App Store Optimization – What it Means
App Store Optimization (ASO) is a fairly new term, but the practice of optimizing your app for the app store has been going on for well over a decade. App stores will rank apps depending on multiple factors, such as keywords in description, keywords in the title, useful images, and much more. Being better than the competition in these aspects will catapult your app to the top of the lists.
ASO and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) are often grouped together, but the two are completely different when coming to what you need to rank for and how you get to the top. Although there may be some overlapping methods, ASO is essentially a closed-site search engine.
Just like SEO, it relies on the right indexation, discoverable content and manipulation of the App store’s ranking algorithms. If you are able to portray how you app will help the community you are trying to get in front of, the app stores will make sure you are being seen. This will ultimately lead to more installs, usage, and reviews.
The Importance of ASO
Without good ASO, your app will only reach your close friends and family. You could have the most useful app in the world, the most sleek app in the world, but if you don’t properly market for your app, it won’t be getting any downloads.
Performing proper ASO will connect you with an audience that is interested in what your app has to offer, and will push the unique aspects the app into the right customers hands. Quality ASO will boost installs immediately, making your app a target for advertisers in your market as well. Because ASO leads to more organic installs than any advertisement installs, you’ll also be bigger asset than your competition.
How to Perform Quality ASO
Below, you can find a short list of ways to optimize for the various app stores.
- Using keywords in your app’s name
- Including keywords in your app’s description
- Localizing content
- Using the right primary and secondary app categories
- Screenshots and other useful images
If you want to take one example and dive further into it, let’s look at localizing the content. That doesn’t mean you only advertise to your local area. In fact, it means the complete opposite. If you are developing your app out of California, that won’t directly translate to only downloads in your area. People from all over the world have access to the apps stores hosting your app, and you need to market to them as well.
If you try a quick fix with Google Translate, you won’t translate perfectly, and it will be an immediate turn off for anyone that catches a mistake in your description. Have screenshots, demo videos, and descriptions in any language that may see your app in the store.
Another simple way to rank better in the app stores, is to simply replicate what some of the high ranking apps are doing. Especially take note of the apps that aren’t as heavily downloaded yet, but are ranking high in a relevant category. They are doing something right.
The App Launchers and ASO
At The App Launchers, we offer a full ASO report and what you can do to improve the ranking of your app in the stores. From creating your dream app, to ensuring it is showing up in the top results in the categories you want, we can do it all.
There is a massive market for your app, regardless of the category your app falls into. The iOS App Store has the following Categories, with the percentage of total apps listed next to the name:
1. Games: 22%
2. Business: 10%
3. Education: 9%
4. Lifestyle: 9%
5. Utilities: 6%
6. Entertainment: 6%
7. Travel: 4%
8. Food & Drink: The remaining Categories (35%)
9. Health & Fitness
10. Productivity
11. Finance
12. Shopping
13. Book
14. Music
15. Social Networking
16. Sports
17. Photo & Video
18. Reference
19. Medical
20. News
With over 4.3 million apps on the iOS App Store, it’s clear that there isn’t a shortage of options for consumers. If you only looked at total app volume, we might feel like we could pack up and go home. All with the assurance that somebody somewhere has already built and deployed your app idea; them becoming rich while you stay not-rich…
This is the point where I pull you from the edge of a cliff and explain how there is still a massive opportunity for your App! Even though the least crowded category on the App Store has something close to 43,000 options to chose from…
We still have a ton more material to review before you feel confident that you can win, despite the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against you. For now, I’ll say this much to put you at ease for now (so you can continue to focus). The only value in looking at the numbers I’ve listed is knowing the size of your opportunity. These numbers don’t have any bearing on your success, only on the potential size of your success.