One of the best ways to make your app more successful is by focusing on ASO for App Store success. This involves taking a strategic and systematic approach to getting your app seen and downloaded by users.
This article will discuss some critical best practices for ASO, including tips for analyzing your app’s competition and using various tools and resources to boost its visibility. Whether you are just starting out with ASO or looking for ways to improve the performance of your existing app, we hope you will find our suggestions helpful and practical. So without further ado, let’s get started!
What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?
ASO is the process of optimizing a mobile app for better visibility and ranking in app store search results. Its goal is to increase the app’s organic (unpaid) downloads by making it more visible and appealing to potential users.
To do this, ASO considers both on-metadata factors (such as app title, keyword, and description) and off-metadata factors (including user reviews, app usage data, and backlinks).
Why is ASO Important?
ASO is important because it can significantly impact an app’s organic visibility and downloads. In other words, it can help you get more bang for your buck.
According to a study by Forrester, 63% of apps are discovered through app store searches. If your app is optimized for ASO, you can take advantage of many potential users.
The study found that ranking in the top three search results can result in a click-through rate (CTR) of up to 40%. In contrast, apps that rank lower than three tend to see much lower CTRs. This highlights the importance of ASO in driving organic downloads.
How to Do ASO
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for ASO, as the app marketing strategies and tactics that work for one app may not work for another. However, there are some basic best practices that all app developers should follow.
Analyze Your Competition
The first step to ASO for Android and IOS is understanding the competition. This means closely examining the apps ranking well for your target keywords and analyzing their metadata (title, description, etc.).
You can use a tool like App Annie to do this research. Enter a keyword into the App Annie search bar and take note of the apps that come up. Once you understand your competition well, you can start developing an app marketing strategy for beating them.
This might involve using different or more targeted keywords, creating more compelling app store descriptions, or improving your app’s overall quality.
Use Keyword-Rich App Titles and Descriptions
Your app’s title and description are essential ASO factors, as they help potential users find your app in the first place. As such, you should include relevant keywords in your app’s metadata elements.
However, it would be best to avoid keyword stuffing, which means cramming as many keywords into your title and description as possible. Not only is this bad for ASO, but it will also make your app store listing look spammy and unappealing to users.
Optimize Your App’s Keywords
Another important ASO tactic is carefully selecting the keywords you want to target. You’ll need to use a keyword research tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner or Sensor Tower’s Keyword Intelligence tool.
When choosing keywords, you’ll want to consider factors such as search volume, relevance, and difficulty. You should also include broad and long-tail keywords in your ASO app marketing strategy.
Create Compelling App Store Screenshots and Videos
Your app’s screenshots and videos are critical for both ASO for Android and IOS, as they give potential users a preview of your app’s looks and feel. As such, you should put your best foot forward and create high-quality visuals.
Your app’s screenshots should be clear, relevant, and eye-catching. It would help if you also considered using A/B testing to see which screenshot variations result in the most downloads.
Similarly, your app’s preview video should be well-made and informative. It should give viewers a good idea of your app and how it can benefit them.
What are some best practices for ASO that you should follow?
Following these best practices can improve your app’s ASO for app store rankings and increase its visibility, making users more likely to find and download your app. This can lead to more organic downloads and a better ROI for your app development efforts.
- Use keyword-rich app titles and descriptions – Your app’s title and description are essential ASO factors, as they help potential users find your app.
- Optimize your app’s keywords – Another important ASO tactic is carefully selecting the keywords you want to target.
- Create compelling app store screenshots and videos – Your app’s screenshots and videos are another key ASO factor, as they give potential users a preview of what your app looks and feels like.
- A/B test your app’s metadata elements – Testing different metadata elements (title, description, keywords, etc.) is an excellent way to see what works best for your app.
- Monitor your app’s organic visibility and download data regularly – Keep an eye on your app’s organic visibility and download data to see how your ASO efforts are paying off.
- Outsource an app marketing agency – If you’re serious about ASO, you may want to consider hiring an app marketing agency to help you.
Tools and resources to help you with ASO
Many excellent app store optimization (ASO) tools can help with ASO for Android and IOS. Some popular ASO tools include:
- App Annie – App Annie is a comprehensive app store analytics platform that can help you with ASO, market intelligence, and more.
- Google AdWords Keyword Planner – Google’s keyword research tool can help you find the right keywords for your app.
- Sensor Tower – Sensor Tower’s Keyword Intelligence tool is another excellent option for keyword research.
- SplitMetrics – SplitMetrics is an ASO tool that can help you with A/B testing and analytics.
Tips for analyzing your app’s competition
When you’re analyzing your app’s competition, there are a few key things to look for:
- What keywords are they targeting? You can use a tool like Sensor Tower’s Keyword Intelligence to find out.
- What kind of screenshots and videos do they have? Look at their app store listing and see what kind of visuals they’re using.
- What’s their download volume like? You can find this information in the app store or on a site like App Annie.
- What are their user rating and reviews like? You can find this information in the app store or on a site like App Annie.
Final thoughts on App Store Optimization
ASO for IOS and Android is essential to any mobile app marketing strategy. Optimizing your app’s listing can make it more visible in the app store and increase your chances of getting organic downloads. Following the best practices outlined in this article can help you get started with ASO.
Do you have any experience with ASO? What tips would you add to this article? Let us know in the comments!
Sources
- Adjust: What is app store optimization (ASO)?
- Tech Crunch: Mainline App Stores Still Dominate iOS/Android App Discovery
- App Samurai: How to Spy on Competitor Mobile Apps
- App Tweak: What is App Store Optimization, and Why is ASO Important?
- Sensor Tower: How To A/B Test Your App Screenshots To Increase Downloads
- App Tweak: Spy on competitor’s metadata updates, A/B tests, In-App events, and LiveOps in the ASO Timeline
- Business of Apps: App Annie
- Sensor Tower: Introducing the Sensor Tower Intelligent Keyword Suggestions Tool
- Splitmetrics
