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If you want your app to stand out among the millions of others available, it needs to be as visible and accessible as possible. The answer: App store optimization (ASO). ASO refers to the processes app developers use to improve their app’s visibility on app stores (AppStore and Google Play) and increase downloads.
ASO includes many best practices that can help improve your app’s performance in search engine results and its ranking in app stores. This blog will give you a comprehensive overview of App Store Optimization and its importance for apps. Keep reading to know everything you need to know about ASO, why it is important, what are its best practices, and how you can implement it for your own apps.
What Is App Store Optimization?
ASO is the process of improving the visibility of your app in app stores through several factors. These factors include the title, keywords, images, and the app description. Search is a critical aspect of the app discovery process.
According to a survey, the vast majority of users download apps by using app store search. If your app doesn’t rank well for the right keywords, users may never come across it. ASO includes many best practices that can help improve your app’s performance in search engine results and its ranking in app stores. Let’s go over each component of ASO in detail.
The Title
The title of your app appears in various places in the app stores, including search results, the app store home page, and in the “What’s New” section. It’s important to choose a title that accurately reflects your app’s value proposition while standing out from the competition.
The Keywords
Keywords play an important role in ASO and are essential for driving organic traffic to your app pages. You can use up to 10 keywords to optimize your app’s visibility in the app stores. It’s important to choose keywords that are relevant to your app’s core value proposition and that a large number of potential users would use when searching for apps like yours.
The Images
The images in your app’s product page are among the first things potential users will see. High-quality images are important for setting user expectations and increasing conversion rates. There are two important things to keep in mind when selecting images for your app. First, app stores like Apple’s App Store only allow you to display one primary image for your app.
This is the image that will appear across all channels, so it needs to be carefully selected. Second, app stores like Google Play let you use multiple images for your app product page. These images can be used for different purposes, like showing different perspectives of your app and including screenshots from your app.
The Description
The description is your opportunity to tell your story and explain the value of your app. It should be compelling and written in a way that captures the attention of your target users and inspires them to download and use your app. Be sure to include all the details users would need to know before deciding whether to download.
Why Is App Store Optimization Important?
According to research, only one in 10 people who download apps on their phones ever come back to use them again. That means you have 90% of your users who won’t come back to your app. So, why do people quit apps?
ASO can help you improve your app’s visibility and make it easier for users to discover and download your app from the app stores. When your app is more visible, you’ll get more downloads, which means you’ll also get more users who will come back to your app again and again.
What Are the Best Practices of ASO?
There are several best practices you can follow to improve your app’s visibility and help it rank higher in the app stores. Here are some of the most important ones:
The name of your app, the title, and the keywords should reflect the core value proposition of your app. For example, if your app is a travel-booking app, its core value proposition is providing an easy way to book travel online. Therefore, these components should reflect the core value proposition of your app.
You should have a dedicated app store profile URL (ASIN). If you have an iPhone app, the URL should be something like “itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1234/”. If you have an Android app, the URL should be “play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appname”.
You should have a clear App Store/Google Play page. This page should highlight the core value proposition and features of your app. It should also give a reason to users for why they should download and use your app.
You should set your language to the country where you want to see the maximum number of downloads. For example, if you want to target the U.S. market, you should select English as your language.
How to Implement ASO for Apps?
Now that you know the importance of ASO and what it involves, the next question is how you can implement it for your own apps. The good news is that with a little effort, you can significantly improve your app’s chances of getting noticed and downloaded from app stores.
Here are some simple steps you can follow to quickly improve the visibility of your app in the app stores:
Start your app marketing strategy as early as possible. It’s better to start optimizing your app from the moment you start developing it. This will allow you enough time to iterate and make changes based on the results you get from each round of optimization.
Create an app marketing plan. An app marketing plan is like a business plan for your app. It’s a critical step towards increasing your app download numbers. An app marketing plan will help you outline your overall marketing strategy and give you a clear outline of the steps you need to take to reach your target audience.
Prioritize your target audience. There are millions of people searching for apps every day. You need to make sure that people who are most likely to download your app find it as easily as possible. You can do this by prioritizing your key audiences, like those who have downloaded similar apps in the past or people who have shown interest in your app’s category.
ASO differences between AppStore and Google Play Store
When you’re optimizing your app, it’s important to keep in mind that the app stores have their own sets of rules and best practices
Although there are similarities between the two platforms, there are also some important differences.
The title, keywords, and images are the most important components of ASO for both platforms. However, there are a few things that are different. For example, the title of your app on Google Play should be between 15 and 50 characters, while it should be between 10 and 30 characters on Apple’s AppStore.
Screenshots on Google Play Store should have a maximum width of 1280 pixels, while they should be 1920 pixels on Apple’s AppStore.
The description length is different as well. On Google Play Store, you should have between 80 and 90 characters for the short description and between 160 and 410 characters for the long description. On Apple’s AppStore, the short description should have between 30 and 80 characters, while the long description should have between 80 and 1000 characters.
Conclusion
ASO is an integral part of promoting your app. It helps to increase your app’s visibility in the app stores and drive more downloads as a result. When you know the importance of ASO and its best practices, improving your app’s visibility and helping it rank higher in the app stores is easier than ever.
All you need to do is start your app marketing strategy as early as possible, create an app marketing plan, and follow the rules of ASO for each app store. Get in touch to craft a strategy together and help you reach your business goals.