ASO is a critical aspect of mobile app marketing that can help app marketers improve their app’s visibility, attract more users, and increase revenue. Here are some crucial App Store stats (source: Storemaven) to keep in mind:
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Now, we will focus on what ASO is (ASO definition) and why every app marketer needs it while implementing an app marketing strategy.
Moreover, we will give you all the techniques and methods you need to grasp to thrive at app store optimization in our useful guide. Whether you are a beginner or have some experience with ASO, you will discover all the knowledge you need to rank your app higher in app stores.
ASO, or App Store Optimization, is the process of optimizing mobile apps to rank higher in an app store’s search results. About 70% of app store visitors use search to discover new apps, underscoring the vital role of search optimization in app visibility.
The goal of ASO is to increase visibility, attract more downloads (i.e., increase the conversion rate from page visit to download), and improve user engagement for a mobile application.
With the competition among mobile apps increasing daily, ASO has become a crucial aspect of mobile app marketing.
When it comes to ASO definition and its elements – it involves optimizing various elements of an app, including the title, description, keywords, icon, screenshots, ratings, and reviews. By optimizing these elements, an app can increase its visibility in the app store, attract more users, and ultimately increase its revenue.
Notably, apps that are optimized for the App Store can see an average 30% increase in downloads (source: gitnux).
In addition, it is similar to SEO (hence the nickname app SEO), which is used to optimize websites to rank higher in search engine results. However, ASO is specific to mobile apps and takes into account the unique features and limitations of the app stores.
As we have mentioned, App Store Optimization is the process of optimizing mobile apps to improve their visibility and ranking in the app stores, such as Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Below you can see the main factors that influence App Store Optimization:
By optimizing these factors, you can improve your app’s visibility and increase the number of downloads, which can, of course, lead to higher revenue and growth for your business.
Related: Types of Metadata in ASO: A Complete Guide for Marketers
While the principles of ASO definition and its strategy are similar for both Google Play and the App Store, there are some differences in the specific strategies and techniques used for each platform. We have gathered some key differences between ASO for Google Play and the App Store you can find below.
Both app stores use keywords to rank apps in search results, but the way each Store’s algorithm handles keywords is different. Both Google Play and App Store allow developers to use up to 4,000 characters in the app description.
The main difference when it comes to keywords is that in Google Play:
The app title is a critical ASO element that affects both search visibility and user click-through rates. In Google Play, the app title has a 30-character limit (which was changed last year from 50 characters), as well as the app title in App Store. However, because Google Play has changed its limit, many app developers forgot to update the title, and now it is cut.
Both app stores consider user reviews and ratings when ranking apps, but the weight given to these factors varies. In Google Play, the number of installs and user engagement metrics like retention rate and session length also play a role in the ranking algorithm.
In the App Store, reviews and ratings are more heavily weighted, and apps with higher ratings tend to rank higher in search results. Therefore, we should focus on the fact that ratings and reviews have an impact on the conversion rate. The app’s average rating should be above four to be appealing.
Both app stores allow developers to use screenshots and videos to showcase their app’s features and user experience. However, the layout and requirements for these visual assets are different. Google Play requires at least two screenshots, while the App Store requires at least three.
Moreover, Google Play offers a total of eight slots for screenshots, while App Store offers ten, and we highly recommend using all of them to increase the chances for users to discover more about your app.
In case you can’t manage to get that many, try at least to use six (especially on the App Store), as this will have a positive impact when showcasing both the organic and paid result through Apple Search Ads.
In addition, the dimensions and orientation of screenshots are different between the two app stores.
ASO A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a method of comparing two or more variations of an app store listing to determine which one performs better. In the context of app stores, A/B testing can be used to optimize various elements of an app’s listing, such as the short description in Google Play, icons, and screenshots.
Below, we have listed the five main considerations for A/B testing in app stores.
Before conducting the ASO definition Store A/B testing, it’s important to define your goals and metrics for success. This could include increasing conversion rates as the Stores report it as the main metric. Having clear goals will help guide your testing strategy and ensure that you’re measuring the right metrics.
To accurately measure the impact of a change, it’s important only to test one element at a time. For example, if you’re testing different app icons, make sure that all other elements of the listing remain the same. This will help you isolate the impact of the change and determine which variation performs better.
Both Stores will perform the A/B test on a defined audience (for example, 50/50), and after it has achieved an appropriate sample size, it will provide us with an outcome. However, due to an app’s limited audience size, it may take some time to finish an A/B test – in this situation, we can make some recommendations, but we must be cautious.
It’s also important to test for a sufficient length of time to gather enough data. This will depend on the volume of traffic to your app listing and your personal A/B testing strategy and findings. Still, a general rule among some app marketers is to run tests for a minimum of seven days (in most cases, it’s much longer) to ensure that you’re capturing a representative sample of users.
There are a variety of A/B testing tools available that can help you set up and run tests in app stores. These tools can automate the process of creating and running experiments, as well as provide analytics and insights to help you make informed decisions.
In addition to this, there are also Stores’ A/B testing tools which you can use alternatively.
With millions of apps available in app stores, it can be challenging for app marketers to stand out and attract users. ASO can help app marketers improve their app’s visibility and attract more downloads. Interestingly, fewer than 2% of app developers employ professional ASO, indicating a significant opportunity for those who choose to leverage this resource.
Here are some reasons why ASO’s definition and strategy are essential for app marketers.
By optimizing an app’s title, description, and keywords, app marketers can improve its visibility in app store search results. When an app ranks higher in search results, it is more likely to be discovered and downloaded by users.
ASO can help app marketers acquire more users by improving their app’s visibility in the app store. When more users discover and download an app, it can lead to increased revenue for the app marketer. It could also lead to great results when ASO and paid UA are combined.
If you’re looking to delve deeper into the topic of paid user acquisition, we highly recommend exploring our comprehensive eBook: Mastering Mobile Paid User Acquisition.
By optimizing an app’s icon, screenshots, ratings and reviews, app marketers can improve user engagement. When users are engaged with an app, they are more likely to use it frequently, leave positive reviews, and recommend it to others.
Regarding ASO definition and ASO itself – it is a cost-effective marketing strategy that can help app marketers attract more users without spending a lot of money on advertising.
Optimizing an app’s elements allows app marketers to improve its visibility and attract more downloads without spending a lot of money on user acquisition campaigns. It also helps us reduce the overall cost per install.
Since we are near the end, we have a checklist you should always keep in mind for an effective app store optimization strategy:
Hopefully, you have a firm grasp of the ASO definition and how it can help any app marketer in their current and future marketing efforts alone or combined with paid user acquisition.
ASO is a critical, yet still forgotten, aspect of mobile app marketing that can help app marketers improve their app’s visibility, attract more users, and increase revenue.
By optimizing an app’s elements, app marketers can improve its search rankings, attract more downloads, and improve user engagement. With the competition among mobile apps increasing by the day, ASO has become a must-have for app marketers who want to succeed in the mobile app market.
Are you interested in improving your App Store Optimization strategy? Get in touch with our ASO team of experts and start growing your app today.
It depends. A combination of ASO and Paid UA will make a guaranteed success for the app. Nevertheless, App Store Optimization raises an app’s exposure in the app store, which leads to more users discovering and investigating the app, raising the likelihood of downloads.
The ASO definition is the following: it is the process of improving mobile apps to rank better in the search results of an app store (Google Play and/or App Store). The better your app ranks in the search results of an app store, the more visible it is to potential consumers.
One of ASO’s aims is to boost the number of app downloads and for an app to rank higher in the Stores. However, it can also raise brand awareness, encourage user engagement, and generate feedback and reviews.
Originally published on March 20, 2023. Updated on October 5, 2023.