App Store Optimization Tips to Increase App Downloads
App Store Optimization is the procedure of increasing an app’s visibility on major app stores. The two main app stores among all is Apple’s App Store for iOS devices and Google Play Store for Android devices.
The difference between Apple app store and Google Play Store
The Apple App Store and Google Play Store are quite similar. Each works in the same manner and accomplishes the same goal: to allow users to search for and install apps on their iOS or Android device. Each app store has its own system for which you must optimize your app.
Both app stores employ a review system to ensure a uniform level of quality. It is important to note that the procedure for Apple is usually lengthy. That’s the main difference; you’ll have to leave at least a 3 buffer for iOS apps.
Another significant difference is how keywords are used as a ranking factor. The Google Play Store indexes the entire content, including the title, description, and keywords. Whereas the Apple App Store requires you to include relevant keywords in a specific keywords field for ranking purposes.
Google Play Store Ranking Factors
- App title
- Short description
- Long description
- Developer name
- Package name Bundle ID
- User ratings and reviews
- App downloads
- Conversion rates
- Purchases made in-app
- App performance
- Updates
- Keyword retention rate
- Localization
- App session duration
- Video assets
IOS App Store Ranking Factors
- App name
- App subtitle
- App URL
- The number of installs
- Reviews and ratings
- App updates
- Apple’s Spotlight Search
- iOS Keyword Field
- In-App Purchases (IAP)
How to Increase App Download
Conduct User-Oriented Keyword Research
Keywords are the most important component of marketing. Keywords are important in ASO and marketing because they are interconnected. As a result, conducting extensive research on your target market, users and competitors is the first step for App Store Optimization.
Explore their needs and the language they use when searching for a solution that your app offers. Recognizing your target market inside and out will assist you in winning the ASO game.
The objective is to create a keyword list that you’ll use while defining your app in the app store listing. Although it is not a very complicated task, it needs your focus, time, and some essential resources.
Optimize Your App’s Title and Subtitle
Besides the fact that your app’s title is the very first thing that a visitor will see on the search listings, it’s also utilized as a ranking factor by both app stores.
Your subtitle on the Apple App Store also helps contextualize your app and provide additional insight.
Keywords must be used appropriately because they have the highest weighting out of all ranking factors and you have to incorporate keywords naturally while also generating a noteworthy and engaging name.
Your app title should be:
Simple and easy to remember
Informative
Includes one or two keywords
Maximum 25 characters for Apple App Store
Maximum 45 characters for Google Play Store
Use Keywords Effectively
Keywords play a vital role in ASO
After you’ve done all of the groundwork in choosing the best keywords, the next step is to sprinkle them strategically throughout the app listing. While Google Play does not have a special section for app store keywords, Apple allows you to enter up to 100 characters to target the primary and focus keywords.
The Google Play Store app description is easy to search. You can include your most essential keywords in the app’s description to make it more straightforward and concise.
Things to keep in mind
Use commas to separate words.
To save space, use singular forms of nouns.
It is not necessary to repeat the keywords found in the title.
Avoid long tailed phrases
Verify that your keywords are appropriate to users’ searches, so use the keywords carefully. It is also critical to check your app store’s guidelines and rules before publishing your app to prevent any twists later on.
Create and optimize App’s description
The Google Play Store makes use of your app’s short and lengthy descriptions, but the App Store does not. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put effort into creating an engaging and compelling description for iOS apps!
Your description is one of the main content elements indexed and analyzed by the algorithm for ranking purposes on the Google Play Store. So, include the keywords you want to rank for strategically.
When you think about it, the purpose of your app’s description is to help users understand what your app is, what its main features are, and any other details that you need to communicate.
The description limit for both the Apple and Google stores is 4,000 characters.
Your app’s description should include:
Be informative and simple to understand.
Include your main keywords.
Mention the functionality and main features of your app
Optimization of App icon
Look at the App Stores if you don’t know what a perfect app icon should look like. Your gaze will naturally be drawn to the icons that have a fantastic appearance and feel, graceful shapes, and flawlessly blended colors. your app’s icon should look:
- You should not force your company’s logo or name into an app’s icon, particularly if it is a long name. It has a negative impact on app users and is not visually appealing.
- Your app’s image size and quality should be optimized, and the app’s icon should also portray the app’s core idea.
- The objective of designing an appealing icon is to strengthen your brand’s identity. If your design lacks longevity and you change the app’s icon too frequently, you will lose consistency.
Add the right screenshot and preview video
ASO is as much about stimulating people to click on and install your app as it is about growing your visibility. But there is nothing more irritating than having high rankings but a low click-through rate.
Selecting the appropriate designs to draw attention is one of the most effective ways to boost CTR on the Apple App Store. On iOS, these appear in both app search results. They appear only when someone clicks on your listing on Google Play.
This is your chance to visually demonstrate your app before a user clicks on it. There’s also an opportunity here to design visually striking graphics.
You can include video instead of static images. This will make your app stand out. But you must be aware of your limitations:
- Apple app store allows you to display up to 10 screenshots
- Google play store allows you to display up to 8 screenshots
Strategies to boost downloads
This is pretty much like a double edge sword, the more downloads your app receives, the more visible it will become. All of this boils down to the algorithm rewarding popular apps.
You should emphasize the significance of increasing your visibility. However, you must also work to improve your app’s install rate. A visible app that isn’t receiving downloads won’t last long.
Once it comes to benchmarking and goal setting, the overall market is quite challenging.
Encourage reviews and ratings
Even if you do not have complete control over your app’s rating and reviews, you must do everything possible to improve it.
Third-party App Store Optimization factors such as ratings, downloads, and reviews of your app play a vital role in boosting your app store ranking and overall brand image. Your app should have positive, genuine, and well-written reviews that describe how your app is useful and improves the lives of its users.
However, make certain that all of these reviews are genuine and come from users who have used your app. Here are some strategies for obtaining those coveted reviews for your application:
- Encourage users to leave a useful review by word of mouth.
- Send reminders to your users asking them to write a review for your app.
- When users open your app or are about to complete an action, add an in-app pop-up asking for a review.
Apart from app reviews, app ratings are a crucial component in app ranking. The higher your mobile app’s average star rating, the quicker it will rank in app stores.
Apple even provides an API to app developers to assist them in increasing app ratings. You can use this trigger up to three times per year to get meaningful app reviews.
Keep in mind that repetitively asking for ratings and reviews could spoil your app’s experience, and users may eventually give your app a one-star rating simply because they received so many pop-ups requesting for ratings and reviews. Don’t force your users too far in order to get reviews.
To rank your app, Google Play Store indexes the keywords your app users use in reviews. This emphasizes the importance of asking your users to rate and review your app.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is ASO part of SEO?
ASO and SEO are two distinct concepts. The process of increasing a ranking of a website in search engine results is SEO. ASO is the process of improving your app’s ranking in app stores. As a result, the effects of both approaches will be different.
2. How can I see where my app ranks in the Play Store?
The Rank Tracker Dashboard report allows you to see Google Play rankings for your app URL as well as the URLs of your competitors. Keyword metrics, backlinks, rank change filters, and landing page metrics are also available on the dashboard.
3. What is the App Store algorithm?
Whenever a user browses for a keyword in the app store, the search engine returns results for related apps. As a result, if you include a lot of relevant keywords in your app’s description, it will be shown to a lot of people.
Conclusion
You should understand what works in your industry and why your competitors are so successful. Understand the ASO strategies used by your top competitors and why they rank so high. If you’ve just started to working on your App store Vispan Solutions is here to help you with best ASO team to optimize your App and rank it higher.
