two screenshots. Also use vertical screenshots because this way your users can see more of them on the narrow screens. A good strategy is to use seasonal images, like holidays or black friday app promotions.

App-Screenshots

Also, take advantage of video in this space to showcase your app. A good preview video of your app can boost install rates by more than 23% according to StoreMaven. The best is to make it focused on the main app features to grab the viewer’s attention on the first 5 seconds, and to include a call to action at the end.

 


App Ratings and Reviews

Ratings and reviews have a great impact on your app downloads and the exposure of your App in App Searches, however you can’t always control them. Because in Mobile Marketing people are convinced by the comments from other users, you need to pay attention to the feedback they give you so you can always improve the app.

app-ratings-reviews

Also make sure you ask for reviews by using event triggered messages or real time personalization when the user is likely to be very pleased with the experience. This will give you a greater chance to get good reviews.

Another very important point is to reply to the feedback your users give you to show that you care about them. Always do it immediately following a major app release and make sure that you fix the issues they are complaining about.

 


App Localization

Mobile app localization is the process of adapting your app to fit the language, culture and other factors of a specific country you want to release it for. Doing this is a big part of your ASO strategy because Google and Apple favour apps that are localized when ranking them, and this will pay off in the form of traffic, conversions and reviews.

App-Store-Product-Page-Localization

Mobile app localization usually requires an app to go through a process of internationalization so it can be adapted to different languages. However that’s not all to it, localization requires you to do a complete research on your target audiences culture and trends.

It may seem like a big job but having your creatives localized alongside your metadata will make your app the best possible choice for the local people. Adapting your app keywords, graphics and descriptions is worth the effort and the the benefits it brings cannot be easily neglected.


How to Measure Results

ASO is a long-term process that should be implemented and measured in order to achieve and maintain good results.

Measurement of your ASO efforts needs to be made following the goals you set for your strategy. They can be organic growth or the increase of conversion rate during holidays, getting more installs and reducing user acquisition costs, increase in revenues or improvement in retention, achieving certain engagement levels or improving the volume of Daily or Monthly Active Users.

You can start by measuring the mail goal of SEO that is the improvement of visibility of mobile apps on the stores. You can do this by checking keyword rankings, top chart rankings, category rankings, and featured positions.

  • Keywords Rankings – position in search results on your target keywords and keyword combinations
  • Top Charts Rankings – positions in the Top Charts
  • Category Rankings – positions of an app or game in its category
  • Featured – whether your app gets featured on the stores’ main page.

Also pay attention to the conversion indicators such as CTR and CR:

Click-through rate (CTR): a percentage of users that come across your app’s snippet on the store (in Search, Top Charts and Featured), and tap to view its product page.

Conversion rate to install (CR): the percentage of visitors of your app’s product page that have downloaded your app.

A good technique to analyze and improve your app is to keep track of your metrics through A/B testing on your listing elements. This way to can compare two versions of your app with each other in order to identify the best-performing one.


Conclusion

Remember that app store optimization is a continuous process that you should master in order to improve your app rankings and user experience. Specially, when it comes to keyword rankings, ASO is a day to day business. It may take some time to make your app the best one in all aspects, but this mobile marketing technique totally pays off all of your efforts.

With our App Store Optimization services we will make your app rank on the first results on app stores. With ASO you will increase your downloads.

Wait no more to grow your app downloads. Give us a call and receive a  FREE 15 Minute Consultation Now.


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