Developing a successful app is a difficult feat. However, maintaining a steady flow of users can prove to be just as challenging. One way to make sure your app doesn’t shrink into the background is to master the techniques of App Store Optimization (ASO).
What is ASO?
With over a million apps competing for users in the app store, it’s difficult for a new app to appear in the first page of search results immediately. However, when ASO techniques are applied a new app can more quickly achieve optimal search results. Google does something similar : Search Engine Optimization (SEO), how websites compete to improve their search ranking. While SEO and ASO work differently but both aim to do the same thing, provide the person with the most likely match for their search terms in as few clicks as possible. Uncoding ASO means to simply make your app appear to be the app that is described by the user’s search terms. By improving the keywords, increasing downloads and improving rating, any app can move from the last page to the first.
Keywords
As keywords are the basis to search results, it is vital to accurately predict the right words. For example, a flashlight app will do better if it were to include search terms such as nighttime, light, and flashlight. Moreover, having them in the title of your game can also bring an app higher on the App Store list. For instance, an app called “Flashlight Extreme” will come up sooner than a more creative title like, “BriteLite.”
App Downloads
Apps with more downloads get listed sooner in the app store. It’s a bit of a catch 22– the higher listing will help garner more downloads however you need more downloads to get the higher listing. In this case, media buying and marketing can help get more downloads initially and the resulted improved ASO may help sustain them.
Ratings
Additionally, the reviews and ratings section of the App Store creates a huge impact on an app’s ranking. Low ratings and bad reviews can bring an app down and higher ratings can bring an app above its competitor. Although ideally the app is great and has naturally acquired good reviews, good reviews can be purchased to help give it a boost.
Consider Hiring Help?
One of the best ways to utilize ASO is by hiring an outside agency to provide the service for you. While the aforementioned techniques appear easy to incorporate yourself, the expertise agencies have on the topic is priceless. For instance, they may know tricks on how to decrease bad ratings and utilize better keywords. According to AppStoreOptimize, “Free apps and apps priced at $0.99 USD usually get lots of purchases from people that do not really care to read the app description and buy it to try it out, to just leave a one-star review saying something like ‘totally useless’. We have found that pricing the app a little above $1.00 USD can keep these types of buyers away.” This is just one example of the type of information a specialized agency can provide to help boost your app to the top.
When it comes down to it, App Store Optimization is necessary! By using App Store Optimization efforts, you will be able to increase the search visibility of your app beyond the few weeks after its launch. Taking time to employ these techniques will pay off.