Last updated on July 15th, 2024 at 11:39 am
Competition in the mobile segment is growing every year. To stand out from the crowd of similar products, brands need to effectively use all available promotional methods. In addition to ASO, it is worth using SEO tools to optimize mobile apps. We are discussing optimizing the product in stores and creating and promoting a landing page or even a full-fledged website with news and blog articles about the app. Increasing visibility in search engines is an effective way to drive organic traffic, increase installation conversions, and expand your product’s target audience.
SEO and ASO Combination
When it comes to mobile app promotion, PR backlinks with high DA score can still help. Obviously, it increases the visibility of your program. But it’s not enough. First and most important will be our favorite keywords. Yes, it’s that simple. They are the same keywords we work with in ASO and are the primary tools for the user to find our application. It makes sense for the keywords in SEO and ASO to match. It is where the similarity between the two processes ends, and we begin to see an increasingly clear difference.
SEO for Mobile Apps
SEO is a larger version of ASO. While ASO works with the application page and its content, which is definitely not small, SEO takes care of the entire landing page. It would be too easy if our site could be limited to only one page with the beautiful inscription “download,” that’s it. It won’t be enough. Don’t get us wrong; there should be a call to action, and most often, it should be the first or second thing the user sees. However, we still have a whole process ahead of us that is beyond what we already know. Here is the article that helps you learn the basics.
Behind the beautifully designed start page, what awaits us is what rules the SEO for mobile apps – content. Content, in this case, is synonymous with the word “blog”. A blog is the best method for working with keys and adding them. Let us immediately note that it is not required, but it is advantageous to get ahead of our competitors. You can fill a website with content without a blog, but maintaining its relevance without one will be problematic. Finding bloggers for partnerships is also an excellent tactic for promotion.
Benefits of App Store Optimization
Most mobile device users find new applications not through selections and recommendation systems but through search engines (both built into the conventional App Store and Google). The number of downloads (and your profit) depends on the application’s position in search results.
This is why ASO and SEO are so important. It can help you push your product to the top positions of search results and attract many new users:
- ASO increases the “visibility” of applications in stores. Even truly high-quality programs need promotion to be noticed and downloaded.
- It helps you find the “right” users interested in your product rather than random traffic that downloaded and deleted the software after a few minutes.
- App store optimization increases the number of organic downloads (from real people they initiated) in the long term. This is not a one-time traffic boost using “gray” promotion schemes.
- Optimization for stores allows you to reduce the cost of attracting an audience while increasing the program’s income due to the constant growth of downloads from the target audience.
ASO Directions
Eleven criteria affect applications’ positions in search results. These include the program’s title, description, key words, quality of backlinks, availability and internal purchases, user ratings and reviews, regularity of updates, number of regular downloads, data from analytical systems, and even the applications’ performance.
To achieve the best result, you need to consider all the criteria for both platforms (Apple and Google). Below, we will analyze most of them in detail and find out how each can affect app store optimization indicators.
Optimizing the Application Page in the Store
An excellent place to start is with the data on the application page. Everything described in this section of the article concerns visual content. Moreover, it is content that only you influence (no one from the outside can influence it).
Choosing the Correct Name
The name is one of the first things a potential user will see about your software. Therefore, it is crucial for app marketing to choose the right name for your app so that it reflects the essence of the program and meets the store’s criteria. That is, it does not violate the country’s law, is not associated with 18+ content, and meets the length requirements. In the App Store, the maximum title length is 30 characters, and in Google Play, it is 50.
It is also essential to make the title readable. This criterion is not always decisive because there are a lot of difficult-to-pronounce names (photo editors often sin with this) in the spirit of VSCO and SKWRT, which eventually became one of the most popular in their category. But it’s better not to take risks and not twist the tongue of users. And the name must be unique. Don’t stoop to the level of plagiarists. It’s terrible for app marketing. Come up with your brand, and don’t flirt with being similar to popular Instagram-style apps.
Keywords
To select search semantics, you need to answer several questions:
- What is the functionality of the program? If this is a video editor, you should use the keyword “video editor.”
- What synonyms do users enter to find programs with similar functionality? “Program for cutting video,” “filters for video,” etc.
- What are similar programs called? Yes, you can’t copy branded names, but you can use them in key queries. It’s not a very pretty trick, but it works. While searching for competitors, potential users will stumble upon your product and perhaps try it out.
- What other terms do people use when searching for apps like yours?
Description
For optimal app promotion, the app description can be short or long. The short one is displayed directly in the search results, and the long one is displayed only on the program page. It is often hidden under a spoiler, so only interested users can access the full description.
The short description should tell you in one sentence what your product is about. You need to manage to make it informative. Something like: “Cut the video, apply filters, and publish the videos on your favorite social networks.” After reading the description, a person should immediately understand what you are trying to “sell” to him. No double meanings or confusing wording.
Logo
The requirements for the application icon are almost the same as those for the name. You need a unique icon that reflects the essence of the program and is also eye-catching.
Often, the icon becomes the key factor that leads to a click and subsequent download of the application. Many potential users can be attracted by the appearance of an icon alone, which is why logos play an important role in ASO and SEO.
Screenshots and Videos
People will probably look at screenshots of the program before they pay attention to the description. So, you should prepare beautiful images showing the application interface and capabilities.
Use mockups (photos of devices depicting your program) that occupy part of the screen. Then, use the free space to discuss the product’s functionality in text. It improves app marketing.
In the video, try to cover the critical aspects of the application and communicate them visually so that a person does not even have to turn on the sound to understand the message conveyed through the video.
Just as search engine bots evaluate the speed of sites, the internal algorithms of the stores and moderators assess the speed of applications. If the program works poorly, slows down, or takes longer than 5 seconds to load, it has almost no chance of conquering the top positions of the search results. Read about app optimization using the example of iOS app development.
The shareware distribution model helps in two ways:
- People often use the “free” filter when searching for programs because they don’t want to pay by default. The opportunity to download software for free and try out at least some of its functions looks more attractive than a mandatory purchase.
- In-app purchases also participate in search results (they are searched separately from the application but lead to its page). You can insert keywords into them.
Getting Reviews
The algorithms read comments and reviews. Both systems use human-generated software ratings when ranking. The higher the rating, the higher the program ranks in search results.
But that’s not the main thing. More importantly, 8 out of 10 people read at least one other review before downloading something, and only after that make the final decision to download. Therefore, a positive image in reviews is critical for any application.
The question remains: Where to get reviews? People leave them out of the goodness of their hearts if the product is perfect, but that doesn’t always happen. In this case, both platforms offer the function of requesting a review (when a window with text in the spirit of “Please rate our application” is displayed in front of the person). However, you can use other methods, such as emailing the user or asking for feedback through the official website.
Conclusion
To optimally promote an app, you need to combine SEO and ASO. That is, you already use well-known methods to optimize the program’s website, such as backlinks, keywords, and other SEO methods. But don’t forget about the application page in the store. It is also necessary to optimize mobile apps so that they perform their functions without any complaints. These simple and logical measures will allow you to conquer the top search results in the app stores.
Naveen Khanna is the CEO of eBizneeds, a company renowned for its bespoke web and mobile app development. By delivering high-end modern solutions all over the globe, Naveen takes pleasure in sharing his rich experiences and views on emerging technological trends. He has worked in many domains, from education, entertainment, banking, manufacturing, healthcare, and real estate, sharing rich experience in delivering innovative solutions.