App Store Optimization — Part I: What and Why ASO ?

What is ASO ?

ASO is stands for ‘App Store Optimization’. App Store Optimization (ASO) is the technique to increase the visibility and ranking of mobile apps in Google Play Store and App Store. ASO is similar to SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Just like SEO is for websites and ASO is for Mobile apps.

Why ASO is important?

You already know that everyday thousands of apps are coming on app store. Now if you launch your app of course it is going to get disappeared. That’s why to get ranked of you app you must do ASO. Remember ASO is a secret weapon and it will impact your app’s ranking and overall success. You will be happy to know majority of the publisher does not invest in ASO, so this is a gift for you.

Also according to Forrester, 63% of apps are discovered through app store searches. On another survey it was found that 75% of Android apps downloads come from search. Now you can imagine this is how much important to do ASO.

Recently, at Google I/O, Ankit Jain reported that “For the average app, search actually makes up the vast majority of installs.” Simply put, this means that:

If you’re not using ASO to increase your app’s search ranking, you’re missing out on the largest discovery channel available to your app

ASO Ranking Components/Factors

App Store optimization can be categorized into two types: On-Store Optimization and Off-Store Optimization.

On-Store Optimization :

It covers all kind of optimization which we usually do on the app landing page. On-Store Optimization can also be broken down into two parts: Exposure optimization and Conversion optimization.

• Exposure Optimization is the process of optimizing factors that will allow more people to find your app in search. The higher an app ranks in search, the more people will see it, and the more downloads it will get. Exposure factors include: App Title, App Subtitle(in iOS), App Description, Keyword metadata(in iOS) etc.
• Conversion Optimization is the process of optimizing your app to convince people to download it once they find it in the app store. Conversion factors include: Good App icon, Attractive App screenshots, Attractive App promotional video, Good Rating and Reviews management etc.

Off-Store Optimization :

Along with this, You can perform some of the Strategies to perform Off-Store ASO

• Deep Linking
• Localize your App
• Promote app on Social Media Platforms
• Publish videos of your app features on Youtube
• Create a Landing Page and Promote App
• Get a Facebook fanpage to interact with users
• Go with the Paid Marketing

Now you should see another article App Store Optimization — Part II: All Ranking factors of ASO to learn details for every factor.