What is App store optimization | ASO in 2023

With millions of apps available, bringing your app to potential users is impossible without App Store optimization. This blog explains “what is App store optimization.“

According to the App Data Report by Business of Apps, there are 1.76 million apps available in the App store by 2022. And the report mentioned,, in 2022, users have downloaded 142.6 billion apps. 

With the increasing number of apps available on the App store, it is getting harder for app developers to get their apps discovered by people. That is why you need to focus on App Store Optimization (ASO) to get your app in the higher ranks on app store search results. 

In this blog article, we discuss What is App store optimization & will guide you on how to do it. If you want more people to download your apps, this blog will guide you on how to do that.

What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?

So, what is App optimization? Why is it important to know the basics of app store optimization? Why is it important to focus on that? Let’s discuss everything. 

App Store Optimization is optimizing a mobile app to get a higher rank in app store search results. When your app ranks higher, it is more visible to potential users. As we mentioned before, there are already 1.76 million apps available on the App store. Without optimizing, it will be impossible to stand out from these millions of apps & appear in front of potential users.

The ASO has other names like Mobile App SEO & app store marketing. All these convey a similar meaning.

Basics of App Store Optimization:

App Store Algorithm:

The App Store algorithm is a combination of rules & factors that decide how apps rank & display in app store search results. App store uses this algorithm & decides which apps are relevant & useful for a user’s search term. 

Below are some factors in AS algorithm,

1.App’s metadata- Metadata includes title, description & keywords. When you optimize your metadata, it increases the chance to rank higher.

2.User engagement- This includes the number of user feedback/ reviews, number of downloads, ratings & other metrics. If an app has more engagement it will rank higher in search results. 

3.App updates- Regularly updating your app with new functions & fix issues will help your app to rank higher in search results.

4.Quality of the app- The quality of your app includes its security, performance & stability. If your app meets the app store quality standards, it will rank higher.

Similar to search engine algorithms, AS algorithm makes sure that the most relevant & useful mobile apps are in the search results. 

So, does your app meet these requirements?

Benefits of App store optimization

The majority of internet users discover apps through the app store. That makes the app store the most used method to find & download apps. Let’s see some benefits of App store optimization.

1.Increase your App visibility.

Let’s look at how people use the App store to find apps. First, they enter a keyword/ word related to the app they are looking for. The App store uses its algorithm & gives a list of apps related to that keyword. 

Here is where ASO helps your app to rank higher in these search results. You can optimize metadata & increase the chances to rank higher in search results.

For example, if your app is a cooking recipe app, you can include relevant keywords like cooking recipes, recipes, cooking…etc, in your app metadata.

And ASO helps you to create more clear & compelling app titles & app descriptions that represent its benefits & features. When your app’s visibility increases, you can attract more potential users & increase the download rate. 

2.Gives a higher App store ranking.

When your app ranks higher, it is more likely to be discovered by potential users & increase the download rate. Studies show that the app with higher ranks gets more downloads than the app rank lower.

In addition, a higher rank helps to get more visibility & increase downloads. It leads to more revenues. Overall, increasing an app’s ranking through ASO helps attract more users, increase app downloads and revenue, & improve the overall success of your app.

3.Cost-effective way to promote your apps.

Traditional advertising methods like paid campaigns require a large budget & resources. But you can do ASO with little or no cost.

Optimizing the app’s metadata (title, description, keywords) is a piece of cake for anyone with basic knowledge of the app store algorithm & proper tools. And optimizing the visuals of your app can be done with low-cost resources. 

So, ASO is a cost-effective way to promote your app and increase its visibility, downloads, and revenue.

App Store Optimization Best Practices:

1.A proper keyword research.

You know how important it is to find relevant keywords in search engine optimization. Just like that, in ASO also, you need to find relevant keywords. Keyword research is a crucial part of ASO since it helps you identify search terms & phrases people use when they search for apps in the App store. When you use these keywords in your metadata, your app will be discovered by potential users. 

There are numerous tools you can use to conduct keyword research like Google Keyword planner & App annie. These tools help you search for keywords & see their search volume & the competition. 

You should select keywords that are relevant to your app & have higher search volume & low competition. The reason is, when you select low competition keywords, that means only few competitors are using those & there is a low competition to rank higher in search results. 

Where should you incorporate these keywords?

Once you identify the most relevant keywords with higher search volume & low competition, you can use them in your app title, app description & other metadata. Make sure to use your main keyword in the app title because it impacts the app store algorithm a lot. 

So, as you see, keyword research & identifying keywords is a major part of your app store optimization strategy. 

2.Optimize your app title.

Title is an important part of your app as it is the 1st thing people notice when they browse the app store.Your app title should be memorable, easy to pronounce & creative. And most importantly it should convey what your app does. 

So, how to optimize your app title?

The most important thing is including the main keyword into your app title. It will boost your app search ranking. But make sure not to do keyword stuffing in the title as it will be unappealing to your audience.

An app title should be easy to pronounce & memorable for users. Keep it as simple as possible & use 2-30 characters. 

Some examples of optimized app titles are, 

• Duolingo – Learn languages for Free 

Duolingo is a famous app for language learning in many countries. As you can notice they have used a main keyword, learn languages in their title. And they emphasize that their app is free in the title. 

• Trello- Organize anything with anyone, anywhere!

Trello is a famous app that helps organize projects within an organization & used by many companies globally. They use the keyword , Organize & convey that their app is for collaboration & flexible. 

• UberEats- Food delivery

They use the main keyword, Food delivery & the app title is unique & memorable that helped them to be one of the famous brands in the world.

3.Use an informative app description.

The description of your app is essential because it provides a detailed overview of your app & its functions & benefits. Give your app a detailed description & help potential users understand what they will get through your app.

Your app description should be clear & make sure to use simple words/ language. Avoid using complex technical words because not all app users are tech savvy. 

Your app description plays a major part in convincing users to download your app. And you should include your main target keyword within the app description (within the first few lines). This helps to improve app search ranking. 

Mention the features & benefits of your app & help users understand what they can receive when using your app.

4.Use an eye-catching app icon.

App icons play a major role in recognition of the app. It is the image that appears on the user’s mobile home screen. As it is the first visual element that people see about your app, make sure to use a memorable icon. 

Examples of some memorable app icons are,

• SnapChat – The SnapChat icon shows a white ghost on a yellow background. 
• Instagram – A unique camera icon in a gradient background.
• TikTok– A white music note with a mix of blue & red neon colors in a black background. 
• Duolingo– A cute Owl face with a highlight green color background. Using an Owl is awesome because Owl is the wisest animal & its perfect for a learning app.
• Facebook– A simple “f” in a blue background.
• Twitter– White color bird with a blue background.

These are only a few examples, but there are more amazing app icons that come to our mind when we remember them.Same as the app title, the app icon should represent what your app is about. It should be visually appealing with a simple & eye-catching design & colors.

5.Encourage ratings & reviews.

Ratings & reviews are important in App store optimization. They have a direct influence for app visibility & ranking. When you encourage users to rate & review your app it will help to get better visibility & more downloads. 

You can ask them to add a review when they use your app or completed actions in your app. And you can offer in-app rewards or discounts when users give a review. 

And make sure to respond to the user feedback & try to solve the issues they mentioned within their feedback.It will give you a good image & convey that you value user opinions. An app with many good reviews has a competitive advantage over other apps.

5.Localize your app.

Localizing involves adapting your app metadata & content for different languages, cultures & countries.You can translate content in your app into different languages & reach a global audience.

When you localize your app, it helps to reach a wider audience & increase the visibility of your app & increase the downloads. Localizing is not a simple process & it requires a sound planning & effort. You can hire professional translators of the languages you target & work on this.

Conclusion

In conclusion, App Store Optimization is a process that helps to boost your app’s visibility, app downloads & revenue. In our blog article, we have explained what is App store optimization & the basics of ASO. We shared some of the best practices you could follow in your app store optimization strategy. By following these you can improve the chances of your app of being discovered by potential users & convince them to download your app.

ASO is not a one time thing & you need to continuously monitor & keep up with the updates , algorithms & trends. We have explained to you “what is App store optimization?” & the tips you can use when planning a good strategy.

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