Mobile Apps play a critical role in targeting the right audience, providing a unique customer experience, building brand value and generating revenue. However, with millions of mobile apps flooding the app stores, getting discovered and gaining a competitive advantage is quite a challenge. Creating and launching an app is only the beginning. To hit it big in the market takes much more. The solution to this is App Store Optimization . The importance of App Store Optimization services in your company's marketing plan cannot be understated. With a dynamic ASO strategy, a company can meet KPIs faster, and gain greater and actionable insights for exponential growth.
What is App Store Optimization?
App store optimization is the process where your mobile apps are optimized for higher ranking and greater visibility in the app stores. The higher your app is ranked in the app stores, the greater the visibility and traffic will be. ASO allows easy discovery of your app and boosts user acquisition and organic downloads.
Apple App Store and Google Play are the major app stores today among many others. Ranking factors for apps vary across stores. Although, common factors to target for optimization include:
- App name and title
- Keywords
- App description
- No. of downloads
- Ratings and reviews
- Updates
Why is ASO Important?
With over 6 million competitive apps in the major app stores today, gaining visibility and discoverability without app store optimization is like firing into the vacuum. ASO lets you have an edge over the competitors in stealing the spotlight. ASO needs to be your secret weapon that requires continued honing, to get you control over your online presence, and ensure impactful results. It extensively boosts organic downloads and lets you acquire users in the most cost-efficient way.
Getting Ready for App Store Optimization
1 Market Research and Analysis
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Start by gathering insights into your own strengths and weaknesses against those of your competitors. Without proper research conceiving a unique strategic roadmap will be a challenge.
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Through thorough market analysis and self-evaluation, identify gaps and pitfalls if any, and devise ways to fill them.
2 Keyword Research
- Any effective ASO strategy must start with thorough keyword research. It is the process of researching and gathering keywords based on relevant user searches.
- They give an understanding of what the users are precisely searching for and using them in your app titles, descriptions, URLs, etc., is crucial in maximizing your app visibility.
- The app stores give precedence to those apps that conform with the keywords used by the users more often.
- Keyword research includes listing down relevant words or phrases related to your brand/business according to their search volume and competitiveness using a variety of tools available online. These high-volume keywords can then be used across different fields during the optimization process.
How to do App Store Optimization?
The major ASO factors that have the greatest impact on rankings are the App Title, Description, and Keywords. The secondary factors include Total Downloads, Reviews and Ratings.
1 App Title and Subtitle Optimization
- App Title/Name is the most important and strongest ranking factor in the app stores. The title is the first glimpse a potential user gets of your application and deserves clear optimization.
- As the title is limited to just 30 characters, smart leveraging (and not overuse) of keywords is key.
- Regular testing of name and keyword combinations will help identify the one that triggers the most engagement and downloads.
2 Compelling and Engaging App Description
- Crafting a compelling and keyword-rich description that clearly defines and communicates the features and usability of an app is a critical factor in the ASO strategy.
- Google Play offers 80 characters for a short description and 4000 words for a long description, both of which are used by the app store for ranking. Apple’s Apple Store only provides the long description field (4000 characters), which does not play a role in the app store rankings.
- Regardless of the app stores using the content for ranking purposes, enticing and concise descriptions lead potential users to your app through keyword searching.
- Descriptions can also contain relevant awards, global ratings, etc., that may add value and credibility to the application.
3 Keyword Metadata (Apple’s App Store Only)
- The App Store offers a 100 characters field to get creative with keywords (separated by commas), that extensively helps with ranking and visibility.
- Like the App Title, you can try different keyword combinations consisting of common and competitive words, until they generate visible results.
- Avoid duplication of keywords and ensure their uniqueness to avoid omission of recurring words.
4 Enticing Visual Elements
- Visual elements like screenshots, images and video previews on the app search results and store page are highly persuasive in nature and have the power to maximize app downloads. This shoots up the app’s rankings.
- Visual elements play a crucial role in communicating the form, structure, workings, and benefits of an app on a deeper level.
5 Solicit Reviews and Ratings
- Ratings and reviews speak volumes of an app’s usability and reputation. Highly rated apps appear at the top of the search results and stimulate greater traffic.
- Reviews are highly sought after by the newbies visiting your page as they are often unfamiliar with your brand or business.
- Negative reviews can be curbed on the app store page by enabling a prompt customer service/grievance redressal channel within the app.
6 Maximize Downloads and Streamline Updates
- The number of downloads indicates the popularity and likeability of an app in the store. Such apps get the advantage of greater visibility and higher ranking. Solid optimization of your app using all the above factors will deliver the expected impact.
- Furthermore, timely updates, improvements, feature enhancements and bug fixing are critical aspects of the ASO strategy.
7 Track Retention Rates
- How long the user retains an app after installation, and the number of times it is used by them shows a significant impact on the app store search rankings.
Pixbit Solutions Transforming Apps through ASO
According to recent statistics, app developers across the United States and Dubai are increasingly investing in ASO strategies to ramp up downloads and revenue. Optimizing your app for app store search engines is essential for driving organic downloads and improving your app's visibility and discoverability. By following the ASO best practices offered by leading app store optimization companies like Pixbit Solutions, you can significantly improve your app's chances of success in the highly competitive mobile app marketplace. A dynamic partnership with a leading app store optimization agency with the skill and expertise will get your app the right visibility and growth.