So do you really know what App Store Optimization is? It’s the process of improving the app visibility in app stores so that the app is more often found by users and the number of downloads increases.
Even if you have a lot of money to invest in user acquisition, ASO is important because it brings you free organic downloads from users who are browsing the app store with seo or searching for specific words within the app store.
These downloads tend to turn into high quality users, because instead of being persuaded by an advertisement to download the app, they were looking for apps, which already shows an existent interest or need, so the user has a greater tendency to become a loyal user.
Key benefits of App Store Optimization (ASO)
- Increases organic downloads.
- Enhances app visibility in stores.
- Improves app ranking based on relevant keywords.
- Reduces dependency on paid advertising.
ASO is similar to SEO?
ASO is similar to SEO, which is the technique used to increase the visibility of web pages. We can imagine the app stores as a big department stores where the apps are the products. The user entering in the app store can navigate through featured apps, which are chosen by app stores.
The user may also be interested in a certain app category like games, shopping apps, tools like flashlights and other utilities.
In a store, the products that lie ahead in the best positions on the rankings are likely to be more viewed and bought. Likewise, mobile apps in the best positions within the app categories will also be most viewed and downloaded.
Besides categories, the user can use the search tools of the app stores to find what they want. ASO also aims to optimize the ranking of the most relevant keywords to your app so that it is found more often by terms that really matter and you get more organic downloads.
What are organic downloads?
Organic downloads are the ones you get without paying for them. That is, it’s those downloads that happen after the user searches for your brand or some word related to your app to find it in a natural way – that is, an organic way.
Billions of smartphone users are looking for apps to solve their problems or have fun daily. Whether it is to communicate, to turn on a light, to count or to solve a health problem, nowadays there is “an app for everything”.
But not all apps are known by name, so users constantly search for generic words to find for a solution: “meal delivery”, “taxi”, “flashlight app”, “billiard game”. All of these are examples of common searches on the app store.
Search is one of the most powerful sources of downloads. Whether for large apps, with millions of downloads, or for new apps looking for their first downloads, the strategies of App Store Optimization is a process that adds a lot of value and can be applied alongside other mobile marketing techniques, and it is also one of the approaches with the best return on investment.
The importance of App Store Optimization
A FIKSU survey showed that 75% of Android apps downloads come from search. 50% are searches using a brand name, then they are from users who already knew the app or brand before searching, and 25% are generic searches such as offers and logic games.
This survey also showed that users who download an app during the search are 50% more likely to turn into loyal users. Then, if all that potential of app store users is in search, you need to use tools for App Store Optimization to appear in the top positions. Having a good positioning can bring benefits like:
- More visibility. Who is seen will be remembered! In this case, the better your rankings are, the more visible -and more viewed- is your app will be…
- More Downloads. As users tend to click more on the apps that appear in the first results, the more downloads you get.
Positioning in the app store
For a better understanding of the relationship between better visibility in the app store and more downloads, you need to understand another data: 80% of the times a user searches for a word in the app store search (considering top app stores such as Apple’s app store and Play Store) the user downloads one of the applications that appears in the top 10 positions.
That is, 8 out of 10 users only go to the tenth position in the ranking to check the apps, and the vast majority only downloads the firsts placed.
This is an example of opportunity for large vehicles that have soap opera content. Users tend to download featured apps, which in this case are not leading apps in the subject. This best practices of App Store Optimization is an opportunity that would be better used if the best keywords were used along with other forms of optimization.
How to make App Store Optimization
App store optimization is not a simple process, but it can be done simply, quickly and automated with the tool RankMyApp. The tool combines all the factors that influence the search positioning to offer through an algorithm the best suitable opportunities for your application within your market.
Each market has specific characteristics. Three factors have great influence in your optimization and positioning:
- The competition within your market
- The users’ interest in the subject
- How optimized is your app
The first two factors unfortunately are not easy to manipulate: it is virtually impossible to control the competition and it is very difficult to stimulate a large number of users to search for a certain market unless you make huge advertising investments.
The third factor is directly controlled by you, responsible for the app. By optimizing the elements you can control, you can improve your app’s search position and achieve better results in organic downloads, which can bring more sales, more promotion of your service or product, lower media costs and many other benefits.
Do you want to understand more of what is App Store Optimization and automate the process? Check our services at RankMyApp and start getting more downloads.
