App Store Optimization (ASO)

What is Mobile App Store Optimization?

App store optimization is the process of improving your app’s ranking within app store search results. Apps with higher rankings appear higher in the app store search results. Therefore, apps with higher rankings get more visibility and increase the likelihood of customers downloading them from the app store. App store optimization helps you ensure your app gets more traffic and conversions.

Why is ASO Important?

One of the most common ways customers find apps is by searching on the app store. You must have a high search ranking to ensure your app is successful. App store optimization helps you implement customer insights to increase your app’s ranking to maximize the number of potential customers who see your app. By improving your app’s ranking, you will increase the success of your app.

Apps at the bottom of app store search results are hidden from customers and get little traffic and conversion. Therefore, you must use app store optimization to ensure your app is at the top of the search list. The higher your app is on the app store search list, the more likely users will click on the page and download your app.

App Store Optimization Checklist

You can take various steps to implement app store optimization and improve your app’s ranking. The following steps will allow you to have successful app store optimization:

1. Popular Keywords: list terms that describe your app’s functions and determine which of those keywords customers use the most to search for your app. Focus on at least three keywords you want to prioritize in your app name and description. Use app store optimization tools to analyze keywords to ensure customers frequently use those words to search for your app.
2. Compare with Competitors: looking at similar apps that rank high in app store searches gives you insight into what terms and strategies you need to beat to increase your app’s ranking. Evaluate competitors’ ranks, ratings, and downloads and compare them to your app’s performance. Understanding how competitors are successful will help you determine if you are on the right track and how you need to perform to get a higher ranking.
3. App Name: the app name plays a crucial role in an app’s app store ranking. Use popular keywords in the app name to increase the app’s ranking and visibility. Both Apple and Google increase rankings for apps that include popular keywords in the title.
4. Subtitle or Description: use keywords in the subtitle or description of your app to increase the app’s rank in search results. Look at how competitors use keywords in their descriptions to understand how they successfully used popular keywords to increase visibility. Understand what keywords customers use to search for your app or similar apps and incorporate those words into your description.
5. Gather Customer Ratings: apps that rank high in app store search results have more positive ratings of their apps. Ask app users to rate your app to increase the number of ratings and your app’s visibility in app store searches. Apps with higher ratings have more downloads, higher rankings, and better visibility within the app store.
6. Visual Content: an app’s icon can create a good first impression to make a customer interested in your app. Ensure your app’s icon is clear and signals what your app does. You can also incorporate screenshots and videos on your app’s page on the app store to give customers a preview and display its features. Visual components can increase app ranking and visibility.

App Store Optimization Strategies and Best Practices

There are various strategies you can implement so that your app store optimization is successful. Some app store optimization strategies and best practices include:

Understand Your Customer

Apps that are more successful at converting potential customers to users will get higher rankings in the search results. When your app is successful, it will grow significantly faster. Therefore, it is necessary to understand your customers’ preferences to encourage them to download your app. You must understand the keywords customers use to search your app and what motivates them to download it.

Use Categories

Assigning categories to your app helps users find your app in the app store and guides people to your app who have a specific need. When you put your app in the right category, it will increase how many people view your app. Categories help customers see relevant apps, increasing the likelihood that they will download the app. If you select the correct categories, they will help connect you with users searching for your content.

App Quality

It is important to maintain the quality of your app to retain users. If your app takes too long to load, crashes often, or has a lot of bugs, users will stop using your app. It is important to have an efficient app to have a high rank in the app store and to retain customers. Make sure your app is easy to navigate, does not take too long to load, is compatible with many devices, and has version updates often.

App Store Analytics

Analyzing your app’s performance within the app store allows you to ensure your app is continually improving or maintaining its rank in the app store. Measuring app store analytics allows you to determine what you can improve, what is working and what is not, and changes you can make to continue to rank high.

Optimove’s App Store Optimization Capabilities

Optimove takes insights from your customer data, allowing you to better understand your customers’ preferences and build a strong relationship with them. Using customer data and insights, Optimove helps you develop a strategy to increase your app store ranking and better reach your customers within the app store.

Contact us today or request a web demo to learn how you can use app store optimization to grow your business.