The Complete Guide to App Store Optimization

To generate revenue, build a user base, and enhance brand recognition, developing a mobile app is a wise decision.

Nonetheless, given the abundance of apps in the app stores pursuing similar goals, you must take special measures to distinguish your app and ensure that your intended target audience can discover it with ease.

This is where app store optimization comes in as the ultimate solution.

What Is App Store Optimization?

App store optimization (ASO) refers to the continuous process of enhancing an app’s ranking and visibility in an app store, making it more easily discoverable by users. ASO may also be referred to as app store SEO, ASO marketing, or app search optimization.

The primary objective of ASO is to boost an app’s downloads, while also raising brand recognition, promoting user engagement, and soliciting reviews and feedback. The Apple App Store and Google Play are the two most prominent app stores, although ASO can also be implemented in other stores, such as the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, and Huawei AppGallery.

ASO ranking factors and categories vary among app stores. Nevertheless, common areas for optimization include the app’s title, keywords, description, number of downloads, ratings and reviews, as well as updates.

Why Is App Store Optimization Important?

The significance of ASO lies in its capacity to help you manage your app’s visibility and discoverability in the fiercely competitive app stores. According to research, as much as 82% of app users discover new apps by browsing app stores or relying on app store recommendations, implying that most people only download apps they come across in an app store.

However, with more than five million apps available in the Apple App Store and Google Play combined, gaining a strong presence and visibility is challenging. Lacking app store optimization leaves your app’s ranking and visibility at the mercy of the app store’s search engine and some degree of luck.

Therefore, maintaining an ongoing ASO strategy is essential for your app’s success in its primary marketing channel.

App Store Optimization for Different App Stores

The significance of fields, ranking factors, and their respective importance varies across different app stores. Therefore, it’s crucial to comprehend which aspects to concentrate on when optimizing for various stores.

Despite the increasing number of app stores, the majority of people tend to use the Apple App Store and Google Play. Hence, below, I’ve outlined the variations between the two app stores.

Apple App Store vs. Google Play

Despite some similarities between the Apple App Store and Google Play, there are some crucial distinctions that will impact your ASO strategies.

To start with, both platforms require apps to undergo review and approval before being released in the app stores. The duration of app approval generally ranges from 24 hours to more than a week, depending on the app’s size and complexity. If you’re aiming for a specific release date for your app or update, it’s advisable to submit it at least a week in advance.

Moreover, the App Store offers two unique features that Google Play doesn’t have: the subtitle and the keywords field. On the other hand, Google Play provides a short description field that Apple doesn’t offer.

Apart from that, other disparities between the platforms include the ranking and featuring factors they employ:

Apple App Store Ranking Factors

The following are the primary ranking factors for iOS apps in the Apple App Store:

App name
App subtitle
App URL
Keywords
Installs and engagement
Reviews and ratings
App updates
In-app purchase titles and descriptions

Google Play Store Ranking Factors

Additionally, these are the ranking factors that Google Play prioritizes:

App title
App short description
App long description
Installs and engagement
Reviews and ratings
In-app purchase titles and descriptions
App updates

ASO Keyword Research

Conducting thorough keyword research forms the basis of any effective ASO strategy.

This is because the search engines of app stores display apps that closely match the keywords users input.

Thus, it’s crucial to utilize keywords in every field that app stores offer, such as app names, URLs, and descriptions.

However, before incorporating keywords, you must perform keyword research.

What Is ASO Keyword Research?

ASO keyword research refers to the procedure of investigating, gathering, and assessing keywords that are significant and can enhance the discoverability of your app.

Keywords are critical for ASO because they inform you about precisely what users are searching for, including the specific terms and phrases they use to search for it.

After completing your research, you can adapt your app store page to conform to user preferences.

How to Do ASO Keyword Research

To conduct ASO keyword research, start by compiling a list of words or phrases that accurately describe your app and its features.

Next, utilize dedicated ASO keyword research tools to obtain keyword data that is specific to your target app store.

These tools provide valuable insights into what users are searching for, and they typically include keyword tracking capabilities as well. Here are some examples of ASO keyword research tools:

Analyze the Competition

Effective app store optimization requires thorough analysis of your competition, similar to other marketing efforts. Competitor analysis should include keyword research as well. Understanding the keywords your competitors use in their app store page optimizations is essential to ensure your own success. Moreover, it can spark new ideas for your ASO strategy.

To conduct basic competitor research, start by typing the keywords you identified into the app store search bar. Take note of the top-ranking apps for those keywords and how they use keywords in their app names, subtitles, descriptions, and other page elements. This analysis can guide your optimization efforts, particularly if you are new to ASO.

Analyze Search Ad Data

To enhance your ASO keyword research, you can analyze real search ad data to gain firsthand insights into keyword popularity.

For iOS apps, visit Apple Search Ads and click “Create Campaign,” select your app, and choose “Search Results” as the ad placement. Then, choose the store region you want to analyze and input any bid amount to proceed.

In the “Keywords” section, click “Add Keywords to an Ad Group,” which will take you to the “Add Keywords” dashboard. Here, you can view Apple’s recommended keywords for your app and their popularity ratings.

This data can inspire new keyword ideas and complement your existing research efforts. You can also search for the popularity of specific keywords using the search function.

How to Do App Store Optimization

To begin your ASO strategy, use these steps. (Observe the slight variations between the Apple App Store and Google Play as you proceed.)

1. Optimize Your App’s Title and Subtitle

The optimization of your app’s title (or “app name” in the App Store) should be prioritized since it is one of the most critical elements. It is the first thing that users will see when searching for an app, and it is also a vital ranking factor for both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Because titles can only be 30 characters or fewer, it’s crucial to use them wisely. While incorporating relevant keywords is essential, avoid overusing them or using them in a way that appears unnatural. Your app name should be memorable, read naturally, and use keywords creatively.

It’s important to test new names, keywords, and combinations regularly to determine which generates the most downloads.

The App Store provides an extra subtitle field of up to 30 characters for providing additional context and information about your app. Use this field to further optimize your keywords and provide a better app description.

2. Add Keywords (Apple App Store Only)

The Apple App Store provides a keyword field where you can enter descriptive keywords that you want your app to rank for in the app store’s search results.

When ranking your app, Apple considers the keywords you enter in this field.

You can enter multiple keywords, but the character limit is 100, and keywords should be separated by commas without spaces.

This field provides an opportunity for you to be creative with your keyword research and test different combinations to see what works best for your app.

When selecting keywords, try to find a balance between commonly used, highly competitive keywords that may be difficult to rank for and less common keywords that may drive fewer downloads but have a higher likelihood of ranking.

It’s important not to repeat words or phrases in the keyword field, even if they appear frequently in your research. Apple’s indexing process can be negatively impacted by keyword repetition.

3. Write Engaging App Descriptions

The description fields of your app play a crucial role in your ASO strategy. Why? Because they provide an opportunity for you to describe your app and its features in detail.

Google Play offers a short description field (80 characters) and a long description field (4,000 characters), and both are used for app store ranking purposes.

Apple’s App Store, on the other hand, only provides a long description field (4,000 characters) and does not seem to use it for ranking purposes. Nonetheless, this field is still vital as it influences how users perceive your app, which ultimately affects the number of downloads and, in turn, your ranking.

Therefore, invest time in writing a compelling description of your app that outlines its purpose, main features, problems it solves, and any other relevant information for users.

Incorporate keywords from your keyword research into your descriptions, as they may help your app rank. At the very least, their presence will indicate to users that they have found the type of app they are searching for.

4. Add Compelling Visual Elements

Encouraging users to click on and install your app is as important as increasing your visibility when it comes to ASO.

Text fields and compelling visuals play a crucial role in enticing users to install your app, as downloads have a direct impact on your ranking.

Screenshots and videos are visual elements that are displayed in both the app search results and on the app’s store page in the App Store.

On Google Play, visual elements are only displayed on the app’s store page when a user clicks your listing.

Use your visual elements to showcase how your app works, what it does, and the problems it solves or the value users will get from it. You can also use a video preview to give users a sneak peek of your app’s functionality.

A well-made and engaging video can help you stand out from your competition.

While creativity is essential, it is important to adhere to the guidelines of both app stores:

Apple App Store

You can display up to 10 visual elements
Three of your visual elements can be app previews (videos) of 15 to 30 seconds, but it’s best to use one really great video
Videos must be of in-app content only
You should use all 10 slots, being sure to create the right image sizes for different devices
You can use text overlays, but try to keep your content evergreen

Google Play

Choose up to eight visuals, including one video up to 30 seconds long
Add appropriate screenshot sizes for all devices
Your video must be a YouTube URL with monetization and ads turned off
Your visual elements must be representative of the user experience

5. Encourage Reviews and Ratings

App ratings and reviews are crucial indicators of your app’s quality and popularity. Having low ratings can harm your chances of appearing at the top of the app store search results.

Encouraging users to leave reviews and ratings is an essential aspect of app store optimization, especially as highly rated apps are considered more relevant by both major app stores.

However, it is crucial to understand when to prompt users for feedback to avoid getting negative ratings. Asking users for feedback too often or after encountering app issues can result in poor ratings.

Here are some tips and best practices to obtain app ratings and reviews:

Ask for Ratings and Reviews After Positive Actions

Asking for a rating after a user has completed a positive action is the optimal time.

For example, you could request a review once a user completes a level, creates a post, or makes a purchase.

However, you need to be cautious about how frequently you ask for reviews.

The App Store allows you to prompt a user for ratings only three times per year.

Google Play is less strict in terms of review prompt restrictions, but it is also less specific about how often you can request reviews. It’s best to wait at least a month or longer between prompts.

Encourage Reviews Through Other Channels

To encourage your users to leave a review for your app, consider reaching out to them through your social media or email marketing channels. These channels provide a more personal connection than an in-app prompt.

Your followers on these channels are often loyal fans who would be willing to support you by leaving a review of their positive experience with your app.

Set Up Alternative Channels for Negative Feedback

To prevent users from leaving negative ratings and reviews when they encounter issues with your app, consider offering a support chat or feedback system where users can express their frustrations and concerns. This way, you can address their issues and resolve problems without negatively impacting your app’s ratings and reviews in the app store.

Ask for Ratings and Reviews After Updates

Asking for feedback immediately after making significant updates to your app can be an opportune moment.

Users who are familiar with your app may be eager to see and experience the changes, which can increase their likelihood of leaving positive feedback.

However, it’s important to ensure that the updates have been thoroughly tested and genuinely enhance the user experience before asking for feedback.

6. Maximize Downloads

Increasing downloads is crucial for improving your app’s visibility in the app stores, which in turn leads to more downloads. To maximize downloads, you need to focus on improving your conversion rate, which is the percentage of users who download your app after viewing your app store page.

The average conversion rate on the App Store is 31%, while on Google Play, it’s 32.7%. That means that two-thirds of users who visit your app store page may not download your app.

To improve your conversion rate, you can use conversion rate optimization (CRO). CRO involves testing and making changes to your app store page over time to see what works best. Some changes you could make include:

Changing your app name or title
Using different keywords in your “Keywords” field (iOS)
Improving your app descriptions
Using a different app icon
Adding more engaging visual elements
Changing your pricing model

Start by testing one new element at a time and monitoring the results over a period of time, such as a month. If you see an improvement in your conversion rate, you’ll know that the change had a positive effect. If you see a decline, you can revert to the previous version or try a new variation.

It’s important to keep a log of your changes and the resulting conversion rates to identify what works best. Limit the number of changes you make each time to determine the variable that affects your conversion rate.

7. Update Regularly

ASO relies on keeping your app fresh and up-to-date, as both the Apple App Store and Google Play consider app freshness and update frequency as ranking factors.

Both app stores and users expect apps to be continuously evolving and improving, which is why an app that was last updated five years ago may not seem appealing.

Updates give you the opportunity to address user feedback, fix bugs, and introduce new features. You can use the “What’s New in This Version?” field in the App Store or the “Release Notes” field on Google Play to inform users about the changes you’ve made, and include relevant keywords and features they may be searching for.

It’s a good idea to update your app at least once or twice a month, even if it’s just for bug fixes. This will help keep your app fresh and relevant to both app stores and users.

8. Monitor Results and Keep Testing

To achieve success with ASO, it’s important to constantly experiment with different versions of your app store elements and use data to build on your findings.

To understand which changes yield positive results, you need to track metrics such as keyword rankings, downloads, ratings, reviews, and revenue. Although app stores provide analytics, they don’t track your app’s rankings.

You can also identify and monitor which keywords result in the most downloads for your app. These metrics, combined with the app stores’ analytics, can provide valuable insights to guide your ASO strategy.

Don’t hesitate to try different titles, subtitles, descriptions, and keywords (on iOS) to find what works best. Test different screenshot designs and videos to determine what drives positive change.

Remember to keep a record of your changes, so if the results are not as expected, you can always go back to a previous version. Continually refine your strategy based on your findings to achieve your desired results.

9. Go International

Expanding your app’s potential audience and gaining more exposure can be achieved by making it available in multiple locales.

Both the App Store and Google Play support app localization in numerous regions and languages, with the App Store available in 175 regions and 40 languages, and Google Play available in 143 regions and 49 languages.

However, localization requires more than simply translating the text in your app. You need to consider cultural contexts, local laws and customs, and even local currencies to effectively present your app in local app store listings.

For instance, art and design styles vary by region, and your app store page should reflect this. If your app designs use fonts, graphics, or unappealing sounds in your target region, you may miss out on conversions.

Remember that localizing your app requires effort beyond just ticking a box and translating some text, but the potential benefits can be significant in terms of expanding your reach and success.

Optimize Retention Rates

The retention rate of your app affects its visibility and ranking in the app stores, including the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Retention rate is the percentage of users who continue to use your app after a specific period following installation.

Beyond influencing your app’s ranking and visibility, retention rate indicates how valuable and engaging your app is to your users.

ASO goes beyond app store page elements and involves app performance, user experience (UX), user flows, user interface (UI), and in-app copy.

To optimize your ASO strategy, integrate it with every aspect of your team, including app design and development.

App store analytics can provide metrics on retention rates and user engagement. Monitor and collaborate with your team to improve these numbers over time.

Improving your app’s retention rates may require delving into the inner workings of the app, but doing so can lead to a stronger ASO strategy and a better app overall.

Incorporate Other Marketing Channels

While App Store Optimization (ASO) should be the primary driver of app downloads, you can achieve even greater success by leveraging other marketing channels.

Typically, users who are at the bottom of the purchase funnel (BoFu) and ready to make a decision perform a search in the app store. By optimizing your app store page with compelling visuals and copy, you can sway them to download your app.

However, you can reach a greater audience by targeting those at the top of the purchase funnel (ToFu) through other marketing channels such as an SEO-driven website, email marketing, social media platforms, or paid ads.

These channels allow you to inform users who are interested in your app but not yet ready to download it. You can describe your app in greater detail, showcase its functionality with images and videos, and address their needs and pain points.

By reaching users earlier in their buyer journey, you increase the chances of convincing them to download your app. Integrating these marketing channels into your overall marketing strategy can drive more traffic to your app store page and increase app downloads.

ASO is critical to the success of your app, but it’s also essential to leverage other marketing channels to capture a broader audience.

Maximize Your App’s Potential with Ongoing ASO

App store optimization requires constant attention and effort.

Since app stores are constantly changing and highly competitive, ASO should always be a part of your app marketing strategy.

Regularly fine-tune and monitor your ASO efforts, even if you reach a point where you are satisfied with your app store performance (although you should never be completely satisfied).

It’s important to remember that the app store landscape can change quickly, and your competitors can overtake you. App stores may also update their guidelines and algorithms, which can affect your app’s visibility and ranking.

By continuously implementing the ASO techniques discussed in this article, you can improve your app’s visibility and increase its chances of success in the app stores.