What is App Store Optimization, and how it works?
App store optimization or ASO makes your app more visible on the Google Play Store, App Store, Microsoft Store, etc. It helps your app get more exposure and make it stand out among other apps. The basic purpose of app store optimization is to increase the number of downloads, increase revenue, and grow the app business.
SEO vs. ASO
If you are familiar with the idea of search engine optimization (SEO), then ASO can make good sense to you. With SEO, the concept is to index your website to rank at the top in the Google search engine results. When people search for relevant keywords, your website appears at the top of the results to get user clicks. Similar is the case with app Store Optimization. When people search with specific keywords, they should be able to see your app.
So, what do you do for SEO of your website? It generally includes keyword research, getting backlinks, and content marketing to improve your website reputation when it comes to Google Indexing. Similarly, certain things play a huge role in App store optimization. Before moving to the list, let’s talk about the goals of ASO to understand the elements of ASO better.
Goals of App Store Optimization
The goals of app store optimization are vast. It doesn’t only focus on the app’s ranking, but it has some other goals and targets. App store optimization helps potential users discover your app through the App Store or Google Play search bar, Google search, or in other ways. It focuses on turning app visitors into app installers and loyal app users eventually.
In short, we have three major goals of app store optimization.
- Rank our app on the top
- Make users download the app
- Turn them into loyal users.
However, to retain users and turn them into loyal customers, it is essential to offer them value consistently and continuously.
This is app store optimization and the goals associated with it. The following list includes the crucial elements of App Store Optimization.
- Keywords
- Title
- Description
- Screenshots/Video
- Ratings and Reviews
- Downloads Volume
- Engagement
- Backlinks
Keywords
Keyword Selection and Usage
App keyword fields play an important role in app positioning in search results. Include keywords in different areas, including the app title, subtitle/short description, description, and App’s URL. Make sure you choose a dynamic and timeless keyword that doesn’t go outdated after some time. After conducting the keyword research, ensure that the main keywords must reflect in all of these critical fields. Keep updating the content after some time to optimize it for mobile app search results.
The long description of the app can incorporate more than one keywords and key phrases. Add some relevant keywords in this field. Don’t forget to follow general SEO guidelines here and avoid keyword stuffing.
Apple offers keyword Field
Apple allows you to add up to 100 characters in their keyword field to fill with as many relevant keywords as you can. With Apple, your app description doesn’t directly affect your rank, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t essential. A good description persuades your visitors to convert into users. Make sure you put the most important information in the first three lines. This is the part that users can see without the need to tap to read more.
Title
The app tile plays a crucial role in ASO as it starts with the app name or title. When people search for an app on app stores, the first thing they read about your app is your app title.
Your app title should define what your app does. It should be something that makes sense. Most importantly, include the most important keyword of your market in your app’s title so that it appears first people search for the same keyword in the Store.
Description
The next important thing is the app description. When people look for an app on the app store, they use words to search in the app store search bar. So, the app description plays an important role in the app indexing. In the case of apps, the description works as the content of the website.
Screenshots/Video
Another very critical thing is screenshots or videos. Suppose you have got the title and the description well optimized, and you are getting some traffic through that. People are clicking on your app and want to learn about your app in order to install it. If the screenshots and videos are not compelling and show a lousy experience, you will be very less likely to get those downloads. Screenshots play a massive role in increasing your app downloads
Ratings and Reviews
Another very critical thing in ASO is the reviews that you get from people. Google, Apple, and Microsoft rely heavily on Reviews. If you have got a lot of good reviews, then your app would have a much better indexing position. Moreover, if the ratio of good to bad reviews is very, very high, it depicts more good reviews for your app.
Downloads Volume
When you get a lot of downloads, the number of reviews will increase. If your app’s number of downloads increases, it is a good sign for Google, Apple, and Microsoft to consider your app as a quality app.
Engagement
Another important factor is the engagement of users with your app. Both Google and Apple collect engagement reports for your app. The engagement is based on the time the user spends with your app and the number of times users come back to your and reopen it
Backlinks
Backlinks are also important in higher app positioning. If other websites link back to app listings, then Google and Apple would look at it as social proof that your app is actually a useful app.
Don’t forget that the algorithm of any mobile app store is to pick the best app and then show it to the potential users. Therefore, professional mobile app development companies make sure to follow all critical factors in the mobile app launch process.
