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Why does a mobile app which has all the features and ingredients to be a market beater lags behind its peers at the app store? Mobile app development is a wholesome process cycle that starts with an idea of creating a mobile app and goes on until the product updates reaches the targeted audiences. App Store Optimization is also an integral part of this process which acts as a catalyst so that mobile app reaches its audience in a synchronized manner. Research has shown that 47% of the iOS users and 53% of the Android user find their apps due to app store search. Looking at these staggering numbers, App Store Optimization becomes an indispensable part of the mobile app development process.
What is App Store Optimization?
In simple words, App Store Optimization is a process of improving the visibility of a mobile app on the app store. It is done by including the right kind of keywords that improves the ranking of the mobile app on the app store, and thus it appears in top searches. App Store Optimization (ASO) works in the same manner as SEO (Search engine optimization) does for improving the visibility of the websites.
Necessity and Importance of ASO
The realm of mobile technology is continuously evolving at a rate of knots, and the competition is more than you can ever imagine. There are plenty of mobile apps launched on the app store, and there are much chances of your mobile app getting lost in that sea if App Store Optimization isn’t done appropriately for your app. App Store Optimization ensures that your mobile app has a broad organic reach. It will also give a huge boost to your download rate and will keep it constant in times to come. Thus it is not advisable to overlook the App Store Optimization (ASO) during your mobile app development. Apart from increasing the app downloads, ASO focuses on the sustainable growth of your mobile app, thus making it durable in this ever dynamic and ever-expanding market.
Now, let us head straight to the things that your company should keep in mind while designing the ASO strategies for the mobile app.
Keywords are the key to success
Almost half of the total Smartphone users find their favorite mobile app on the app store by typing relative keywords. For example, if they need a dating app, and they don’t know the name, they will type ‘top dating apps’ or ‘dating apps India’ and download the app. The key here is that if your mobile app doesn’t appear in the first few searches, there is a very slim chance that your potential customer will go forward in finding the app. App store provides 100 characters to define your app while in the play store, the word limit is 4000. Thus strategize in a manner that the maximum combination of keywords can be fit in the given word space. Design your app description in such a way that maximum possible keyword combination can come in that. Keep updating your keywords and retiring the poor ones. The new keywords should be based on the latest search patterns used by the customers. Remember, authentic keywords will garner more organic traffic.
Selecting the correct category
You cannot judge the skills of an elephant by the way it swims or a fish by the way it climbs a tree. In the manner, it is utmost necessary for you to choose the correct category on the app store or play store in which you want to launch your mobile app.Picking the right category will guide your potential customers to have a detailed look at your app, and they don’t have to ponder elsewhere. It is very crucial as your mobile app is new and still trying to find its feet in the app market. Study the market and select the category which will ensure higher ranking of your app always. You should be aware of the purpose of your app, and this will help you in selecting the correct mobile app category.
Promo Video
We all know what impact a compelling and customer-centric video can have over the mindset of the customer. We are in 2019, and 80% of the global internet consumption is video. As it holds a large chunk, design a breathtaking promo video of your app and market it as its face. The video should be crisp but should touch all the required points. It should always leave the audience in anticipation, which will increase their curiosity about your app. Use all the social media platforms, along with releasing the video on the app store. Google allows 1 while iOS app stores allow 3 videos from YouTube to be uploaded. Thus make sure that you chose your horses wisely. Ask yourself all the related question as you is the video required for the genre of your mobile app, and will it trigger your targeted audience in downloading the app. If the answer is affirmative, video can be your best mate in having a successful App Store Optimization technique.
Use the App Analytics
Feedback from the analytics is like oxygen for your mobile app, which enables you to expand the endless opportunities of the mobile application. App store analytics will give you wholesome information about the app retention rate, time spent on your mobile app, what are the features that need your attention, and what is the primary usage of your app. The insights will help your organization in making better choices based on the data available and can help in making better profits for the app. The analytics will you a much needed competitive edge over your peers, and thus, you can garner and expand your mobile app’s user base. Apart from staying afloat in the competitive market, Analytics will help your mobile app to flourish and be a standout performer.
Thinking Global while going local
If you want to make your mobile app a global phenomenon, the App Store Optimization should be done in that manner. Having a single set of language won’t appeal to your audience as many of the countries don’t have English as their first language. Thus, it is necessary to have a local listing of your mobile app to make the mobile app more acceptable and readable to the users worldwide.
Eye-catchy app icon
Accept the fact that an icon is the face of your mobile app. And if it is not neatly designed or is unique, the chances of people coming to your app becomes very less. A unique app icon will make your mobile app stand out from the rest and will give it an identity of its own. You need to keep the icon within the limits provided by the app store. In the Google play store, you can have an icon of 512*512 pixels, while in iOS play store it should be 1024*1024. Apart from being the first impression of your app, remember the fact that if the icon design is good, your user will proudly show it to their peers on the device. It could also help in getting some positive ‘word of mouth’ publicity.
Conclusion
App Store Optimization is that player in the team who does his/her work quietly and subtly becomes the backbone of the team. ASO is needed to for your app to make it long-lasting and evolve with time in this dynamic tech world. Just follow the basic steps and understand the requirements of your targeted audience.
