Top 5 App Store Optimization (ASO) Hacks For Better Rankings
Anyone who owns a smartphone knows just how massive the app market is today. Between Apple, Android, and Windows, there are untold numbers of apps for every occasion, most of which will never be seen by a wide audience. Is your app among them? It doesn’t have to be.
App Store Optimization (ASO) is the process of getting your app closer to the top of the app store’s search results. It’s a simple enough concept, right? In a perfect world, ASO would just entail developing an amazing app that everyone will automatically want to download, but that’s not how it works. You’ll need to spend a little time understanding what impacts an app’s ranking and what steps you should to take to improve yours.
1. Make a Strong First Impression
While browsing through an app list, the first thing that sticks out is the title. A good title should tell a user everything they need to know about the app they’re looking at while staying true to the developer’s brand. It’s keyword rich, representing the app’s purpose to a “T” without being too lengthy.
If your title is intriguing enough, users will want to know more. Consider your app’s description the biggest chance to really sell your service. For that reason, it’s important to create a well-written, informative blurb about your app that lets users know why they should download it and how it will benefit them. Make sure to put the most valuable information right up front where it can’t be missed.
2. Be Visual
Image via Flickr by Jasonahowie
Your app’s icon says a lot more about your brand and the app itself than you may realize. It catches users’ eyes, draws them in, and encourages a click. If it’s an uneffective icon, it does the exact opposite. Design an attractive icon that tells a story about your brand, but avoid using pictures or too many colors.
Don’t underestimate the role screenshots play in your app’s success either. Choose them wisely. Each screenshot should clearly reflect your app’s functions and strengths to most effectively engage potential customers. Try thinking of your screenshots as a crash course of sorts through your app’s features so users get a good idea of what to expect.
3. Know How to Use Keywords
Any keywords you didn’t use for your title should be placed in the keyword field to attract even more traffic to your app. It can be tough to get the hang of choosing the best keywords, but a little research will go a long way. Do some detective work to figure out which words draw the most attention while remaining true to your brand.
Keep in mind that some app markets don’t take kindly to keyword stuffing. If you go overboard with being too repetitive or irrelevant, you run the risk of getting your app suspended.
4. Adapt When Necessary
Always be mindful of where you’re publishing your app. Markets can differ greatly, sometimes in subtle ways you may not be aware of. For example, Google Play lets you upload a YouTube video to serve as the first app screenshot. What works on one market might not always work on another, so be willing to adapt your ASO accordingly.
5. Concentrate on What You Can Control
Every mobile phone is different. Unfortunately, some things that affect your app are out of your direct control. Users tend to pick apps that have been downloaded frequently and that have been positively reviewed. You obviously can’t control how many reviews your app gets or what rating a user gives it, but you can focus on improving your ASO as well as your app in general. If you concentrate on optimizing your keywords, title, and images, you will almost certainly see more traffic that can increase your visibility to even more users.
The app market is one of the most competitive out there, but its size shouldn’t prevent you from exposing your app to a large audience. While ASO is a tricky process, it allows for valuable tweaking and experimentation that could ultimately lead to your app being the next big thing.
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