Getting to the top of the app download store rankings is not easy. It is possible to achieve a high result only if you use the proper set of tools. The article uncovers the main search points, rules, and requests.
ASO has become an aspect of promotion. The ways of promoting the application vary in terms of functionality, and mechanisms. So, you have a brand new project, you just have to run it and get a profit. Comprehensive work under the App Store Optimization is suitable for app optimization and promotion.
ASO and SEO: similarities and differences SEO is used to promote sites using keywords and user requests. The other goal is to improve the site, content, and heighten profit. The aim is to boost the rankings and improve the project
Can I do ASO on my own and with no payments?
By entrusting optimization to professional agencies, you take away the bothers but spend a certain amount of money.
Paid tools provide stable traffic. You can compare the cost of spending with a thoughtful advertising campaign, but the result is worth the money.
How many installations are for free
The number of free installations is always determined by the field, it helps out in the theoretical determination of the conversion by running a test period. Conversion and number of installations depend on:
- ranking of keywords;
- design;
- frequency of lexemes;
- place in the TOP for key requests.
Success is coming when you perform a set of tasks, not a single method.
How users search for
The stores are searched through the name of the project (if the user is looking for a specific app), by key phrases.
The platforms run on different principles:
- in Play Market it’s brought up below the continuation of the phrases;
- in App Store, it’s offered apps that match the query.
Search engine algorithms take spelling mistakes into account. They process any answers, but that is senseless to become illiterate.
How to optimize page elements in the App Store and Play Market
Search engine optimization goes into 4 steps. The first one captures the KPIs before the ASO. After that, competitor research is required. Then comes directly the basic optimization actions and analysis.
This step allows you to see how suitable and useful the ASO package was to the consumer.
What about organic installs
Users search the App Store and Play Market for an app of their choosing, which means they use it more often. It is called organic installation. Studies show that the percentage of feedback from searches is 3 times higher than the percentage of feedback from ads on social networks.
Steps of search engine optimization
The process of working with search queries can be divided into several stages:
- research for keywords that are used by potential customers;
- analysis of keywords for relevance, and traffic of them;
- activity with metadata;
- activity with graphics and design – they should attract, interest, conversion reviews, and evaluation;
It is important to work with a set of tools: separately they will not be effective.
How to choose an ASO-service
Before you begin, you need to choose a service. A set of basic tools and the principle of work are similar everywhere. Pay attention to the reviews of developers and publishers who have worked with this platform before.
Why is it important?
Without quality technical support you are not able to provide decent ASO promotions that would improve your positions. Modern mobile software stores are overcrowded, so really good projects with a sufficient level of optimization get high ratings.
Analyze your competitors’ actions
Look after your competitors: you can follow your path – fundamentally opposite – or replicate their promotion idea. Tracking and analyzing your competitors helps you to build your strategies and work well.
What is important to keep in mind selecting keywords?
Keyword queries help your user to find you. It should be relevant: let them include genre, story direction, and developer (publisher) name. Try to localize them to boost your audience.
Text optimization of the product page in the App Store and Play Market
Only eighty characters are allowed for a brief description of the app in Play Market. Include key phrases in the summary as well. This part of the text helps determine whether the program is suitable for needs, and matches the requests or not.
Full description
The marketplaces limit the size of the full description to four thousand characters. The catalog does not show the full text, only 360 characters. So put more valuable information to attract new users. Play Market considers this completed block as one of the ranking elements.
Keywords field (App Store only)
“Keywords” on the App Store platform are for key phrases (the limit of 100 characters). Regularly users do not see the field. They enter the keys in your mobile app account through iTunes Connect. Instructions for applying the field:
- Use all characters;
- No spaces and words are separated by commas;
- Do not overdo with the title and developer;
- Arrange the keys by the level of importance.
This field is necessary for successful optimization in appstores, installation growth, and promotion – pay attention to all the parameters that will be useful in the future.
How to pick up queries
Selecting queries is a separate science. It is worth starting with analytical research and studying the existing requests from users on similar topics.
Category
The relevance of the chosen category determines the demand for the project. Think in advance about where the app belongs. Choosing the wrong one can confuse your potential user, ruin your reputation and get a bad review. You have to go with already existing categories.
App icon
The first impression of the user depends on the small image in the catalog. We offer tips for creating it:
- don’t challenge the standards;
- don’t specify the app name;
- less transparency;
- screenshots for icons are not an option.
There is a set of rules in each store for graphic design. Read the guidelines before you start working with ASO.
Screenshots
Screenshots are a special part that also needs improvement. The user immediately determines the visual of the project and gets acquainted with the functionality.
Only 5 screenshots can be used in the App Store. If you add a video to the description, one screenshot is allowed to add there.
In Play Market can be used 8 screenshots. Screenshots should be uploaded in packages.
Promotion
The promo of a game in the App Store and Play Market implies a promo video – a small animated reel about the app. The aim is to introduce the audience to your project. In the App Store, the promo video is up to 30 seconds, and in the Play Market – up to 2 minutes. Put all necessary info in the first 10 seconds: no one watches the reel more than that.
Localization
Localization is a kind of promo you adjust to users of different nationalities. In this case, all the metadata (including keywords) are translated into foreign languages. Here it has to be necessary to select the smooth phrases used by people.
Rating and reviews
Bad reviews in the appstores worsen the rating. As a result, the number of regular installs and conversions drops down. To provide a stable high rating, set up a pop-up where the user can leave feedback.
If the user’s answer to “Like or dislike” is positive, kindly ask for a rating. If it’s negative – ask for further communication via email, for example. In this way, you’ll know what to fix, and there will be less negative feedback.
What next?
After the entire optimization package is complete, go on to testing the application’s positions, and then promotion. Some tools come as built-in free tools and some work for a fee.
Constantly change the details to determine what the user reacts better to and what causes rejection.
Do not use unnecessary characters
Brevity will help you get more users. In addition, a laconic manner of description attracts more business people. If your program is aimed at a business audience, this rule works doubly well.
Ask Key Queries
Reach a larger audience by widening key requests. Adjust to the user as a priority. Use feedback to improve the current state.
Localize metadata
Metadata is information about information. In other words, it is a coded, structured set of data about other information. The aim is to influence indexing, improvement, and promotion.
Do not duplicate search queries
Each field of the ranking doesn’t need to repeat the same key queries. But you may face a spammed thing. Write texts intelligently.
Saving characters in the metadata
If the name of the developer and the title are the same, you can save some space. This is how the title is transferred to the icon. You free up space for additional keys in the title.
Check queries with typos and errors – SEO application promotion does not tolerate mistakes. If your user makes the same typo in a search, you’ll find each other. But if the query is correctly spelled by the user, the search engine is unlikely to show your app.
Use diacritics carefully
Diacritics are letters with special icons at the top. Sometimes you can’t go without them. But software search stores do not always take them into account.
Every successful optimization is based on dozens of A/B tests
Testing after the whole set of actions helps to find a balance and identifies weaknesses and strengths.
Use reviews
Stores index the keys that are used in reviews. You can use this feature to your advantage: the more organically the keys are included in the text of the review, the better the chances of SEO.
A/B-tests and control of results
This mechanism works in the following way:
- it comes up with a hypothesis that adjustments increase conversions;
- it is supposed to be of two options: “A” and the alternative with changes “B”;
- users are randomly divided into two groups and are offered different versions, each one is tested;
- Conversion is being tracked at the same time in both versions.
Dozens of tests
Achieving normal results is possible only after dozens of A / B tests, and the use by users.
Only this approach can reflect the real picture and improve the condition.
Analyze results
You should always analyze the data obtained after testing. Otherwise, acting at random doesn’t help you attract an audience. Mobile app analytics helps you make a plan for the future.
App Store Optimization is not an easy task, so whether you do it yourself or with professionals is up to you.
