App Store Optimization: A Indepth Guide to ASO for Mobile Apps

Introduction

The effort that goes into the development of an app can go all in vain at once if it does get the user acknowledgment and enough downloads. Whenever a new app comes on the play store, the way an average user gets to know about it is either via strong marketing or app ranking.

Once the user searches for something on the Play Store, if he gets his desired app, he won’t even scroll down further. So, clearly, if you do not seek to advertise your app, you have to work on its app ranking. This is what app store optimization is all about.

You must have heard about SEO in digital marketing, well app store optimization (ASO) can be understood as SEO for apps. To know in-depth about ASO, read the article.

What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?

With millions of apps being listed on the Google play store and Apple store, it gets difficult to maintain the visibility of our respected apps and ensure conversions.

App store optimization means optimizing your listed app on the play store or apple store to upscale its ranking and bring it amongst the top listed apps. It will ensure that any potential user can easily get its sight on your listed app. As a result, it will reach more customers and get more downloads.

Significance of the App Store Optimization (ASO)

App store optimization holds the worth to make your app reach more and more customers and bring organic downloads. In addition, once the ASO has shown its magic, you start getting organic customer reviews and honest feedback.

It would help you understand the customer’s interest and plan your improvement further. Furthermore, the cost saving here is immense that would have otherwise gone into advertisement expenses, if not for ASO.

At times, ASO is synonymously used with SEO, which is utterly wrong. Even though they both focus on optimization, the very nature of both are severely at two different corners. While SEO (Search Engine ptimization) is content optimization, its primary focus lies on content type, keywords, and linkages on the web.

However, ASO is the optimization of mobile apps on the play store, focusing only on the combination of keywords and their usage in titles and descriptions of apps.

A Comprehensive Guide to Performing App Store Optimization (ASO)

In order to bring the best results from conducting app store optimization, one has to follow every step and consider every aspect of it very delicately. According to Poonjan; the complete procedure can be broken down into the following pointers as listed below.

1)Keyword Research for ASO

The app store listing works as per an algorithm that pushes certain apps over the top of the list. So, accordingly, the user can discover the listed app with ease. Relevant keywords used at the right place is one such factor of the algorithm that improves the ranks of apps.

The keyword research begins with analyzing the data of your app’s category to sort out the relevant and high-volume keywords. In addition, initiate research on the high-ranking apps of the competitors.

Once you have an idea about the keywords that possess high-ranking potential and what your competitors are using, you can fill up the gaps by bridging the differences.

Seek what your competitors have missed and adapt to the keywords which have proven successful. Lastly, give a closer look at what your customers are saying in the feedback and reviews.

The customer review can give you an outlook on how the marketplace describes the app and which words would fit best. Finally, bifurcate the keywords that describe your app the best and finalize the relevant ones.

2)A Compelling App Title and Description

The decisive stage is where the app user makes up his mind whether to download the mobile app or skip it for the next one strongly depending upon what description it is offering.

The reason is at first glance, the app title and description is the only information source available. What a new user gets to know about the app is only through the app title and description.

So, a catchy and crisp app title and description is what can get you a new download. There are certain points that you shall consider while framing an eye-catchy description.

Firstly, an average user goes through several apps before finalizing unless the particular app has already received popular recognition. Anyways he is not willing to read long paragraphs.

So, keep the description short and in fact try to make them into pointers. Secondly, use language which is easy for a layman to understand.

Avoid using technical terminologies and keep it simple. Lastly, do not forget to add a call-to-action at the end. It will ensure that the user gets strongly persuaded to download the app.

3)Positive App Ratings and Reviews

A very important aspect of app store optimization is to maintain positive app ratings and appealing reviews. The visibility of your app is shuffled based on the ranking it holds.

Further, it’s only when the ranking is good that the user approaches your mobile & reads the reviews further to finally download the mobile app.

For positive and in-favor reviews, you will have to provide encouragement to the user to publish feedback. A user would do it only if it is easy for him to do so.

Accordingly, add feedback prompts along with reminders both in favour and against the app to ensure honest feedback.

However, just collecting reviews beneath the app description is not enough. You will have to make an effort by replying to each review, both positive and negative, signifying your concern about the app and the value of customers for you.

The customers will make a positive outlook on the app which leads to more organic downloads and higher ranking.

4)Leveraging App Localization

App localization means enhancing the reach of your mobile app in terms of demography. App localization involves an all rounder step to make your mobile app reach international customers.

Some might think it is a transition stage where all you have to do is translate the text so that foreign users can understand. But, no, the app localization has more to it.

An effort has to be made to completely change the way of explaining, from slang used to technical jargon. You have to customize the content as per the respective country.

So, instead of focusing on a particular country to rank your app, you have to adopt app localization. Conduct keyword research based on each area or country and plan the app details accordingly. This will make your mobile app more global, inclusive, and acceptable.

5)Visual attractions

The mantra to top the modern digital era is “ what is seen is sold”. It means if you can present your offering well enough to catch the user’s eye, your half job is done. So, while you seek to bring your app to the user’s attention, you have to make it look appealing by using graphics and media.

Before getting into the description, app images & graphics must soothe the user’s eyes. Use premium quality images, add screenshots, and most importantly focus on adopting a very attractive app icon.

You have to begin by finalizing an image that best suits your mobile app and inculcating the similar images along with screenshots of the insides of the app. In addition, you can also use appealing short-form videos for exemplifying the usage of the mobile app. Further, you have to keep the images updated and adapted to the custom review and feedback.

6)Update and track

Once you have published & optimized the mobile app to receive a sound ranking, you have to further maintain the position by ensuring constant user engagement. You have to avoid reaching any saturation point. The users can have a monotonous experience with the same app features.

So, they look for new updates and catchy amends. Even at the back-end algorithm, the app store pushes those apps which show frequent and quicker changes.

For this, you have to scan through each and every user feedback, select the relevant ones, and inculcate the issues resolved in the app update.

Not only does updating ensure existing user satisfaction but also attracts new consumers, giving an edge over the competition in the marketplace.

Furthermore, by regularly keeping up with how the app is functioning and what the users are missing, you are able to understand the trends in the market.

Once you understand the data, you can include new keywords in the descriptions and add images that represent the data-driven algorithm to ensure more downloads.

Conclusion

App store optimization works on several pillars simultaneously. From using the right appropriate keywords to writing the most appealing description. Every factor of ASO has to work upon to get organic results and maximum downloads. ASO has proven to be an ultimate encouragement for all those app developers who have given their time and energy into making an app. ASO has the potential to make your app become visible to the users and increase the rate of download.