You may have heard of App Store Optimization (ASO) and feel your brains go into overdrive! Chances are you probably have no idea what that means or that it appears pretty much the same as Search Engine Optimization (SEO), only to realize that it is not so. Despite being warily relatable to SEO, the reality of ASO is far more deep and complex. A key differentiator of ASO and SEO is what happens when a visitor or user enters the website or the app, in this case. The moment a user enters the site the purpose of SEO is over, whereas the purpose of ASO begins when a user lands on an app page and their journey afterwards.
App Store Optimization in a Nutshell
In short, App Store Optimization is the creation of content that allows app marketers and developers to let their app rank higher in terms of a specific set of keywords. From the perspectives of an iOS app development company, ensuring that their apps feature in the top ranks of app store searches is vital. For this purpose, a targeted list of keywords is what the mobile app company requires. However, ASO is an often-overlooked marketing technique, although ASO is an integral part of app success and discoverability.
A 9-Point Checklist
For a mobile app company, optimizing their applications is imperative to ensure that both their in-house and client apps are discoverable in the app store searches. We review a 10-point checklist to enable an iOS app development company rank their apps higher on search results.
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Fill your credentials on iTunes Connect to generate detailed insights as well as to monitor your app performance.
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The addition of at least 5 well-researched and relevant keywords to your keyword analytics is highly recommendable for improving your App Store discoverability.
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Competitive Analysis is another effective approach to determine how your app stacks up against other players in the market. Even the analytics generated by one competitor is a plausible option.
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An apt description highlighting the major features of the app can often lead to an increase in the conversion rates.
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The app description should be such that it is easy to read, besides being easy to understand.
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Screenshots are another valuable option that adds a visual feel to the users on how the app would work, once downloaded. Optimize the screens for each device while utilizing the space for all 5 screenshots options.
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App previews in the form of short, introductory videos can be tagged along with its description.
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Reviews and ratings, if available from the right user and in the right context, are highly constructive in enhancing app performance, features or even functionalities.
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Utilize the power and reach of social – implement social media engagement along with push notifications to connect with users on a personalized level.
The key difference between SEO and ASO lies in what happens after users enter your website (or app page, in our case). For SEO, that’s where the process ends. The point behind including certain keyword in the text is to make sure your website appears among the top search results for relevant (and sometime irrelevant) queries.