What is App Store Optimization?
App Store is a marketplace for downloading apps. Some mobile apps are free of cost and some apps can be purchased. App store optimization or ASO is a method of improvising your mobile app’s visibility in the app store. It is a process that boosts the mobile app’s rank to bring it in higher number in the app store’s search result.
Optimizing your app for an app store is an effective procedure for making sure your app meets the ranking criteria of the app store. App store optimization helps in bringing your app to a better search rank in the search results.
Whether you are developing an app for Apple’s App Store, Google Play, Microsoft Store or any other app store, app store optimization will be essential everywhere.
Apps are downloaded based on three criteria, the app store search result, featured on the top chart and through a featured screen. As the statistics of March 2017 show, there are 2.8 million apps available on Android or Google Play to download whereas on Apple’s App Store there are 2.2 million available apps. Windows Store, Amazon Appstore and BlackBerry World follow the league respectively. These figures show how tough your competition can be in whichever app store you deploy your app in.
Developing an app takes time, effort and a lot of hard work. This is not done by just one person but a whole team’s efforts are part of this one project. Unless your app is live and searchable to the audience, it will mean nothing.
Looking at the number of available apps on the app store, it is important to analyze how important it is for your app to be discovered by the users. The visibility of your app will be boosted by a strong app store optimization strategy.
ASO or app store optimization is similar to search engine optimization (SEO) for websites, the difference is that ASO is for mobile apps and app stores. Optimizing different key factors of your app will make your app get a better ranking in search results and get real users to use it.
More than 60% of apps are discovered by users by app store searches. Like Google search results, users tend to follow the results that are displayed on the top 5 or top 10 search results. Users tend to give preference to the first loaded search result more compared to the results shown below or on the next page.
Key players in-app store optimization
App store optimization includes targeting few important factors that affect how your app performs in an app store. Take each factor, strive to solve the problems it might have, apply the appropriate solution to the factor. Follow a process to make sure you are changing the right way. These factors include:
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- App name or app title
- App keywords
- Number of downloads
- App ratings and/or reviews
Adding app store optimization to your marketing strategy for your app will be beneficial as you will be prepared to complete the required tasks for it. ASO will help in making the performance of your app better. Many app store optimization tools and options are available to optimize the rank of your app in the app store.
It is also important to stay patient for ASO to make your app perform better in the app store. Put time and effort into ASO and see the changes that happen to your app. Rushing and hurrying to see the performance of your app will not be good for you, your business and your app. With ASOS be found in the app store.
About Author
Hitesh Dhawan
Founder of Neuronimbus, A digital evangelist, entrepreneur, mentor, digital tranformation expert. Two decades of providing digital solutions to brands around the world.