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Google Play Store – 2.8 million apps
Apple App Store – 2.2 million apps
Not sure what we are landing at? Let us explain.
According to a study by Build fire, the app market (combining both App Store and Play Store) has around 5 million apps. And as you may understand, it’s quite difficult to drive app visibility if you have just launched it.
This is where App Store Optimization (ASO) comes into focus. Let’s quickly check out how it plays an important role in the contemporary app marketing strategy. We will also discuss the best practices of ASO as preached and practiced by any reliable SEO agency India.
Benefits of ASO
Following are the results you can expect from an App Store Optimization:
- Maximized app visibility once the users hit related searches
- Boosting conversion rates for app downloads
- Improved organic visibility in the Explore panel when the users browse the store
- Increased engagement
SEO and ASO
So, you must be familiar with the term SEO or Search Engine Optimization. It amplifies a website’s rank on the search engines. It includes practices such as keyword research, high-quality content development, link building, UI/UX modifications, etc. in order to make the brand more visible and appealing to the users. All in all, SEO efforts determine how a website will rank on the SERP (Search Engine Result Page).
ASO, too, revolves around the same concept – for the app store. It seeks to drive higher visibility for an app and the number of installs. Depending on the store (Google or Apple), ASO practices vary a little. Below we will mention the best practices of ASO to help you follow the right steps & reach a larger audience.
ASO Strategy – To-Do List
Here’s how to implement an ASO strategy.
Title
The app name or title is one of the most crucial discoverability factors in the app market. If you don’t own a renowned brand (like Nike or Zomato), it’s better to use some features on the title. Say, if your app offers yoga service and the brand name is “ABC”, you may consider “ABC Yoga & Fitness” for the title. That way, when the users search for fitness, they will come across your app.
Keyword Research
Now, the earlier example perhaps convinced you of the efficacy of keyword research. And respective app stores actively help in this. You can generate keyword ideas from the stores but that will be basic research. After launching the app, you need to invest time in deep keyword analysis. For instance, you may consider switching to a mid-tail keyword instead of a short-tail one so as to attract valuable traffic. Use keywords in URLs, titles, and descriptions to maximize your effort.
Multilingual App
Thanks to the increasing number of input keyboards and translation services, developing multilingual apps are not much difficult these days. This can highly impact app installation, so don’t skip language optimization for your app.
App Description
Gone are the days when people used to install the first app on the result page. Today’s smart and tech-savvy generation inspects the app description. Not only the users but the content present in the description is also crawled and indexed by the app stores (just as in the case of search engine optimization for a website). Optimize the content with catchy and short headlines, easy-to-understand bullets, etc. You may also include emojis (but not too many of them).
Images & Videos
Actually, these graphic elements are part of the app description but we have made a separate point due to the immense importance they carry. Use high-quality graphics, screenshots, and videos to engage the audience and compel conversions.
Location
People often look for local service as a customized experience has a greater preference over a generic one. Therefore, plan to optimize the app as per the location.
Ratings & Reviews
Ratings play a huge role in the app market (perhaps more than the web). Consider the feedback of the users to be your guidelines to improve the app experience. From bug and glitch fixation to service improvement – you will get a thorough idea of how to improve the user experience on your app. The comment box or review section can offer meaningful insights and implementing adequate solutions will keep you ahead of your competitors.
Inbound Marketing
ASO efforts, just like SEOs, are incomplete without strategic inbound marketing. An integrated campaign spanning your website, blogs, and social media handles will offer outstanding results.
Metrics
No matter whichever strategy you pick, it must be data-driven. The same holds true for ASO as well. Pay attention to the following metrics to develop a sustainable and fruitful marketing strategy:
- Keyword rankings
- Total installs and uninstalls
- In-app purchases
- Ratings
Final Words
Google and Apple are constantly upgrading their algorithms to prevent black-hat techniques. To establish a strong brand identity, survive and sustain in the competitive market, and drive conversions – organic ASO has become indispensable. So, it’s better to step up and implement the above-mentioned strategies to reap the benefits.
