More Than You KnowThe complete guide to perfecting your app store optimization

ASO

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There are countless how-to guides for mobile development; however, building a

solid product is useless if users fail to find it in the App Store. That is why, before

you are tempted to invest in the latest mobile trend, you must first cover the

basics as so many app marketers and developers neglect to do.

App Store Optimization (ASO) is the single most important stage for generating

quality organic traffic for your app page. App marketers and developers must

realize that mobile marketing is not just about coming up with cool, creative ideas

(although that is most definitely part of the job), but is more than often a technical

procedure that takes place out of plain sight.

Unfortunately, even mobile marketers who are familiar with the importance of

ASO, tend to focus mainly - if not solely – on keyword research. But even though

it is a vital part of the process, there's a lot more to it than that.

The purpose of ASO is not only to generate app-page traffic, but also to make

sure your app is discovered by relevant, loyal users who will not only visit the app

page but continue to install your app and use it on a regular basis. Always

remember: It’s not necessarily about traffic, it’s about conversion.

In order to truly optimize your app store page, you need to pay close attention to

various aspects that will come into play during a potential user's visit. The

following list details the key steps in creating a creative, compelling and

informative experience that will do just that:

App description

Keywords research is great for generating the best results out of Google and Apple's

algorithms. However, the individuals who will actually read your app description and

decide whether or not to install your product are human. That's why overloading

your content with keywords (and in turn creating a baffling app description) is a

terrible (yet very common) approach for ASO. Having a professional writer on board

is a good idea in order to make sure that your description is both grammatically

correct (which on its own is quite the challenge when looking to include specific

keywords) as well as compelling enough to "sell" the product to prospective users.

Remember:

Potential users don't know or care about keywords. They want the apps that are

asking permission to access their most sensitive information to be serious and smart.

Don’t write a description that might suggest otherwise.

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Step #1

App logo

Make sure your icon is, well, iconic. It should do more than just give users a sense of

what the app is all about. Choose the right colors, shapes and feel to fit your product

perfectly. One way of turning a flat logo into an eye-catching beauty is to present a

smaller picture surrounded by a frame, and allow your logo to "break" the frame,

which will create a cool 3D effect. Your icon is important not only when convincing

users to install the app, but also when it comes to convincing the user to use the app

on a regular basis. You want to make sure your icon is memorable and easily

recognizable so that app users will be able to easily track it on their device.

Remember:

When potential users scroll and examine different options, your icon is the first (and

sometimes only) thing they will notice. You have to stand out.

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Step #2

Screenshots

Many developers think of app page screenshots as a features list, which is

unfortunate, inefficient and above all counterproductive. Typically what happens is

the developers will present a series of bland photos and focus on explaining their app

(often poorly) instead of allowing users to really experience their product through

carefully crafted images. Instead of using simple in-app screenshots, which are

probably not that impressive to begin with, it's important to make the most out of this

space and look at it as if it's another advertising space to strategically promote your

app. Newer and/or less familiar brands should pay extra attention to this opportunity

to shine and treat every inch of the app page as valuable space meant for advertising

the product.

Remember:

Just like you would never use a bland, simple banner, don't let such a crucial part of

your app's page become boring and predictable. A picture is worth a thousand

words, so utilize screenshots to tell a compelling story.

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Step #3

Video Trailer

A video trailer is not always a good idea, and can actually have a negative influence

on your conversion rates. Not only that, but a video production can be rather costly

and does not adapt easily to changes within your app, so if you choose to make a

video, make sure to create one that will still allow for a certain level of flexibility. It is

important to ensure that your video is not only informative, but also entertaining. We

are well familiar with the strict guidelines Apple imposes upon developers, so think

outside the box and try to be creative despite these limitations. A trailer that strictly

consists of in-app footage might get approved by your reviewer, but on the flip side,

it also is likely to completely bore your prospective users. When in doubt – always put

the user first.

Remember:

Your trailer allows users to see not only what your product does, but also how

creative the people behind it are. Do your best to make a statement.

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Step #4

Competitive Research

Keep your friends close, and your direct competition closer. The best way to learn

what you should (and shouldn’t) be doing in the App Store is to keep an eye on what

your competitors are up to. You can use this tactic to discover keywords you might

be missing, learn about new techniques and updates, and generally get inspired.

There are some optimization tools out there that will give you easy access to this

information by comparing rankings between your app and competing ones. Use

these measuring tools, as well as your own common sense, and update your app

page accordingly. We assume that your mobile strategy includes a comprehensive

competitive research element; nevertheless, focusing on ASO is a crucial part of the

process.

Remember:

It's always good to see what the current standard is and then do something

completely different in order to become an App Store superstar.

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Step #5

Reviews and 5 Star Ratings

Even in the digital and mobile age, word-of-mouth remains a powerful marketing

tool, and when users visit your app page, they examine previous users' experience

very carefully. Furthermore, on Google Play, the reviews section is highly visible and

prominent. Make sure to highlight positive reviews and reply to negative ones

immediately. In the digital age, users expect a reply within roughly an hour. In some

cases this will require assigning a specific team member to monitor the reviews

section on a regular basis, essentially taking full ownership of this task alone.

Remember:

Negative reviews can provide valuable insights as to what users are looking for when

they download your app.

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Step #6

App Name

Your app's name should be memorable, catchy and informative. Not only that, but it

should also include leading keywords as part of your title. With a strict character

limitation on Google Play and an unpredictable approach by Apple – choosing the

right name for your app is one of the biggest challenges of ASO. Don't be tempted to

choose a title based solely on what sounds attractive and fun. Devote the time to

research your category and see how your chosen keywords can influence ranking.

Similarly to your app description, the title should be optimized regularly according to

the most researched results.

Remember:

Only the first characters of your chosen title will be visible to users, so make it short

and sweet.

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Step #7

Category

In addition to different App Store categories, Apple introduced subcategories as part

of iOS 8, thus dividing the App Store into micro segments allowing apps to rank

highly in specific fields. Many app marketers are still not on board when it comes to

choosing the right sub-category to influence their app ranking for a specific arena. It

is best to choose the right category based not only on what is most relevant, but also

based on the level of competition and generated revenue. And yes, like every other

aspect of the ASO process, this too requires serious thought and research.

Remember:

Your chosen category gives potential users a better sense of what your app does,

and allows them to find you in a relevant search.

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Step #8

Price

We're sure that your product is priceless to you, but determining your app's worth to

users is tricky for other reasons. With so many free apps available, asking users to pay

for yours seems almost insane. However, in order to be featured in the "apps on sale"

or "free app of the week" section, you must first name your price. Make sure to put a

price tag on your product that makes sense to both users and your business plan,

and launch special offers and sales during the holidays.

Remember:

If your app is on sale, make it part of your PR plan as well, and get featured on an

"apps gone free" post.

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Step #9

Localization

App developers and marketers must speak their users' language, literally. Even if two

geographic locations speak the same language, the cultural references and

preferences might be profoundly different. That is why even the UK App Store and

the U.S. one require separate keyword research. Furthermore, if your target audience

speaks Korean – so should your app description. The localization procedure should

take into account every aspect of your app page, very much including visuals. It is

about far more than just translating content: you must pay attention to the language

aspect and only trust native speaking pros (not Google translate) to do the job.

Remember:

There's no "one size fits all" in ASO. Include local phrases and slang to match each

specific location.

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Step #10

Keyword Research

A thorough keyword research is the foundation of your ASO strategy, and is an

ongoing effort of the highest priority. Your page content should be comprise of

relevant, sought-after terms that will lead potential users to your app. The trick here

is to hit the right balance between the different levels of traffic and difficulty. Naturally,

words that are ranked high in traffic tend to be more competitive. Some words are

worth competing for, but choose your battles wisely. It is important to remember that

the ASO process is never truly over, and always keep an eye on the ranking,

optimizing and learning from mistakes. Please take into consideration that without

the right know-how, ASO tools can produce contradicting results that will leave you

mostly confused as to which keywords you should include in your app page.

Remember:

Including the right words in your app page will generate most of the organic traffic to

your app, so give it all you've got.

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Step #11

Analytics

There is no rest in optimization. In fact, once your description, screenshots and title

are all in place – you can get started. Make sure to constantly measure and optimize

your results to gain insight. The keyword (see what we did there?) is "testing",

especially since Google and Apple's algorithms are constantly changing. Try different

keywords and change your description and visuals repeatedly. We recommend

implementing dedicated tracking tools to see where and possibly why you've lost

users' attention. With Apple's new analytics tool, you can learn a lot about your app

page visitors and make smarter decisions.

Remember:

It's a trial and error business. The saying "if you don't try, you will never succeed" has

never been more fitting.

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Step #12

Conclusions

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A properly executed ASO process is no easy task. It requires creative talent,

analytical skills and a whole lot of patience. But the reward is more than worth

it. It is no exaggeration to say that optimizing your app page can make all the

difference between App Store success and failure.

For app developers to fully understand what drives potential users to install an

app, they must think of the app page as a storefront on the busiest boulevards

in your area, and apply each part of this guide as if it were a way of attracting

window-shoppers. It is best to focus on creating an emotional shopping

experience for users in order to see results.

About usMoburst is a global marketing services company that helps leading

brands and startups grow their mobile business. After redefining

hundreds of apps and A/B testing every possible feature in every vertical,

our team knows what works for each product, and how to deliver the

most relevant experiences for each user. We love solving clients’ tough

mobile challenges and believe that the combination of creative thinking,

advanced technology, and data drives success at scale.

Hundreds of companies, from local startups to large global brands such

as: Google, Pfizer, eBay, Microsoft Accelerator, Gett, Conduit, Sony Music

and Nielsen Innovation, have leveraged our mobile consulting, product

refinement, creative, app store optimization (ASO) and media campaigns

services to enhance their product and maximize their KPIs.

Every day, our team’s mission is to innovate creative solutions that

connect brands with highly targeted audiences that convert into loyal

users.

Moburst has offices in New York City, Tel Aviv and San Francisco.

To learn more, visit www.moburst.com or contact us at hello@moburst.com.