Understanding App Store Optimization (ASO)
Just like you have Search engine optimization (SEO) to improve the visibility of your website in search engines similarly to improve the ranking and the visibility of your mobile app in the app store you have App store optimization. Once you have put in all your hard-work, passion and dedication to get your app developed and accepted by the app store it is then that the real work begins. Most developers ignore the importance of ASO but the reality is that ASO is extremely important to make your app known in the eyes of the user. And the last thing which you would want is to have your app go unnoticed. An online survey by European Technographics Consumer Technology revealed that 63% of the Apps downloaded from app store are done by users who came to the store browsing for apps. So when the maximum number of downloads are happening through browsing then you would definitely not want your app to wear an invisibility sheath and hide but instead you can work on your ASO and make the app visible for the users to download. So in order to accomplish this feat let us have a look at the necessary steps which you need to follow to improve your ASO.
Step 1: Get inside the minds of your customers and do not ignore your competition
A well formulated ASO strategy involves understanding the target audience. One needs to understand that for what purpose the audience will be downloading the app and what keywords they will type while looking for the app in the store. You need to put yourself in the customers place and hunt for keywords which bring maximum traffic to the app. You also need to be aware of what keywords your competitors are using. Knowing your competition’s keywords will help you decide whether you want to use the same for your app or if you would like to go with some unique keywords.
Step 2: Identify the best keywords
Keywords are without a doubt vital in improving your Apps visibility hence you need to keep in mind to choose the best keywords. If you are correctly able to identify them then your chances of showing up in the top ranks will improve drastically. You will need to include these keywords in your app’s name, the description which you provide and in the keyword field to drive the maximum amount of traffic to your app.
Step 3: Follow the content policy
You need to determine proper app content rating and follow the content policy which is laid down for Android and iOS devices. You must take care of this step because if the content in your App doesn’t comply by the stores guidelines then it might get rejected.
Step 4: Minimize your code size
App store optimization is not just about making the App search friendly but also user friendly. Hence, you should aim to minimize the code size by removing any redundant code and thus eventually reduce the size of your App.
Step 5: Design an attractive icon
Having an app icon which is unique and attractive steals the user’s attention. An attractive icon will always make the user curious to know what the app is about. Hence, you need to design a magnetic icon which speaks out the message of your brand clearly.
Step 6: Include screenshots and videos
Screen shots and videos actually act as advertisements for your app hence do not ignore the power of the visual medium. Let your screenshots be so tempting that they sell your app to the customer. Also, including a video gives the user a clear idea about what the app entails.
Step 7: Optimize images
One more thing which you should keep in mind is to optimize the images. You should include images to suit every device size and strictly adhere to the guidelines laid down by Android and iOS. All these steps will ensure that the image will not pixelate when the user opens them up in any device.
Step 8: Localize your app listings
If you aim to market your app to a worldwide audience then catering it only to English speaking audience won’t be of much help to you. What you need to do is to focus on localization which is a method of marketing your app to non-English speaking audience in their native language.
Step 9: Use app indexing to drive traffic to your app
You must promote your app beyond the app store and bring traffic to it from outside sources. A way to go about it is to make use of Google’s app indexing. App indexing allows users to click from listings in Google’s search results to apps in their android or iOS smartphones or tablets. Read more on app indexing here.
Step 10: Do not ignore app ratings, reviews and downloads
An app with higher rating and more number of downloads appears higher in the store hence you need to ensure to get a lot of positive reviews for your app. To encourage your users to rate you in the store you can have a pop-up message asking them to leave their feedback in the store when they exit from the app.
Step 11: Update App regularly
Update the Apps regularly in order to ensure that they meet the ever changing guidelines of Android and iOS devices. Many of the Apps in the store are blocked just because they fail to follow these guidelines. Read more on importance of app updates here.
Step 12: Keep working on your ASO
Just like SEO, ASO also takes substantial amount of time before showing results but you need to constantly work on it and keep on improving it. You need to monitor it regularly and also be aware of your competitor’s ranking.
To conclude, you must realise the importance of ASO as an essential mobile app marketing technique. And you must formulate a strong strategy to get maximum benefit from its implementation. Contact us today to know how we can build an App for you keeping all the above discussed factors in mind.