Quick Practical Hacks for App Store Optimization
App Store Optimization (ASO) refers to the process of optimizing for app stores to get better discoverability and consequently more downloads. Higher organic searches and better conversion rates form the basis of app store optimization.
Why Is ASO Important?
There are 5.4 million apps across Apple App Store and Google Play Store. A study conducted by Tune reveals that more than 65% of users found their last app through organic search. In other words, search is the most widely used channel for discovering an app, making it critical to optimize for discovery.
Done right, ASO will result in a constant flow of organic users, who would be more loyal than users acquired through paid campaigns. ASO will also enable conversion rate optimization which will impact installs across paid campaigns, social media marketing, and other acquisition channels.
Factors Marketers (and Founders with a Marketing Hat) Need to Solve for During ASO
- Search is one of the pillars of a strong ASO strategy. Google Play data shows that 60–75% of installs come from long-tail keywords instead of high-volume keywords. Within this, 15–20% are derived from suggestions. One of the most efficient ways for marketers can be to work with keyword suggestions to improve visibility in search.
2. Localization is another indispensable tool in the process. Many developers today don’t localize as they see no merit before translating an app’s content. Localizing the product page helps understand the demand generation patterns from different countries. Keyword research for the target country and adaptation of graphic assets such as maps, calendars, etc. go a long way in ensuring higher conversions and engagement. For example, a cricket game using a blue background does well in India vs. a yellow background which does better in Australia.
3. User feedback is another critical piece in the ASO strategy as it affects your ratings on app stores, which will subsequently drive the conversion rates for installs. Capture reviews from at least 1% of the total users downloading the app and have as many 4 and 5 star reviews as possible with the experience being offered. Sometimes, keywords in reviews can also boost organic searches.
4. Conversion rate feeds directly into one of the two major goals of ASO. Marketers often focus heavily on optimizing keywords and forget about conversion rate optimization. There is a need to balance both. A/B tests by changing the app title, icon, description, screenshots, etc. can help drive the conversion matrix. Optimizing for beyond 30% conversion is assumed to be decent.
5. Lastly, we have user acquisition (through paid marketing, referrals, etc.) which is technically not a part of ASO but when coupled with ASO, can have miraculous impact on results. It gives a boost to downloads and visibility in top charts, which can create network effects for better ASO performance.
ASO vs. SEO
Many people refer to ASO as the SEO of apps. There are similarities but they are not exactly the same. Keywords play a pivotal role in both in driving relevant searches. Moreover, both are based on organic searches by users. However, one thing to note is that paid campaigns in web don’t impact SEO while paid user campaigns in Play Store and App Store have a direct impact on ASO. ASO strategies also differ across Play Store and App Store.
App Store vs. Play Store — Quick Techniques for ASO
- App titles play a strong role in rankings which makes it crucial to have keywords within an app’s title. Apple allows 30 characters while Google allows 50 characters, though the role of titles differs in both. Since Google only shows an app’s icon and title, the title should clearly explain app functionality as well, whereas this may not be as relevant for App Store due to the presence of screenshots.
2. Subtitle keywords are utilized by both algorithms to index the app on search. Repeating a keyword in the title and subtitle might help in Play Store search as keyword density is an important ranking factor. The same strategy doesn’t work for App Store since this is not factored in their algorithm. Slotomania by Playtika is a good example of keyword optimization for App Store.
3. Long descriptions, used for explaining an app’s features and benefits, don’t impact App Store rankings but play an important role in Play Store rankings. For the same reason, descriptions for Android apps should follow SEO best practices and maintain a keyword density of 2–3% for most important keywords, while for App Store, you can creatively talk about your value proposition which will make users download the app.
4. Screenshots play a great role in App Store conversions since they appear during the keyword search itself. Screenshot design needs to capture user attention and enable downloads in iOS. However, in Play Store, screenshots don’t appear anywhere except for branded searches.
5. Backlinks carry a higher importance in Play Store since Google takes into account the number of backlinks to your app webpage to determine its authority, which in essence results in higher rankings. Backlinks can be avoided during ASO in App Store (for now) but remain important in terms of branding and overall app marketing strategy.
All said and done, we must remember that ASO is an ongoing process. Tracking all relevant KPIs and optimizing them in the long run should yield amazing results.
