We’ve all searched the app store to quickly find a specific mobile application.
Searching for an app is the first step, whether it’s a game, a productivity tool, or a way to listen to music. But if you yourself have developed an app, how do you make sure people can find it in the app store?
The answer is app store optimization.
App store optimization (ASO) is the process of optimizing a mobile app so it ranks higher in the search results of an app store. The higher an app ranks, the more visible it is to potential users.
The process of ASO is primarily focused on the two most popular app stores: the Apple App Store for iOS and the Google Play Store for Android. It’s common for app developers to turn to app store optimization software to make sure their mobile apps are found at both stores.
Several elements to incorporate into your ASO strategy affect how your app ranks in various app stores. Since ASO is similar to how search engine optimization (SEO) works, climbing the charts doesn’t happen overnight. But when you focus on these aspects, you can set your app up for success.
The title of your listing is the most important field you can use to get more downloads for your mobile app. The title should be under 25 characters, so customers see the whole thing as they browse. Consider incorporating your company's name and the top keyword with the heaviest possible search traffic.
When you’ve decided on an app name and title, search for it in the app. If you’re overwhelmed by the number of results, then it’s not unique enough, and your app won’t stand out over the noise.
Remember that the title on the product page is your app’s first impression, and you want it to be a good one!
Conducting keyword research to find the correct terms to attract your audience is an absolute must. Start your keyword optimization process by narrowing down the keywords your potential customers are searching for and the ones your top competitors are using.
These are the keywords you’ll use in other areas, like the description and subtitle, and they should make it easier for your customers to find you when searching the app store.
Remember these things as you conduct keyword research to pinpoint terms:
Your app’s description should include as many relevant keywords as possible – without keyword stuffing – in the first 250 characters. Anything after 250 characters will require customers to click Read More.
Stay away from any words that are fluff or not completely necessary, and consider A/B testing a few variations to see which ones attract the most downloads.
Tip: Utilize A/B testing tools to find the best possible app description to help it rank in app stores.
The subtitle will be directly below your app’s title, and it has a limit of 30 characters. Not only is this a chance to incorporate more keywords, but it should also tell your audience a little more about the app and why they should download it.
Adding screenshots and videos in the app store can also make your app stand out while giving customers an app preview before they download it. Most people will scroll through your screenshots before deciding whether to download, so choose these wisely. Make sure the screenshots you decide to upload are colorful and visually appealing, as well as also being realistic about what the app actually looks like.
If your app is a game, think about adding preview videos so customers get a feel for the visual elements and the user experience as they would play.
of apps in the Apple App Store are games, making it the most popular category.
Source: Statista
You should also add a branded icon to your app. The app icon could be your brand’s logo or anything else that sets your app apart from the rest.
Potential customers will also browse your app's user reviews and ratings before downloading, especially if they’re new to your brand and what it has to offer.
Apps with a higher rating and tons of positive reviews tend to have higher rankings within app stores, which helps your app’s visibility in front of the right audience.
And while it can be hard to control the ratings and reviews you receive from users in the app store, consider creating campaigns to incentivize customers to rate your app and leave a review.
The number of installs your app receives isn’t public knowledge or visible for customers to see, but it can affect how your app ranks. The app developer and the app store will know this number, so while it’s tricky to physically optimize, every component ultimately works toward a download.
If you want to get your app in front of customers as they browse the app store, you need to make sure your app is optimized enough to be found.
Putting the time and effort into an ASO strategy while also working to improve regularly is the right way to improve your app store ranking and its overall success. Getting app downloads and expanding your user base are two important key performance indicators (KPIs) for developers and app marketers.
Even though the goal of ASO is nearly always more app downloads, other reasons for optimizing are also important. Some are:
Both stores have the same purpose of providing a platform for users to look for apps to download. However, the Apple App Store has a more extended review process than Google Play’s store. Because of this, it’s best to allow a buffer time of about three days when releasing a new app or update.
When it comes to iOS apps within the Apple App Store, these specific components help an app climb the charts within its algorithm:
For Android apps in the Google Play Store, the elements that make a difference within this algorithm for rankings include:
When done correctly, app store optimization leads to many benefits. Some include:
ASO is often called app store SEO, and while both practices share similarities, there are key differences to keep in mind.
App store optimization (ASO) is used to optimize mobile apps to increase their presence within app stores like the Apple App Store and Google Play. The goal of ASO is to get more downloads, or users, of the app.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is used to optimize websites for search results like Google and Bing. The goal of SEO is to get more traffic through visitors to the website. It's common for businesses to use SEO software to create a strategy to do so.
Additionally, Google Search involves hundreds and hundreds of ranking factors, all with varying importance. The list of ranking factors for ASO is much shorter.
Developers and app marketers use app store optimization software so their mobile applications rank higher in app stores. ASO tools also track rankings and downloads of mobile apps. Users can turn to these tools to learn how to optimize elements like the app's title, best keywords, written descriptions, and screenshots.
To qualify for inclusion in the app store optimization category, a product must:
* Below are the top five leading app store optimization software solutions from G2’s Fall 2022 Grid® Report. Some reviews may be edited for clarity.
AppFollow is an app management platform that aims to save time and resources while providing users with key data to support their decision-making needs. It provides users with tools for performance monitoring, growth acceleration, and review management to assist with goals surrounding optimization.
“With AppFollow, we could discover the keywords for our app and understand why app downloads were low. Another great feature is the ability to check our competitors' popularity, word difficulty, and so on.”
- AppFollow Review, Nicolas M.
“I wish there were more abilities to customize the package you want. There are some wonderful features that I don't specifically need. I want to access a lower-cost version that doesn't use those.”
- AppFollow Review, Benjamin W.
AppTweak is an easy-to-use, effective tool created to drive app store optimization through data science. Users can grow their apps and games with the actionable insights AppTweak provides, like data about keywords, downloads, and performance.
“AppTweak allows us to augment our visibility and efficiently drive installs from Google Play Store. The reports and intuitive dashboards show easy visualization of data; it also gives great takeaway pointers and suggestions, which can be used for the app's metadata. Review analysis lets us know about our users’ sentiment while using the app and competitor analysis also helps us in ensuring that we do not miss out on any important keywords.”
- AppTweak Review, Sai Ganesh R.
“Sometimes there are too many changes made which, although they improve the overall usage of the tool, sometimes become difficult to track. The ranking history graph also isn't very visually appealing, especially when the app drops out of the rankings and is indicated by a solid line. If this could be showcased differently, it would make the overall appeal much higher.”
- AppTweak Review, Joy S.
Asodesk is all about promoting its users' mobile businesses. It offers tools and data for mobile marketing, product and app reviews, and other agency services so that it’s easy to gain organic users in both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
“We have been using Asodesk tools with the team for four years. It’s very convenient and has a clear interface. It boasts all tools useful for ASO manager work, like keyword density, UPD, and organic reports. It’s also convenient that there is integration with the App Store and Google Play. I also like the ASO dashboard, which allows you to track the metrics that are so important for good ASO optimization.”
- Asodesk Review, Anna A.
“I would like to see ad intelligence tools as part of the platform.”
- Asodesk Review, Ryan K.
App Radar focuses on providing users with organic and paid app user acquisition with a variety of self-service tools and app store marking. This all-in-one tool improves the workflow for faster updates, quicker fixes, and a broader reach to attract customers.
"The App Radar tool gives you comprehensive insights into the performance of your App Store listing and potential improvements. The competitor, as well as the tool's keyword analysis, is very valuable and helps improve the app store listing.
The workshop we did with the App Radar team gave our app an even bigger boost. It's incredible how much knowledge they have regarding ASO. They bring up every detail that can be improved, but we never thought of it. Moreover, the workshop gave us the right long-term strategy for constantly further optimizing our app. The tool and the workshop are worth it for sure and significantly contributed to the success of our app!”
- App Radar Review, Dominik G.
“Would be nice to have a mobile app for easy access to data, but at least the desktop version works well on mobile.”
- App Radar Review, Ylli Q.
Checkaso provides users with an analytics platform that scores their ASO performance, shares tips on how to improve it, and provides data surrounding keywords and search volume. The algorithm can also present reports focusing on ranking history and competitor analysis for both the App Store and Google Play.
“The Checkaso platform is great because of its all-in-one principle. Designed mostly for beginners, it involves you in the ASO workflow easily, from adding your application to holding a hand on the pulse of what's going on in the competitive rush. You can use Checkaso for analytics, gaining marketing insights, collecting metadata, finding something new from another application (especially those you're competing with for traffic), and much more”.
- Checkaso Review, Tomas L.
“Some UI/UX moments are not perfect (e.g., font size seems too small for me). There is a bit of complicated logic on how to reach one section from another.”
- Checkaso Review, Natalie F.
That is the question your target audience is likely asking as they check out your app in the app store. And with the right app store optimization tactics, you can ensure the answer to that question is “yes”.
Now that it’s in the store, discover how to market your app so it stands out even more.
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