App Store Optimization is Crucial to Your Business. Learn Why!

With Google’s confirmation about more searches happening on mobile devices as compared to desktop, it has become extremely important to be visible in mobile searches. With Google’s update on mobile-friendliness, we not only boosted the organic website rankings but also apps started appearing as organic links in the SERP. Apps are an emerging marketing platform for businesses.

Carrying out optimization is crucial for websites (SEO) as well as for Apps (ASO). The only differentiating factor is we optimize mobile apps for App Stores instead of search engines.

In today’s changing times, if you have an app, mobile app marketing is a priority. We often refer to App Store Optimization (ASO) as Mobile App SEO.

Does this mean SEO and ASO compete?

Currently, there is no straight answer to this complex question. Both SEO & ASO work similarly and are different in terms of KPIs and Ranking factors. ASO is used for Mobile Apps whereas SEO is for web sites.

Having said that, you can also leverage the search queries fired at Google for a service area of your app. So, you can establish your presence on SERP by doing ASO. Refer to the snapshot below:

How Users Find Your App?

The user behaviour and search intent are distinct while searching in the App store. App-store search trends are mostly related features of the app. As per Google/Ipsos, 1 out of 4 app users discovers an app through app store search.

The search ranking of an app is directly related to the number of downloads. As per research, most people discover new apps via the App store search. Achieving a top-ranking position is crucial for your app success since users don’t scroll through the search result. They often look for the top 5 positions. ASO is a secret weapon for your app growth.

Key Difference Between Google Play Store & Apple App Store

How you can Benefit from App Store Optimization (ASO)?

Learn more about how a good ASO strategy can be beneficial for your business growth. The main goal of ASO is to get higher download & more users. An effective ASO strategy will deliver a strong impact on keyword ranking & install numbers.

• Improve the visibility of your app – Make it easily discoverable & stand out in the App store. Relevant keywords should match your app, this will help you find the right users.
• Increase Organic App Download – ASO strategy is vital for your app success. It boosts organic installs & guarantees long term results for you.
• Increase Conversion Rate – Conversion rate is the key to success in App Stores. More app store conversion Rate equals more Downloads.
• Target global audience with your app – Localization can help you make your app available in other languages through app store optimization.

Screenshots are your quick wins!

Screenshots are the on-metadata elements that are responsible for your app Conversion Rate. Make sure you showcase your best features on the first two screenshots.

Your screenshots should be:

• Appealing
• Feature centric
• Easy and quick to read
• On-mark brand reflection

Your app screenshots should not be less than 320 pixels or more than 3840 pixels in size. You can add up to 8 of them for any device to the listing when publishing your app like tablet and mobiles. The files need to be in a JPEG or PNG format of 24 bits, in a 2:1 ratio if it is a portrait and a 16:9 ratio for landscapes.

Guidelines to follow for App store:

• iPhone 6s Plus + 7 Plus + 8 Plus (5.5 inch)
  • 1242 x 2208 pixels (portrait)
  • 2208 x 1242 pixels (landscape)
• iPhone X + + Xs+ 11 Pro (5.8 inch)
  • 1125 x 2436 pixels (portrait)
  • 2436 x 1125 pixels (landscape)

Your App Icon is Your Brand Identity!

The App Store and Google Play have different specifications and suggestions for creating a mobile icon. Regardless of the app, you’re designing, a strong icon not only captures app store visitors’ eyes immediately but also expresses the nature and intent of the product. Seek to satisfy the needs of your customers about style and brand quality, because the visual experience of consumers also dictates their choices. Follow suggestions from the App Store and Google or they won’t let you turn up in the search results.

Make your app icon your selling point by featuring the most accurate description via image.

For example, if you search for the term “Racing” following are the apps that rank, and you will see that most of them depict its USP through the icon, making it easier for the user to gauge the use of the app.

Myth Buster:

#Myth:

ASO is effective with changing title frequently

#Fact: One title is effective when combined with a proper mix of branded and non-branded keywords

Ratings and Reviews are very vital to ASO

Ratings and feedback are a crucial component of any ASO strategy as they have been proven to influence App Visibility, Conversion Rate and the likelihood of being included in the app stores. For users considering these factors, gives it a tag of being “Social proof” thus implying your products worth and generating more confidence across the audience. According to apptentive, nearly 60% of users check the ratings and reviews before downloading any app.

This is important to note that it is possible to reset user reviews as a new version is launched for iOS devices, and if you have made major improvements, you will get a more reliable rating on your application. This functionality isn’t available in Google Play.

Don’t forget about App Localization:

Localization of the app gives you a greater audience to download your mobile app. Yet it can be a difficult job to localize the whole device into several languages. There is a wider horizon of the audience once you localize your app which will in turn help you in ranking ahead of your competitors.

The iTunes App Store, as well as the Google Play Store, enables you to localize your listing and make it easy for consumers in various countries and doing so, you will boost both discoverability and retention, as more users use keywords in their language to find your app and as more consumers use it after seeing a familiar product page in their language. The Apple App Store supports up to 155 countries and the number of localizations can be viewed as 40 different languages. First, consider locating your app listing before you do a complete localization of your entire app. This involves translating the name of the app, keywords, screenshots etc.

Strategy for localization:

Firstly, check how your app listing performs in different countries. Based on the top-performing countries you can then decide where to execute full app localization.

Things to keep in mind while localizing your app:

• Do not use auto-translational tools
• Keep into consideration the local trends and seasonality
• Localize your creative assets
• Maintain synchronous theme and style across the app store elements
• Pay attention to your competitors in every local market, who are highly ranked in the search results
• Localize your app icon

What to Expect in Mobile App Trends in 2020

Are you curious to know about the latest mobile app trends?

What can you expect in 2020-2021?

There are more than seven billion people in the world, and nearly 4.8 billion are mobile users. Statistics also prove that more than 90% of mobile time is spent on apps. Thus, you can get a place in the growing mobile apps market.

• Focus more on AI upgrades & machine learning in app development. A few of the best examples of machine-learning capable apps include Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
• Say Goodbye to Smartphone, Major Focus on Wearables. Wearables are now coming up as an ideal target for the app developers for integrating mobile apps with smart devices.
• Extended reality mobile apps have true potential across sectors & industries. Pokémon Go & ARKit (iOS) are the best examples that have proved to be a milestone for the future of Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Extended Reality (XR).
• 5G is one of the rising technologies for Mobile apps. 5G offered speed and latency will be an extraordinary factor for the Android & iOS mobile apps developed in 2020.

Make sure you are aware of the changing technologies and trends in mobile apps.

KPIs You Should Track for Common App Categories

While monitoring your app performance, keep an eye on the major KPIs tracked across your app category. Apart, from the usual KPIs which we target based on the app metrics, we get from either of the app stores. A good KPI can help you optimize and focus more on your customer engagement.

The following are a few suggestions on which KPIs to track for most common app Categories.

• For all apps – Churn rate, DAU/MAU/WAU, LTV, CAC, new user referral rate
• Gaming apps – average app launches/user, Average session duration, ARPU
• Social apps – Average content share/user, average session length, ARPU, MAU/DAU/WAU
• Software as a Service (SaaS) apps – LTV, free & paid conversation rates
• E-commerce apps – Average order value, LTV, average transaction/user, retention rate

Ready to Grow Your App?

Wrapping up, there is no doubt that ASO is a great way to optimize the app listings and increase your app’s visibility in the App stores. Make sure your app is discoverable to potential users. Make the best use of the ASO marketing strategy to make your apps stand out in the overcrowded mobile app market. To garner the rewards of App Store Optimization (ASO), you need to invest time and effort. Get Started Today!

Want to get your ASO strategy reviewed? Request a free audit now!