Quick Start Guide: App Store Optimisation (ASO)
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A critical but often overlooked step, effective App Store Optimisation (ASO) is an essential consideration for your mobile app. Being highly visible in app search is essential for driving downloads - but with over 4 million apps (and growing) across app stores, how exactly do you achieve it? It's important to remember that ASO is an evolving landscape. However, in this handy quick start guide, leading mobile software specialists, The App Business, combine forces with SEO gurus Branded3 to share the core fundamentals you need to ensure your app is fine-tuned for app store search.
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Quick Start Guide: App Store Optimisation (ASO)
- 1. Are you able to monitor your app in Google Search Console and Google Analytics? Have relevant keywords been identified for the app? Has the app title been optimised for iOS and/or Android? Is the app listed in relevant categories? Does the description engage your users, and contain relevant keywords? Are calls to action positioned above the ‘read more’ break? Is the app icon consistent with other branding? Does the app listing contain a video, displaying content and functionality? Does the app listing contain screenshots, showcasing functionality and content? Is a launch strategy in place to drive consistent download numbers during the first 3 months of the app being live? Does this strategy include linking to listings from third party sites? Is resource in place to address comments and negative feedback on the app listing? Is a product roadmap in place to manage future updates and feature releases? ASO CHECKLIST Your app is built and ready to ship. Now it’s time to make sure your users can find it. In partnership with App Store Optimisation (or ASO, for short) is the process of optimising your app so that it ranks highly in app store search results - and, increasingly, on web search, too. THE IMPORTANCE OF APP SEARCH According to Apple, over 65% of downloads in the App Store are driven by search, and Google claims that figure is even higher - at 80% on Google Play. Consequently, fine tuning your app’s listing is critical to helping users find it. This has become even more important when you consider the sheer number of apps available: over 4 million (and growing) are fighting for attention across both the App Store and Google Play. QUICK START GUIDE Improve your app’s search visibility and drive more downloads with essential App Store Optimisation. Increasingly, users can discover your app in web search results, too. Since 2013, Google has been indexing app content. To date, Google claims it has indexed over 100 billion app links already. These ‘deep links’ allow users to discover and navigate content quickly, which means your app can appear in Google search results. LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS OF GOOD ASO Given the importance of where your app ranks in search results, the next question is how you can ensure that your app is fine-tuned for strong, optimal ASO performance. In this quick start guide, we unpack the key factors you should be aware of when launching, or updating, your app into app stores.
- 2. 2QUICK START GUIDE: App Store Optimisation 1. SET UP MONITORING First, it is essential that you monitor the performance of your app: this will help you understand where users are finding your app, and if they are engaging with it. There are two official methods of tracking an app’s performance in Google - we will look at those in more detail below.» » Search Console The new Google Search Console can track app profiles in search results using the new search analytics report. The Search Console can also help you understand how Google views app content, and you can also see any crawl errors that have been identified. » » Google Analytics Google’s universal analytics allows webmasters to create tracking codes for their apps - also known as mobile app analytics, which are designed for either Android or iOS. Mobile app analytics can be set up using either the Google Analytics SDK or Google Tag Manager - you will need to follow the appropriate steps depending on your configuration choice. It is worth reviewing the documentation provided by Google, and make sure you understand what you want to track prior to choosing a configuration. 2. FOCUS ON THE WORDS» » App Titles Your app title is one of the most important aspects of your ASO strategy. With so many apps available to attract users, you only have seconds to grab their attention before they move on. The secret to a strong title tag is to use keywords that help users find you, and aid app indexation. They should also be unique and reinforce your app’s category.» » Keywords Keywords do matter, but they work differently on the App Store to how they do on Google Play. And, for both, remember that neither store takes kindly to keyword stuffing. On the App Store, keywords are second only to title in indexation importance. The App Store provides a keyword specification feature that allows you to categorise your app for related queries. The keywords field has a 100 character limit and keywords need to be separated by a comma. On Google Play, there is no designated keyword specification: like web search, the Play store focuses on keywords inside your content - like titles and your app description (see next).» » App Description When a user clicks through to your app, the description is your prime real estate to grab user attention and inform them about what your app does. Focus on on what users will get from your app: how will it help them achieve their outcomes? Descriptions have a 4,000 character limit, and on Google Play, you get an extra 80 character short description that shows up as a preview on the Play store. Don’t forget to ensure that the most valuable content or calls to action are visible above the ‘read more’ tab. As with app titles, remember that keyword stuffing or impersonation of other brands can result in suspension of the app. On the App Store, your description is not an ASO ranking factor. As a result, use your description to engage viewers and to help the Apple Review Team understand the relevance of the keywords you have entered. On Google Play, you can be more assertive with keywords in your app description. That’s because, SET UP MONITORING FOCUS ON THE WORDS SWEAT THE VISUALS KEEP ITERATING ABOVE | Here, we share four simple principles for laying the foundations of good ASO practice.
- 3. 3 like web search, your ranking is based on keywords inside your content - like the your description - rather than in a separate field, as with iOS. 3. SWEAT THE VISUALS» » App Icon Your app’s icon isn’t a ranking factor, but it is a shorthand symbol that helps people understand what your app does. Resist the urge to put words in your icon - on many devices, the words will be too small to read.» » App Video/YouTube Demo Whilst videos do not directly influence rankings, they are essential for driving downloads. This is importnat when you consider that video is an off-page ranking factor in both Google Play and the App Store, so the more downloads you have, the better your ranking. Pay attention to the first frame of your video, too: it acts as a screenshot on both app stores, so make sure it helps your users understand what your app does.» » App Screenshots Screenshots are not a ranking factor but they go a long way to improving downloads. We recommend screenshots showcase the app’s features and supported platforms. Additionally, make sure you bring screenshots to life - add text callouts and use keywords to reinforce your app’s relevance and features. 4. KEEP ITERATING» » Downloads Total and recent downloads are taken into account when ranking apps in both Google Play and the App Store. There is likely an interval system in place for different category verticals - for example, moving above 1,000 downloads, with 1,000 being an interval, will improve visibility. Spikes in downloads, around app launch for example, will see visibility increase greatly and slowly decay as download numbers shrink. Prolonged visibility comes with consistent download figures, and this is best achieved by supporting your app with marketing campaigns from other channels. » » App Reviews and Rating Ratings and reviews act as social proof of an app’s quality, and it’s worth bearing in mind that getting a front page ranking in stores seems to be a mix of reviews, ratings and downloads. Being a proactive app publisher and interacting with your users through reviews, comments and feedback, will improve download conversion rate. It is also seen as a positive ranking factor in both iOS and Android app ecosystems.» » App Updates Think carefully about the frequency of your app updates. As with search engines, app stores do reward fresh content - so a regularly updated app is a good sign. However, do remember that since this could be exploited to the extreme, excessive updates can result in suspension from both Google Play and the App Store. » » Uninstalls Uninstalls are a negative ranking factor that can only be countered by being responsive to your user’s requests and comments. Core to mitigating uninstalls is to make sure you build a high quality app that is regularly updated (see above).» » Referral Links (Play Store only) Since the Play store is a Google product, it is no surprise that many people include links as a method of off- page optimisation. It is fair to assume that the Play store has access to Google’s index, meaning links from authoritative websites could factor in an app’s ranking. While getting the basics of ASO right is important, remember that the app discovery landscape continues to evolve. Among some of the upcoming changes to Apple’s App Store, for example, is the introduction of paid search advertising. Google isn’t standing still, either, as it continues to explore and experiment with ‘app streaming’ - which will allow users to access app content even if they don’t have your app installed. Get in touch to discuss how we can help you ensure that the right people are finding your app. E | enquiries@theappbusiness.com T | +44 203 657 9785 GET IN TOUCH In partnership with