So, you have been studying your target audience since a long time and you have created the app which ideally solves their challenges. You have also gone that extra mile and have put in the efforts for creating an amazing user interface and very interesting tutorials as well. However, somehow, your application still is not getting downloaded as much as you would want it to be. In case all this sounds familiar to you, may be it is time for leveraging the ASO i.e. app store optimization for boosting the downloads of your app. Did you know that in todayโs date, there are about 3.3 million apps on the google play store? Even the apple store consists of about 2.2 million iOS apps. These astounding stats suggest that you have to be very smart with the ASO so that you can be at par in the tough competition.
Few SEO Tips for App Store Optimization:'
1. Name of App & Keywords
As per a research by the Tune, using the keywords in the title can boost up the ranking by about 10.3%. ย Both Apple and Googleโs search algorithms scan the name of the app for keywords when some user performs a keyword search in the app markets. Both of these platforms give very much priority for the apps with the app names which consist of the search input. Hence, it is a great idea to include some keywords in the name of your app as an ASO practice.
For coming up with the keywords, you can use the tools given below, these are absolutely free:
- Keyword suggestions (just for iOS app developers)
- OneLook Reverse Dictionary
- Ubersuggest
However, do not stuff all the keywords in the title. Otherwise your app will look very spammy. You must find the right balance between branding and keywords.
2. Double the Keywords
Most of the marketers and app publishers know that there is โone hundredโ character limit on the app store keyword field and โfiftyโ character limit on the name of the app store. But, most donโt know that the apple indexes more than 1 set of localizations in every app store territory. ย For instance, the US app store indexes Spanish localization which means that in case someone searches in the English language for some keyword which you have in English but in your Spanish localization you will rank for the term.
Understanding what localizations are used in each nation is preeminent in enhancing the ASO efforts. It fundamentally doubles the keyword amount you can use in the name of the app and the field of the keyword. Not just this, this localization trait is even aggravated and redoubled in some nations.
3. Icons
Even though description and title are both every essential parts of ASO, icons are undoubtedly the first thing that the users see and one of the primary reasons for clicking on the app. Given below are the best practices while creating icon for an app:
ย - Try to keep it simple. Do not put a lot of elements with the icon. You can select the primary character (in case it is a game) or your logo (in case it is the utility app or the service app) for your main element.
- Do not include the words. An icon is supposed to be descriptive and adjunct. You should not need dry words. Always keep in mind that an icon is a graphical portrayal of an idea, a word, an operation or a concept.
- Use a soft color for the background, since your primary element should be the focus.
4. Reviews & Ratings
The last ASO tact we will mention is the reviews and the ratings of the app. These also have impact on the ranking of the app. However, these are not as easy and simple to control. The aim here is to not only get the reviews and ratings, but to get the positive reviews and ratings. Look out for a way of connecting with the users, so they have a place for directly giving you the negative feedback instead of venting publically on the marketplace. An incentivization tact developers generally apply are in-app prompts asking the repeat customers for feedback and ratings. Use this as a form of encouraging positive reviews, at the same time offering a chance for the users to mention the concerns in private. Nonetheless, be sure that these prompts do not interrupt the experience of the user. In case they pop up at the wrong moments, they will drive away the users. In case they appear a lot, it may look like you are begging for the ratings.
You can see that a lot of these ranking factors are not in your control. ย Hence, build top-notch and useful apps for helping those apps get better placement in app store.
