WHAT IS APP STORE
OPTIMIZATION – ASO?
Mobile App
Store Optimization (ASO) – A decade ago, mobile apps were nearly
nonexistent and there was no such thing as an app store. But all that changed
when smartphones came into being. The first app store was started by Apple for
its iOS platform in July 2008 which was soon followed by Google’s app store
(now Google Play) for the Android platform.
After that
developers around the world plunged into a rat race of creating the best apps
for mobile devices. Right now there are nearly 2 million apps out there and the
number is only going to keep climbing, As such the greatest challenge faced by
a developer is to get their app noticed.
As surveys
have already shown, most users find the apps they are looking for, through app store search. So, the most
important factor to increase traffic to an app page and then translate that
traffic into downloads, is a higher ranking in the app store. But what you need
to remember is that in this field there are two major players. Unlike in the
web where Google is the defining term for search and SEO’s are geared towards
optimizing websites to meet the requirements of Google’s search algorithms, app
industry has two major players; Apple and Google and the criteria to get higher
ranking in the app store search for these two platforms is drastically
different in some ways and similar in others.
For example,
Google takes into account the number of inbound links to an app’s detail page
but Apple doesn’t do so.
Google Play (Android):
Keywords – If you are focusing on Google Play
then your App Store optimization theory should focus on using the right
keywords without going overboard. The first step is to research and find the
right keywords that are best suited for your app. Once you have a list of such
keywords, use the most important ones on the title for the app. Make sure that
your research is thorough so that you don’t have to change your app title often
as it can be detrimental. The title needs to be precise but unique so that it
stands out. Do not make it too long as longer titles maybe truncated on some
devices.
Description – The second most important part is
the description. In Google Play, the search algorithm takes the description
into account so use this space wisely. There are two parts to it; the part of
the description which will be visible above the fold should have the most vital
info about the app. The rest of the description should have the secondary
keywords. The keywords should not be mentioned any more than 5 times as Google
doesn’t like spamming.
Images – Use graphic and images to their
full potential. Google Play allows you to upload screenshots in the app page.
Use screenshots that best describes your app and shows its usefulness. You can
include texts or other clips to tell the story of your app. Also use an app
icon that conveys the usefulness and elegance of your app. In search results,
an icon is the first thing that a consumer sees, so it needs to be interesting
and attractive.
Video – A very good opportunity to market
your app that Google Play provides is the demo video that you can add to your
app page. Create a video that concisely shows what your app does. Don’t make it
overly long, keep it to the point and focus on your app’s function instead of
blatantly promoting it.
Reviews and
ratings – Prove an app’s worth more than anything so make sure
to ask your customers for reviews. You can use the social media accounts for
your app to ask for reviews. Many consumers are influenced by user reviews and
overall ratings, so positive user reviews and high overall ratings can help
your app go up the rungs in app search. The total number of downloads also
determine an app’s ranking, the higher the number of downloads, the higher your
app will be placed on the search results.
Getting into
the Top Charts is a great way to increase visibility for your app. But that is
more or less pad marketing and has its own pitfalls. It is basically using paid
marketing and incentivized downloads to get a certain number of downloads
within a period of time. Once you get into the top charts, you will have to
maintain it too.
Apple’s App Store (IOS):
iTunes
App Store is quite different from Google Play and works in a completely
different manner. Apple’s app store is an evolved version of their music store
so they do not have a background n search like Google. But some things are
similar too. For example, the Title field in the App Store is as important as
in Google Play. The same theory applies; research the keywords that best suits
your app, take a look at the keywords your competitors use and chose the most
important ones to be included in the title.
In the App
Store, the description section is not very important, as it has nothing to do
with ranking. That doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Once consumers reach your
app page, the description will let them know what to expect from your app.
iOS has
a Keyword Field feature where
you can mention the keywords that your app should show up for. This field only
allows 100 characters so you should list all the important keywords separated
only by commas, don’t waste characters on space. Focus on how relevant a
keyword is and how frequently they are searched, don’t use overly difficult
keywords. Try to keep the keywords limited to individual words no need to use
phrases.
App icon is very very important. The
importance of a visually appealing and yet to the point icon cannot be overly
emphasized. The icon needs to be unique, but easy to understand and be able to
clearly convey what your app and your brand signifies.
In App Store
you have the option to add screenshots just
like Google Play. However, the layout is a little different. The first
screenshot of an app can be viewed from the search page itself. So, you need to
carefully select an image that clearly states the purpose of your app. You can
insert texts and other visual clips too, but it is better to keep it clean and
simple as too much clutter could confuse the consumer.
The reviews
and ratings contribute to ranking the same way they do in Google Play, and you
already know what to do about those.
Other App Stores
Though Apple
and Android are the two leading platforms in smartphones, they are not the only
one. Platforms like Blackberry, Microsoft (Windows Phone) etc.
also have their own app stores: BlackBerry World, Windows Phone Store. Most of
the above mentioned ASO strategies
work for these app stores as well.
All being said
and done, it is the quality and usability of your app that will take it at the
top, so be sure that your app is user friendly and is maintained and improved
through updates. A prompt and helpful customer service will also help you get
good feedback which in turn will give your app higher ranking.
