There are millions of apps in the App Store and Google Play Store… how can you make sure that users find yours among all the rest? Once you get through the hurdle of building your app and getting it approved to the App Store or Play Store, there’s one more important step: App Store Optimization (ASO).
App Store Optimization is the process of optimizing your app’s listing so that it ranks higher in App Store or Google Play searches. Nearly half of smart phone users find apps while browsing the store, so it’s incredibly important for your app to have a high ranking. The higher you rank, the more potential customers and users you’ll reach.
Once you get through the basics of App Store and Google Play Store submission, it’s time to focus on how to increase your ranking. A few of our favorite tricks are listed below.
Competitive Analysis for Optimization
At this stage, you’ve probably done some competitive analysis for your app or your business. But have you done it with a focus on the App Store? A great starting point when you’re getting ready to launch is to look at what your biggest competitors are doing:
- Where do they rank?
- What categories are they using?
- What keywords are they using?
- What do their reviews say?
- Are there any gaps in their strategy that you can take advantage of?
Solidify Your Keyword Strategy
The App Store and Google Play use keyword triggers in your name, title, description, and other fields. Spend some time researching the best keywords for your product so that you’re getting the highest impact. The App Store gives you a 100 character limit for keywords – be sure to use all 100 characters!
As you’re working to determine which keywords are right for you, consider trying to rank for less common terms (with lower competition) rather than trying to rank for the most popular terms (which have high competition). There is an art to this, and fortunately there are a several articles and tools out there that can help guide you.
Use Keywords in the App Title
Sprinkle some high-impact keywords into your title instead of using using your business name. Because space is limited, these should be only the most important keywords. This has two benefits: It helps users find your app, and it helps users know what your app does. Make sure you’re using keywords that people will actually search for when they are looking for an app like yours, and don’t overdo it: you don’t want the app title to be hard to read or remember.
Notion does a great job of using their keywords in the title. In Google Play, they list notes, docs, and tasks as part of their title… all of which are important parts of the app that people might search for. Notion has a relatively high rank when searching for each of these keywords.
Optimize your Screenshots
Your screenshots won’t be used by the algorithm to help you rank, but they will increase downloads if they look visually compelling. As humans, we’re visual creatures; users will make a decision on whether to download your app based on how it looks in screenshots. Images are the largest visual space in your App Store listing, so use them effectively to hype your app and increase conversions.
Like with your keywords, use all available space: Google allows 8 screenshots, Apple allows 5. Make sure they’re attractive and eye-catching, that they elevate your app’s most valuable features, and that they are consistent with each other. Slack uses their brand colors and adds simple, captivating text to App Store images to draw users in. It can help to think of this area like a slideshow which you can use to get your most important message across to users. Any text you use here should be clear, compelling, and easy to understand quickly.
Increase Positive Ratings
The App Store and Google Play both use ratings in their algorithm to determine your rank. Users also look at ratings when determining whether they want to download your app. Ratings are incredibly important… but also difficult to control.
The good news is that you don’t just have to wait around for reviews to happen; you can be proactive. The first step is to ask. Whether you’ve just launched or you’re in beta, ask people using your app to give you a review. However, be careful not to give anything in exchange for reviews, as this is punishable by Apple.
You can also ask inside the app. Apple and Google both offer ways to ask users for ratings in the app, and there are even plugins that you can use to prompt users for ratings after a certain number of uses. When you’re in the discovery phase for app development, spend some time thinking about the right timing to ask for a review: don’t ask immediately; let them use the app some before prompting them. The best time to ask for a review is right after you’ve solved the user’s problem, when they’re in a positive frame of mind, and when you’re not disrupting the user from completing an activity. If you’re nervous about getting bad reviews, you can also give users a way to contact you within the app so they have a clear communication channel for support.
Once you start receiving reviews, make sure you always promptly respond. If they’re positive reviews, users will see that you’re proactive. If they’re negative, users will see that you take feedback seriously. Be sure to fix problems as quickly as possible so that the reviews stay positive. And don’t forget to mine your reviews for new keyword ideas!
Analytics & Iteration
You’re not done once your app is in the App Store. Keep an eye on your performance going forward so that you know what’s working and what isn’t. Find the most important (and actionable!) metrics for your app, and focus on those. You can also test different options over time to find which ones convert the best.
Pay attention when Google and Apple make changes to their algorithms or ASO guidelines. When something changes, you’ll need to revisit your strategy to make sure you maintain your rank.
Finally, your competitive analysis isn’t over. Check on your competitors and adjust your strategy occasionally so that you can keep up with market trends. Your competitors are doing this, and you should, too.
