The Ultimate Mobile App Store Optimization & App Marketing Guide

One of the best things about Digital Marketing is that it finds new opportunities wherever it goes. A few years ago, we were of the impression that only social media and search engines can help us get the highest engagement but who knew that you could apply strategies to rank better on app stores? This concept is known as App Store Optimization and became popular as more and more apps started being developed. 

With over 5 billion users with smartphones globally, the demand has only increased with time and thus given an opportunity to app managers/developers to strategize for App Store Optimisation. 

App Store Search

We cannot start talking about App Store Optimization without talking about the empowering tool- App Store Search. 

SEO for Google Search became popular after people started searching for ‘barber shops near me’ or ‘digital marketing institutes in mumbai’. When the volume of searches increased, everybody wished to rank higher than the other. 

Similarly, today the number of apps on both Google Play Store and App Store is more than 5 million. So the competition to rank higher on each keyword is also high. Hence, App Store Optimization is all about this bar-

What is App Store Optimization (ASO)? 

App Store Optimization (ASO) also called mobile app marketing is a very integral part of digital marketing and is sometimes not given as much importance by app developers and marketers. 

It is the process of optimizing apps for increasing their visibility within various app stores in order to improve conversion rates. The two main app stores all over the world include iOS for Apple and Google Play for Android. 

App store optimization is a process that also focuses largely on CTR (click-through rate). For people to click on your app, your app needs to look convincing enough and appealing.

By optimizing your app name, icon, title, screenshots, and ratings, you are bound to get more click-through rates and conversions as well. Wondering how to go about app store optimization? 

Check out this Online App Store Optimization Course that will help you understand how to optimize both iOS and Android apps. 

Importance & Benefits of App Store Optimization (ASO)

As of today, over 5 million apps are readily available to download on many major app stores. Your app needs to stand out from the competition and needs to grab the attention of the right users. This is a major problem faced by major brands all over the world. 

Most app store downloads take place through an app store search. A whopping  67% of app downloads are through app store searches themselves. 

The main goal of App Store Optimization is to increase the number of downloads and also expand the customer base it has. The very first step in doing so is to make your app visible or discoverable by the correct target audience. 

The many benefits of app store optimization (ASO) include –

• Increased App Visibility

More than 65% of all app downloads happen only by making a search on the app store. Ranking on these stores is very crucial to getting discovered. Just like ranking on Google requires a lot of work, ranking on these app stores also requires time, effort, and a very effective ASO strategy in place to grow your brand. 

Bonus Read  – Read to know the Top 20 Factors You Need to Know to Rank on Google. 

• Increase the Number of Downloads

Just ranking on a particular app store is not the answer. The main goal is for a user to install the app. With a solid ASO strategy, this is possible organically. This includes writing good app descriptions, titles, screenshots, etc. to gain the attention of app store users. 

• Generating Revenue and Increasing the Number of Conversions

The end goal of any app is to generate revenue and drive conversions. Many free apps make use of ads to generate revenue. Ensure that your users are not interrupted by too many ads as it can annoying and frustrating for them.

You can reward your users or encourage your users to upgrade to the next level through these ads. To understand more about app store optimization, let’s have a look at how app store optimization works. 

How does App Store Optimization (ASO) work?

There are many ways that app store optimization can be done. With many accessible ASO tools, it is easy to do as well. 

ASO works just like SEO, with a crucial understanding of keywords that will target the customer base that is on the lookout for apps similar to yours. 

It also uses other techniques like screenshots and app previews to familiarize the users with the workings of an app. 

Listed below are the best app store optimization strategies to help you ace your ASO strategy. 

Ranking Factors for App Store Search 

• App Name 
• App URL 
• Keyword Field
• In-App Purchase
• Ratings and Reviews
• Downloads and Engagement
• Updates 

Ultimate App Store Optimization (ASO) Checklist: Strategies

Here’s an ASO guide that’ll outline how to do ASO for apps in general. This app store optimization checklist will make sure you don’t miss out on anything!

1. Using Focussed Keywords for the App Title or Name

It is important to use the focus keywords in your app name and title. These are the keywords that are the most searched on the internet. Do proper research on the keywords and avoid changing your app name or title very often as it is like your brand identity and can affect brand recall and recognition. 

2. Optimize Your Keywords

Being one of the most important factors that affect app search rankings, make sure to keep checking on your keyword searches and optimizing them on a regular basis.

3. App Description

Be very specific about what your app is all about, and also highlight the USP (unique selling proposition) of your app. You have about 252 characters to really get the audience interested. How is it unique and different from the rest of the apps in the same category in your market?

Make it interesting and also include all the important keywords in the description, whilst explaining the features and benefits.

4. Subtitles

The subtitle has a 30-character limit. Think of it like a snipper of your descriptor. Explain what your app is all about. Keep it simple with no fluff! 

5. The number of app downloads

It is the number of app downloads that matters. The iOS app and Google Play rank an app on the number of times it has been downloaded. It also looks into the current rating.

For example, a certain app might have 2 million downloads but another one might get 4 million downloads. Then, the one with higher downloads will have a higher rating.

6. Make use of screenshots 

App preview videos and screenshots make the user confident in the app. The best apps use previews to increase their conversions. 

7. App ratings and app reviews

The only way to gain the trust of new users is through app ratings and customer reviews. As this may be the first interaction with your app for many users, this is a trusted method.

Apps with a higher rating also tend to rank much higher than those with lower ratings. You would also want your customers to reach out to you in case of negative feedback or report any problems they might be facing with the app. 

Did you know that the average rating of the best 100 apps on the Google App Store is 4 stars? Hence, you should aim for creating quality apps. The lower the rating, the fewer people will be willing to download your app. 

Most consumers check the reviews before downloading any app. Hence, it is important to request reviews from customers within the first 72 hours of use since over 70% of users are most active during these first few hours on a new app.  You can use push notifications to do this.

Do not spam the user as this can really get them annoyed. Lastly, thank your users for the good reviews and address the bad ones. This way you will be able to gain valuable feedback as well.

By making use of all these strategies, you can really improve your overall app performance. Wondering how to go about tracking your app performance? Read on to know more. 

Tracking Your App’s Performance 

Here are a few metrics you should keep a lookout for so that you can track your app performance – 

• Acquisition

The acquisition metric involves where your new users are coming from which is especially important if you have an ad campaign running and also the number of downloads within a particular timeframe. This will give you a clear indication of if your efforts are paying off. 

• Retention

Retention means revenue and for how long a user uses your app. If there is a drop-off, you need to identify why it happened so. The longer a user uses your app, the more revenue is generated.  

• Engagement 

This metric determines the quality of your user experience. One needs to keep the user engaged. Even though not all apps are meant to be used on a daily basis, having active users is extremely crucial. 

• Number of Downloads and Uninstalls

The number of downloads is a key factor in measuring the effectiveness of your app marketing efforts as well as your title, subtitle, etc. One needs to work towards reducing the number of uninstalls and increasing overall app growth. 

• Drop-offs

One needs to know if users are performing the important activities in your app or just dropping off. If they drop off, understand where they drop off and why.  

Best App Store Optimization (ASO) Tools

We have a list of some of the best app store optimization tools compiled just for you!

There are many free app store optimization tools as well as paid app store optimization tools in the market. 

It all depends on the need of the hour and which ones you are most comfortable with. Let’s have a look at some of the top app store optimization tools – 

• AppTweak

Apptweak is one of the best ASO tools, preferred by many developers. It makes use of data science and also offers ad intelligence, market intelligence, and more. 

• ASOdesk

ASOdesk is a tool for app marketing as well as app store optimization. It reduces the tasks for developers due to its user-friendliness, offers comprehensive analytics and reports. It also provides detailed reports on competitor strategies that one can apply to their current strategy. 

• SearchMan

SearchMan is a great tool for increasing visibility on Apple App Store as well as Google Play. It offers keyword plans and SEO strategies. Not only does it track app performance, but also compares your performance to that of your competitors. 

• AppRadar

AppRadar provides its users with the best keyword options to help reach the maximum potential of your app. This includes local as well as international keywords. Appradar also offers tools that help with app publishing.

• SplitMetrics

A/B testing is important for apps today. With SplitMetrics, one can test ideas, features, and concepts with A/B tests for Android and iOS smartphones.

• Adjust

Adjust is an app specifically designed to cater to privacy and performance issues. This includes everything to do with cyber security, prevention of fraud, and automation tools.

• The Tool

The Tool, an ASO tool optimizes your strategy, helps in increasing downloads, growing your business with its various tools. 

• Gummicube

Gummicube, a preferred app for data analytics within the app industry is primarily used for ASO, mobile marketing, and marketing analysis. 

FAQs

Q. How do I optimize my app store?

You can optimize your app store by –

• Using a more descriptive title for your app
• Using the right keywords
• Making a really good design for your brand icon
• Appealing and high-quality images
• An app preview video helps
• Checking the right category
• Encourage users to share their reviews and use positive reviews
• Analyze your strategy constantly

Q. How important is app store optimization?

App store optimization is very important as it can increase the number of downloads your app has and also increase your loyal customer base. 

Q. What is the cost for ASO?

The app store optimization cost can range from anything between $25-$1500 per month depending on the kind of features used, keywords required and volumes analyzed. 

To Sum it up, 

the digital marketing world and app world will be reaching new heights over the years, and keeping up-to-date with app store optimization is needed.

If you’re in the industry or if this industry interests you, an MBA is a valuable degree that will help you effectively climb up the ladder. We recommend that you check out this MBA- Level Post Graduation in Digital Marketing.  

If you wish to do a shorter course, check out this online comprehensive digital marketing course. 

We hope you enjoyed these insights on app store optimization. Let us know in the comments below about the apps that you have optimized and how you went about using ASO strategies. We’d love to know more about your favorite apps as well!