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App Store Optimization process is key for improving the

visibility and conversion rate of mobile apps in the stores,

increasing the volume of installs and revenues. This book

includes a detailed summary of the ASO process and is filled

with actionable tips on how to implement it for your own

app or game.

We also share our knowledge about App Marketing, Mobile

growth, Monetization, User Acquisition,

and much more on our blog.

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_Contents

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App Store Optimization for Google Play Store

App Store Optimization for the Apple App Store

Off-metadata Factors Optimization

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Foreword

What is App Store Optimization

Main ASO Factors

Main ASO KPIs

Keyword research

App Store Optimization Put into practice

Tracking and Monitoring

App Store Optimization Checklist

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The world is clearly going mobile. We hear an expression “there’s an app for that!” more and more every day. In fact, the number of apps available on the market has already exceeded 8 millions, and the competition gets more fierce with time. With this in mind, it becomes a real challenge to come up with ways to succeed in the mobile business, and let’s face it - there already is (probably) an app for whatever you can think of.

But don’t let it discourage you. There is a way to stand out in this competitive market, improve your visibility in the stores, get downloads and make money with your apps or games. This solution is App Store Optimization, and we can help you with it on every step of your journey in mobile business. This book aims to do exactly that: explain how to implement a proper ASO strategy in an easy and effective way.

_Foreword

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We cover all the aspects to take into account during the App Store Optimization process:

It doesn’t matter if you are only discovering App Store Optimization, or already are an experienced professional, this book will give you the full and in-depth knowledge of ASO and all the secrets that really make it work.

We will share the knowledge and experience wegot when optimizing the apps for our clients, andfill you in with actionable insights that you canapply on your own apps and games right away!

Are you ready? Let’s dive right in!

Keyword research

Applying ASO on Google Play Storeand Apple App Store

Tracking and monitoring the main KPIs of ASO

01 What isApp StoreOptimizationApp Store Optimization, or ASO, is the process of optimizing apps and games in order to increase their visibility on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, as well as in Top Charts, related apps and Featured, boost traffic to product page and improve conversion rate in order to generate the maximum number of organic installs. ASO helps you bring free high-quality users to your Android or iOS app and is the base of any Mobile Growth strategy.

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ASO process helps us understand how the app stores work, what is our target user base, and what are the most relevant keywords users search for to discover new apps. Essentially, ASO is a cycle that includes three steps:

It is really important to keep in mind that ASO is a never-ending process, and there is always room for improvement and optimization. Keep analysing your strategy and look for ways to make it better!

Keyword research

Optimization for search and conversion:improving your listing on the App Store and Google Play, as well as the conversion rate to install, by using A/B testing

Tracking and improving the main KPIs+ localizing app listing

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1_What is App Store Optimization

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App Store Optimization has numerous benefits for mobile developers and is proven to be one of the most effective App Marketing strategies. Here is why:

Improved app discoverabilityAn optimized product page will rank higher and, therefore, the app will be easier to discover.

Increase in organic installsDue to better visibility in Search and Browse (Top Charts, Featured and Related apps).

Improved conversion rate to installReceiving more installs from the same volume of traffic.

Lower user acquisition costsIf you run paid marketing campaigns, getting more organic installs will result in lower acquisitions costs.

1_What is App Store Optimization

Main ASOFactors

When planning for ASO strategy, there are two main types of factors to keep in mind:

• On-metadata factors • Off-metadata factors

We interviewed 60+ ASO and app marketing experts in order to find out what are the main factors responsible for search rankings and conversion rate on the biggest app stores - App Store and Google Play.

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Infographics: App Store Optimization Factors & Trends - Expert Survey

1. App Name

2. Localizedproduct page

3. Ratings

4. Subtitle

5. User Reviews

6. Installs volume

7. Keywords field

8. Screenshots

9. Icon

10. Installs Keyword

1. App Title

2. Localizedproduct page

3. Ratings

4. Shortdescription

9. Screenshots

10. Feature Graphic

5. User Reviews

6. Installs volume

8. Icon

7. Description

TOP 10ASO FACTORS

APP S

TOR

E

GOO

GLE

PLAY

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On-metadata factors rely purely on marketers and developers, as they can be edited directly from the console. They are all visible and public, except for the Keywords Field on the App Store.

1. App Title2. Short description3. Description4. URL (package)5. Developer name

ON-METADATAFACTORS

Google Play Store listing elements

The most important on-metadata factors on Google Play Store are:

2_Main ASO Factors

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On the Apple App Store, the most influential on-metadata factors are quite similar:

In fact, on the App Store the description does not have a proven effect on ASO, but it does have an effect on conversion rate to download and app ranking in the mobile web (in search results and the App Packs). We will cover this again later on.

Apple App Store listing elements

1. App Name2. Subtitle3. Promo text4. Keywords Field5. Description Field

2_Main ASO Factors

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Off-metadata factors are difficult to control, as they depend almost entirely on the market response towards the app, and as well on the marketing budget. However, they can and should be influenced by the developers and marketers in order to improve the ASO strategy.

The top 5 off-metadata factors in our experts’ opinion are identical for both Google Play and App Store:

As we said before, the market response towards the app is key, and that includes the opinion that the users have about an app, as well as the number of installs and the velocity of receiving them.

Userreviews

Userreviews

Userratings

Userratings

InstallsvolumeInstallsvolume

Speedof installs

Speedof installs

User engagement

User engagement

11 22 33 44 55

OFF-METADATAFACTORS

2_Main ASO Factors

Main ASOKPIs

If you are running a mobile app or game business, this chapter is essential for you. Here we are going to cover the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for mobile business and related to App Store Optimization in particular. It takes a lot of time and work to succeed in the mobile world, so it is important to understand the processes, measure the results and analyse the effectiveness of certain marketing actions we perform. Therefore, we need to know which are the metrics we have to track in order to succeed.

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The goals to go after can vary depending on the product stage of the app or game. At different stages the main objectives can be: organic growth, increase in conversion rate, cutting down acquisition costs, increasing revenues or improving user retention, achieving certain engagement levels or improving the volume of Daily or Monthly Active Users (DAU and MAU).

1. Visibility

2. Conversion

3. Growth4. User feedback

5. Monetization

3_Main ASO KPIs

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App Store Optimization is equally important at any stage of the product growth cycle. In the beginning its purpose is to improve the visibility and discoverability of the app in the app stores, with the main goal of driving organic installs and reducing costs of user acquisition and paid marketing actions. On later product stages, ASO aims to sustain the app’s growth and keep it in the top positions in charts and in search, benchmark the performance with competition, improve conversion, retention and user feedback. So, ASO is a long-term process that should be implemented in order to achieve and maintain a steady organic growth of amobile app or game.

Let’s take a look at the main goals to achieve, their main KPIs or metrics, and how to measure and optimize them.

3_Main ASO KPIs

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As we said before, the main goal of ASO is to improve the visibility of mobile apps and games on the stores, in order to improve discoverability in Search, Top Charts and Featured, and ultimately, get more organic installs.

VISIBILITYIN THE APP STORES

Search

Browse

VISIBILITY

Top Charts FeaturedRelated

3_Main ASO KPIs

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The main KPIs at this stage can be measured with any ASO tool:

All these metrics are vital to measure the visibility and discoverability of an app in the app stores. It’s also important to track their evolution daily and monthly, in all countries, and to benchmark these rankings against the competitors’ apps. That’s what makes the basis of App Store Optimization strategy.

3_Main ASO KPIs

Keywords rankingsPositions in search results on your target keywords and keyword combinations.

Top Charts rankingsPositions in the Top Charts (Free, Paid or Grossing).

Category rankingsPositions of an app or game in its category and subcategory (e.g. arcade, music, news, etc.).

FeaturedWhether your app or game gets featured on the main page of the store.

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The second important goal after visibility is conversion rate to install of an app listing. When users discover the app, it is extremely important to create a great first impression about it, so optimizing the conversion rate becomes preliminary. There are various ASO factors that affect conversion rate:

CONVERSION RATEOF THE PRODUCT PAGE

Click-through rate (CTR), or tap-through rate (TTR)The percentage of users that come across your app’s snippet in the store (in Search, Top Charts or Featured), and tap to view its product page.

Conversion rate to install (CR)The percentage of visitors of your app’s product page that have downloaded your app.

3_Main ASO KPIs

In the ASO process and in the conversion funnel that users go through, there are 2 types of KPIs to keep in mind:

On-metadataApp Name/Title, Description, Icon, Screenshots, Feature Graphic and Video Preview

Off-metadataDownloads, User Ratings and Reviews

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These metrics are crucial parts of the conversion funnel of your app listing on the store. The more optimized your listing is, the more users will be engaged by it, and, therefore, the more possibilities there are that they will end up downloading the app. The way to improve these factors is to do A/B Testing experiments, and there are several tools you could work with to do so, such as Splitmetrics, TestNest or Google Experiments, which is available for Android developers in their Google Play Console.

A/B Testing involves creating 2 versions of an app listing with a in order to see which one performs better (it usually requires a bit of paid user acquisition to drive traffic to both versions). Keep running tests for several hypothesis one by one to identify which element is causing improvements in conversion.

Guide: Top 8 mobile A/B Testing tools

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There are different ways to measure mobile growth. The main purpose of ASO is to get organic growth, so the number of installs plays a great part, as well as the velocity of installs. App downloads is the basic KPI that can be tracked inside the developer consoles (Google Play Console or App Store Connect). If you do paid marketing, though, you should separate organic traffic from non-organic. The tools that can help you with that are Mobile Attribution trackers, such as AppsFlyer or Adjust.

The metric that helps us get a deep understanding of the organic and non-organic install sources is called organic uplift, or organic multiplier. It illustrates the effect related to a natural boost in the organic traffic caused by paid marketing actions.

MOBILEGROWTH

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Non-organic (paid) installs will have an effect on the app stores’ algorithms, lifting up the app in search results and in the Top Charts, where, in turn, the app will get more visibility and attract more organic users. This KPI is measured as a percentage of organic installs divided by non-organic installs, and a higher organic uplift leads to the lower eCPI - an effective cost per install of user acquisition.

Case sudy: The effect of Organic Uplift in organic installs and eCP

3_Main ASO KPIs

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User ratings and reviews indicate if your app provides great user experience and is “healthy” and bug-free. In terms of ASO, they play two important roles: first, they are taken into account by the app stores algorithms for ranking apps in Search and Top Charts, and second, they have a great influence on users’ decisions to download an app, and therefore, impact the conversion rate. The more ratings and reviews an app has and the better the overall user sentiment is, the greater impact it will have on the rankings and visibility. In contrast, negative reviews and low average score will decrease the conversion rate of the product page and lead to less organic installs.

USERFEEDBACK

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Both App Store and Google Play Store allow developers to reply to the reviews, which can help change the opinion of the users and the given score. It is important to never leave your users unattended and try to solve their problems and acknowledge their concerns. There are several tools designed to track and monitor user feedback, like Appbot.

Guide: The ultimate guide to User Ratings and Reviews for ASO

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The last (but not the least!) of the KPIs is related to the revenues from the apps or games. There are several KPIs to measure the revenue:

REVENUE(MONETIZATION)

In terms of monetization, the quality of the users is more important that the quantity of installs. The user who stays longer and pays more, becomes more valuable than one who just tries the app and leaves.A good monetization strategy goes hand in hand with user feedback, as listening to the users and meeting their needs is key to a stable revenue stream. Some of the tools that will help you calculate and track ARPU and LTV are: AppsFlyer, Game Analytics or Kochava, among others.

Average Revenue per User (ARPU)The total revenue divided by the number of users

Lifetime Value (LTV)A prediction of the net future profit for a particular user

RevenueThe total amount of income generatedby an app or a game

3_Main ASO KPIs

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Guide: Mobile monetization: How to make money with apps & games

3_Main ASO KPIs

Keywordresearch

Keyword research can be a daunting process, but worry not - we are here to help you learn every detail of this process. In this chapter we cover its main steps: what data to pay attention to when selecting keywords, how to know if the product page is properly optimized, and how to track and monitor the results.

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Essentially, keyword optimization for ASO is a cycle of actions:

Source: ASO Stack

Research and come up with a list of possible keywords and keyword combinations related to your project.

Analyze and prioritize the keywords according to their relevance, competition level and search volume / traffic.

Target the right keywords to optimize your app listing.

Measure search rankings and analyze the possibilities of improvement.

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In order to do a proper keyword research, you need to start by brainstorming the keywords and keyword combinations that are related to your mobile app or game. Be creative and think outside the box - you can find the keywords literally anywhere: think about what tasks does your app perform, what value does it bring, what category does it belong to, etc. You can also look for inspiration by studying similar apps and competitors, or looking into user reviews to see what keywords they use there.

STEP 1:RESEARCH

It’s also important to put yourself in the user’s shoes. Try to understand their demand (what do they need), location (where do they need it), timing (when do they want it) and, more importantly, the reason (why should they choose your app).

4_Keyword Research

Another tip to use in keyword research is to look for keyword suggestions, based on the autocomplete in the app stores. When the stores offer the suggestions to search terms, it means that there definitely is traffic for these terms, so if any of the suggestions are related to your app or game, it is definitely worth adding them to your list.

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When the first step is finished, you should have a handful of keywords and keyword combinations to work on, so now it is time to analyze and prioritize these search terms in order to optimize the app for maximum visibility.

STEP 2:FINDING THE BEST KEYWORDS

In order to do so, it is vital to know if a certain search term is worth targeting, and we can do that by analyzing its traffic and difficulty scores. Traffic score illustrates an estimated search volume of the keyword, and difficulty score indicates the level of competition for that keyword, so the key is to find the right balance between the high traffic and low difficulty.

Make sure to study the keywords that your competitors are using, to get an advantage and improve your visibility on the terms that they don’t use or don’t rank for.

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For Android apps, you might want to take a look at the Organic Search Installs report, to see which keywords are bringing the installs for your app, analyze the conversion rate on these keywords and optimize accordingly.

For iOS apps there is also another way to find out which keywords are the most interesting ones to target. By using Apple Search Ads, it’s possible to compare conversion rate and Search Popularity Score of different keywords, which makes it easier to choose which ones are more relevant and interesting for your app or game.

Guide: How to create Ads in the App Store

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STEP 3: OPTIMIZING METADATATO TARGET THE RIGHT KEYWORDS

Once we have collected an extensive list of keywords and selected the ones we’d like to target, it is time to edit and optimize the textual fields of our app to introduce these keywords.

We have to use our most important keywords in the App Name / Title, Subtitle or Short Description and Keywords Field, and also include the rest of the search terms and keyword combinations in the Description.

On the App Store, don’t repeat the keywords that have already been used in the fields that have the strongest weight in search rankings algorithms. If you have included certain keywords in the App Name, don’t add them to the Subtitle or Keywords Field. On the other hand, on Google Play Store, it is recommendable to use the main keywords about 3-5 times in the long description. It is okay to repeat, but be careful - there is a thin line between repetition and keyword stuffing.

Further on, we will look at the optimization of each field more in detail.

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After implementing the keywords, it is the time to track and monitor the results for valuable insights that will help improve the app’s ranking. TheTool can help with that:

It is important to track the keywords performance, and after that consider if they are working as we want or if it is necessary to change them. Remember that Keyword Optimization is a cycle, and benchmarking keywords with competition can help you understand if there is any room for improvement.

_Tip: Don’t rush into making changes in textual fields to reinforce keywords

rankings; it won’t help your app to rank better. Give the app stores some time (3

or 4 weeks) to process the changes. And don’t change the app listing completely

every time - instead, play with the density of the keywords that you want to target.

STEP 4: TRACKING AND FURTHER OPTIMIZATION

Monitoring the keyword “online blog” with TheTool

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Using only the generic and high-volume keywords.In order to achieve better visibility in the stores, it is better to rank in the top positions for low-traffic keywords than to rank around 100-150 for high-traffic keywords. The users who search for high-volume keywords simply won’t discover your app if it’s not ranked in the top positions.

Not working with long-tail keyword combinations.More than 75% of product page views come from the long-tail search terms – so instead of struggling to rank for competitive high-volume keywords, try to increase the number of long-tail keywords to use in your listing.

Targeting too little keywords.Top apps on both stores, on average, rank for a lot of keywords (iOS apps: 65-110 keywords; Android apps: 60-105 keywords). So, target as many keywords as possible!

MISTAKES TO AVOID

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App StoreOptimizationPut into practice

There are more than 8 million apps available in the leading app stores (Google Play and App Store), and the number increases if we take into account minor markets (Windows Store, Amazon AppStore, Blackberry World, etc). The level of competition is extremely high. In order to stand out and get more traffic and downloads for our app or game, we need to nail the App Store Optimization strategy.

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We are now going to see the details of the ASO process for each of the stores: Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Remember that we are considering two factors: on-metadata and off-metadata.

ON- METADATA OFF- METADATA

App Name/TitleShort DescriptionSubtitleLong DescriptionCategoryDeveloperPromo Text Keywords Field ScreenshotsFeature Graphic Video

Installs VolumeInstalls SpeedRatings Volume& Average ScoreReviews Volume SEO BacklinksUser Engagement

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Great news - an optimized Google Play Store listing can help you not only to boost visibility in the store, but also in Google mobile web search and App Packs!

Now let’s break down an optimized listing on Google Play Store by elements:

APP STORE OPTIMIZATIONFOR GOOGLE PLAY STORE

Title

App Title is one of the most important ASO factors, as it has an effect on both search rankings and conversion rate to download. Google allows to include up to 50 characters in this field, so add your main keywords here alongside your brand name to maximize its use.

Keep in mind that your brand name should be short, clear and easy to spell. Here are a few examples of how an optimized title should look like:

Brand name - Keyword(s)

Keyword(s) - Brand name

Brand name: Keyword(s)

Keyword(s): Brand name

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_Tip: Make sure you localize your App Title. Mobile world is global, and by localizing

the store listing we can see where’s the demand coming from and focus on geos

that drive more installs and revenues.

Searching for “football” on Google Play we can find some well-optimized titles

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URL/Package Name

The URL (package) can be a strong ranking factor for app store search if you include some keywords there. Try to work on it before you publish your app, because once set, it can’t be modified later.

Case sudy: URL/Package as a search ranking factor on Google Play Store

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Developer Name

Developer Name also has an effect on app search rankings. On top of that, Google keeps a record of developer history, and if it’s positive, tends to rank these apps higher in Search.You can try to add some keywords here, for example, using this format:Developer Name: Keyword 1, Keyword 2

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Short Description

Short Description on Google Play is another important field that has an impact on Search and conversion rate. There are 80 characters available and it’s important to keep balance, providing a clear description and including some of the main keywords. It should aim to highlight the purpose and the virtues of the app, as well as be catchy to grab users’ attention. Try to add some emoji in this field - it will help your app to stand out.

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Description

App Description on Google Play is one of the key fields to optimize, and it affects both search rankings and conversion rate.

There are 4,000 characters available, so get the most out of this space, including all the keywords and keyword combinations you want to rank for. Pay special attention to the first 5 and the last 5 lines of your description - to help Google understand what are your main keywords, when the engine indexes your textual metadata.

Use your main keywords around 3-5 times across the description to ensure an optimal density of keywords, but be careful - keyword stuffing is penalized by Google and gives a negative impression to the users. Keep your description organized and understandable by using a clear structure, and emphasize all the benefits of your app in order to convince the users to download it.

Guide: How to use HTML & emoji in your Google Play Store listing

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Use bullet pointsor Unicode symbols

like ✔❖➜

Write in short paragraphs

Include a powerful call-to-action,

containing a sense of urgency

Send a clear and appealing message

for the users

Localize your description

Mention your social media profiles or user communities

for your app

Include emoji 🔥or use HTML and Rich Formatting

Mention your awards or contests to encourage your users to give it a

shot.

An example of an optimized listing: Memrise

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Icon

Icon is the very first visual element of the app that the users see when they browse the search results or Top Charts, and it has a direct impact on TTR (tap-through rate, or how many users visit the listing after seeing the preview in Search or in Top Charts) and conversion rate. It definitely has the most influence on user decision, as when they see it they decide whether to take a look and install the app or not.

In order to stand out, try to find your style in terms of colors, typography, etc., and stick to it. Take a look at your competitors and make something different.

An example of icons featured in the Top Charts

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An anatomy of a perfect icon:

Reflects perfectly the app’s purpose

Follows the signature style of the app different from competitors

Vibrant and clear,not overloadedwith elements

Without text

A/B test to findthe best-

performingicon

Adding the borders can make the icon

more catchy

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Screenshots

Screenshots are the on-metadata elements that have a direct impact on conversion rate to download. They are essential for the users to see how does the app look like and understand its functionalities before downloading it. By just taking a look at the screenshots, the users decide if they want to try the app or not, so the main goal here is to make a great first impression and to showcase your best features in the first two screenshots.

You can include up to 10 screenshots (with a minimum of 2, but don’t stop there!).

Guide: How to design outstanding screenshots and get more app downloads

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Screenshot gallery for Spotify on Google Play

Use text toexplain features

and give powerfulcall-to-action

Show specialdiscounts and

seasonal promotionsto encourage users

Follow the styleof your app and

create a storyline

Localize screenshots(not only texts, but also maps, date format, and

other content)

Don’t forget toA/B test, experiment

with portrait and landscape screenshots

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Video

It has been proven that most of the users don’t spend much time on the app store listing. They usually leave without reading the description completely, or even sooner than that. Therefore, visual assets are key, and videos play an important role here.

A good video can show in a few seconds what is the app about and catch the user’s eye.

Read more: 39 amazing Promo Videos you can find on Google Play Store

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Just as we did with Google Play Store, let’s now break down the elements to which we can apply ASO on the App Store.

APP STORE OPTIMIZATION FOR THE APPLE APP STORE

App Name

The App Name is responsible for both search rankings and conversion rate of an app. The length of this field is only 30 characters, and it can only be changed after submitting a new version. As there is very little space available, there is also a Subtitle field that complements the App Name, adding a brief description to the app.

It is important to include keywords in the App Name, as they perform even better than those included into the Keywords Field.

An example of an optimized App Name

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Subtitle

Subtitle is a 30-character field that is located right below the App Name. It summarizes the product with an additional sentence, highlighting the best features of your app or game. It can only be updated when submitting a new version, too.

This field affects keyword rankings, so you should add some of your core keywords here. Do not repeat the ones you have already included in your App Name - Apple will mix and match keywords to create combinations for you.

Make sure to keep a good balance of keyword optimization and conversion rate optimization here - the Subtitle will also appear in the Top Charts, and impact the tap-through rate and, consequently, the conversion rate of the app.

Subtitle on App Store

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Description

Just like Google Play Store, the App Store includes a long 4,000-characters Description, which is not relevant for ASO search rankings, but still is key for marketing purposes. It is the most powerful tool to get users’ attention and convince them to install the app. Keep in mind that the most important part of the description are the first lines, as it is the part the users can see without having to tap on “read more”.

Description on App Store

Here are some tips to do a good description from Apple:

Highlight key features of your product

Be clear and concise, transmit the core value of your app

Use the same brand tone to communicate

Mention your awards, if you had any, or keep them for Promo Text

Don’t do keyword stuffing, it won’t help

Avoid mentioning prices, as they might not be accurate for all countries

Localize your description

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Even though the description doesn’t have an effect on the search rankings on the App Store, it does affect conversion rate and the app ranking in mobile web search, thus being a factor for SEO for apps.

Promotional Text

Developer Name

Promotional Text is a 170-character field that can be updated at any time without submitting a new version of the app. It doesn’t affect keyword rankings, but it certainly can improve the conversion rate. This field is suitable for discounts, promotions, or latest news and upcoming features.

Just as on Google Play Store, a positive historic record of the developer on App Store can have a great impact on rankings and will also get your app a chance to be featured in Today, Apps or Games tabs.

Guide: How to do SEO for mobile apps to improvevisibility and drive more organic installs

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Keywords field

The Keywords Field is an asset that is only available on the App Store. This field is 100 characters long, it is not visible to the users and is used exclusively for optimizing the keywords that you want to rank for.

The place is limited, so follow these best practices to make the most out of it:

Don’t include plural word forms if you have already included singular.

Separate words with commas and don’t use spaces – Apple’s algorithm will already mix and match your keywords, creating combinations to rank for.

Don’t include the same keywords that you already have included in your App Name and Subtitle.

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Icon

Icon is one of the most important visual elements on both stores, and it has a strong effect on tap-through rate and conversion rate.

In contrast with Google Play Store, Apple requires the icon to be submitted in small and large sizes. Small ones are used on the Home Screen and throughout the system when the app is installed on devices, and the large one is for the App Store itself.

Keep in mind that the icon should give the audience an idea of what the app is about. Try to make it simple and recognizable, without overloading it with too many details. Remember to test your icon with A/B testing tools to find the best performing one.

4 examples of icons on App Store

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Video Previews

App Store allows to include up to 3 video previews for your app for each language, each of them up to 30 seconds long. They are located right before the keywords slots and autoplay on mute in search results.

Video previews have become one of the strongest factors in the optimization of both TTR and conversion rate to download, as they are the key elements that give the users an idea of what the app has to offer. Make sure to create attractive and compelling videos that showcase your best features and include powerful call-to-action messages.

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Screenshots

Together with the video, the screenshot gallery is an important on-metadata factor that impacts TTR and conversion rate of the app. The gallery can include up to 10 screenshots and their goal is to highlight the main features and provide additional details about the app or game.

It is very important to localize your screenshots if you have your product available in different countries. Make sure to change not only the text, but maps, currencies, signs and special symbols - alongside with all the other cultural elements that can be adapted.

Screenshot gallery on the App Store

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When optimizing the app listing to improve visibility in stores, we can only edit certain elements. However, there are other factors that affect our ASO, both in terms of search rankings and conversion rate. They are called off-metadata factors, and they can not be controlled by developers and marketers. However, we can try our best to influence them and make sure they work to our advantage.

OFF-METADATAFACTORS OPTIMIZATION

These are the most important off-metadata factors to keep in mind:

Volume of installs and velocity of receiving installs have a strong effect on the algorithms of the app stores. Receiving a big number of installs in short period of time can result in improved search visibility and Top Charts rankings.

Backlinks have an effect on SEO for apps, but can also impact ASO search rankings on Google Play Store. So try to think of content marketing strategy for your apps to improve your performance and get more backlinks.

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User Ratings and Reviews help improve both search rankings and conversion rate. More volume of ratings and better score would result in more prominent ranks of the app in the store. User feedback acts as “social proof”, and nearly 80% of users check ratings and reviews prior to downloading an app. In case of Google Play Store, the reviews are indexed and the keywords from reviews are taken into account for search rankings. Do not underestimate the power of ratings - work on them constantly, asking for feedback from your most active users in their “moments of joy”.

Engagement tends to have more and more impact in the ranking algorithms of the stores. The quality of apps, the retention and engagement of users could affect positively your rankings in both App Store and Google Play.

5_App Store Optimization

Tracking andmonitoring

The last step to do in your ASO strategy is tracking and monitoring the main KPIs of your project. Remember - ASO is a never-ending process that requires constant attention, and there is always room for improvement.

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Ideally, you should keep track of your main KPIs daily or weekly:

Track your app constantly to see which keywords are working well and remove the ones that don’t perform anymore. It is also important to experiment with the graphic elements by doing A/B testing to find the best-performing combination for your product page.

Guide: Metrics: How to track and optimize the main ASO KPIs

Volume of installs (organic and non organic)

Keywords rankings

Top Charts rankings (overall and by category)

Ratings and reviews

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Achieving Top Charts rankings is quite complex and challenging, but it sure can be done. There are 3 types, affected by different factors: Top Free (affected by volume and speed of installs), Top Paid (affected by app revenues, such as in-app purchases or subscriptions) and Top Grossing (for Premium apps, also affected by revenue).

So, how do we get there? There are several things to do:

CLIMBINGTHE TOP CHARTS

Get a lot of installs. The majority of the top 100 apps have more than 100 million downloads. A good user acquisition strategy is key.

Collect a lot of ratings and reviews. The top apps have at least 10,000 ratings, the average being 196,000 ratings for top 100 iOS apps, and 3.1 million ratings for top 100 Android apps.

Ensure high rating. Try to, at least, keep it up to 4 stars and above. The average for iOS top apps is 3.94, and for Android apps is 4.32.

Update often. Top apps have updates every ten days. Having a monthly update, at least, is a must.

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There are also several criteria to get an app featured:

And above everything else, remember that the key to success is a good product!

GETTINGFEATURED

Have an error free app. To ensure a unique user experience that is simple, intuitive and useful is a must.

Keep it up to date. There is no need to launch new features everyday, but fixing bugs and pushing updates are some of the things that users (and app stores) like.

Stand out creatively. Have a distinct and memorable icon. It’s the first thing people see when browsing, so it needs to catch users’ eye.

Be exclusive. A native app has a better chance, as they generally have better quality. Hybrid apps typically compromise user experience.

Increase visibility with App Store Optimization. ASO will allow the app to rank better and get more downloads, so that increases the chances of getting featured.

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App StoreOptimizationChecklist

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Identify the keywords list and amplify it with keyword suggestions to get long-tail keywords.

Use an ASO tool to track keyword rankings in the app stores.Choose keywords with higher traffic and lower competition (high volume and low difficulty).

Analyze your competitors’ apps and look into user reviews to find more keywords.

Include one or two top keywords in your App Name/Title, alongside your brand name.

Use short and long description (Google Play), subtitle and keywords field (App Store) to include keywords and encourage users to download your app (explain the value, include the benefits, and mention your awards).

Invest time to create a perfect icon: test it against different backgrounds and make it distinct from your competitors and other apps in your category.

Use all screenshot slots and provide catchy explanations and call-to-action.

Showcase your best features on the first two screenshots.

7_App Store Optimization Checklist

Make an attractive video teaser, and make the first seconds count!

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Use real footage and encourage users to download with call-to-action, and prepare it to play on mute in iOS 11.

Perform A/B tests on graphic assets separately to identify the best-performing option. Try testing landscape screenshots and video previews against portrait.

Encourage users to leave positive feedback by identifying the most engaged users and asking them to rate your app at the right time (in the “moments of joy”).

Provide a support page to avoid getting negative ratings on your app listing.

Respond and reply to negative reviews quickly, the users might change their feedback.

Listen to your users and use their feedback to improve your product.

Update your app frequently – at least once a month.

Get web backlinks to your app download page on Google Play Store and Apple App Store to boost your web search rankings.

Localize app store listing; if performing well, consider localizing full app content.

ASO is a long-term process: optimize and monitor results constantly!

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