ASO or app store optimization is a critical step for any mobile app. Whether it’s built on the Android platform or iOS platform, app store optimization is required to make the app more engaging and visible.
But do you know how to perform ASO? Large companies spend thousands on not so easy ASO with dedicated teams. But that’s not practical for small business owners. Here at AppsGeyser, you have the freedom of creating your business app by yourself. And in this post, we’ll guide you to app store optimization so you can get the most out of your creation.
What is App Store Optimization?
Before going to the steps of ASO, you must understand what the term means. Generally speaking, it’s very similar to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) where you configure your website and other channels to rank well in search engines.
App store optimization is the process of making your app visible among millions of apps. If performed correctly, you’ll notice a boost in downloads and the overall performance of your app.
App store optimization for Android apps is primarily focused on Google Play Store, where developers from all over the world publish their apps for download.
The challenge in easy ASO is that we don’t know the algorithm that goes behind an app search engine. The algorithms are confidential and they change all the time. So, the key to good app store optimization is trying out different methods and see which works best for your apps.
Without further ado, let’s get into the app ranking methods.
1. Start with the Name
The most prominent and distinguishable feature of your ASO app would be the name. So, choosing the right name for your app is the first thing. A good app name not only makes the audience interested; it helps with rankings as well.
Google Play Store allocates 30 characters for your app title. It might seem measly but can boast powerful results if utilized correctly. Think of a name that wraps up your business or the purpose of the app. You can explain the rest in the description.
Also, incorporating a keyword in the title can come in real handy. That brings us to our next step in ASO, keyword optimization.
2. Keyword Optimization
Keywords play the same role in ASO that it does in SEO. It improves the ranking by a significant margin. Understanding user intent and doing proper research are the keys to keyword optimization. Just like selecting the title, you should put a lot of focus on figuring out the right keywords for your app.
A sweet advantage in Google Play Store is that you are not confined by character limits to optimize your keywords.
Apple only lets you use 100 characters for all your keywords which is not a very good approach for ASO.
You have a very comfortable 4000-character limit on Google Play Store to play with your description.
For best results, you should use your primary keyword five times in an app description. But that doesn’t mean you should stuff your keywords. A penalty will drop the rankings of your app which is not something you want.
Before you go on to put any random words into your description, you must perform good keyword research. We have a handy guide on android keywords that you can read.
The basic idea is to find words and phrases that your audiences might type in the app store. Looking at how much competition the keywords have, the number of searches performed on the keywords, the probability of it ranking in the top 10 are some of the crucial metrics you have to keep in mind.
A tip from AppsGeyser would be not to use prepositions and conjunctions as keywords as it will result in keyword stuffing.
3. Describe it the Best You Can
Copywriting can do wonders for any business. When people want to learn about your app, they will read the description to understand what it does. It’s your job to make the read interesting for them.
As you’re limited on characters to write the description for your ASO app, you should focus on covering some important information like:
- What does the app do?
- How does it add value?
- Why should the user download it?
- If it’s paid, why is it worth it?
Answering these basic questions will create a decent description for your app. You should incorporate the secondary keywords in the description the give the ASO a new dynamic. Write in a way that your audience feels the connection. Make it interesting and to the point.
4. Screenshots Says it All
When you browse to an app page, you’ll notice screenshots of the app below. That’s an ASO strategy right there. According to a survey, people only take 7 seconds to decide whether they are going to download your app or not.
And you have to utilize those precious seconds very carefully. Using high-quality screenshots of your app’s UI should do the job of grabbing their attention. You must opt for screenshots that show people what your app is all about. Don’t put meaningless screenshots as it might even result in negative ASO.
5. Put a Video if You Can
Google Play Store allows you to add a video in the description of your app. Videos are the most powerful marketing material that yields the highest ROI. The video is sourced from YouTube and the views generated from the app description page also counts toward YouTube. This unique synergy can work in your favour to improve the rank of your ASO app.
Google Play Store also allows localization on the video where you can upload separate videos for all the languages available. If you don’t want the trouble of producing multiple videos, you can opt for transcripts on YouTube. Play Store will automatically determine the language to display depending on the geolocations.
6. Choosing the Right Category
When you submit an app to Google Play Store for review before publication, you are asked to select a category for your app. You must pick the category very wisely. If you’re not sure, search on the internet to look for resources that explain the Play Store categories.
Also, if you think your app complies with multiple categories, choose the one with the least competition. The competition is fierce among businesses nowadays so if you can cut some slack for your app, do it.
Choosing the wrong category might even come with a penalty. Even if you pass the primary screening, the users won’t let you slide with such a mistake. So, it’s always better to double-check the category you are choosing for your app.
7. Design a Killer Icon
The ranking of your app in the Google Play Store is the direct result of downloads. The more downloads your app has under its belt, the higher in the rank it goes. And app icons play a huge role in grabbing attention.
No matter how well your description is written, if you can’t visually engage the user, all of your struggles will go in vain.
Free Apps and AppsGeyser
AppsGeyser is the platform where you create your own apps for free. Our goal is to provide individuals and small business owners who want to yield the benefit of a mobile app without prior knowledge of coding or access to funding.
Once, you’re done with the design, you should move over to improving app ranking, and we believe we’ve set you on the right tracks.