Stages of Mobile App ASO Optimization: How to Improve App Visibility in Search
App Store Optimization (ASO) is a process that enhances your app's visibility in the app stores. It’s one of the primary tools for promoting mobile apps in the App Store and Google Play.
In this article, we'll walk you through the entire ASO process step by step. By the end, you'll be able to improve your app's search visibility, leading to increased organic traffic and reduced user acquisition costs.
ASO Optimization: Two Main Components - Text and Visual
Text Optimization
Keyword research and optimization are the core of text-based ASO. Let’s discuss which data to focus on when choosing search queries, where to find them, and how to determine if your app’s page is well-optimized.
Key Steps in Keyword Optimization:
1. Research: Compile a list of all possible keywords and combinations related to your app.
2. Prioritization: Analyze and prioritize keywords based on relevance and traffic volume.
3. App Optimization: Use selected keywords to optimize your app.
Professional ASO tools can significantly speed up the optimization process and help analyze data that would be impossible to gather manually. Most tools mentioned in this article are free.
Step 1: Research
Thorough research is crucial for ASO. This is the first step before launching your app and the first action to take if your app’s downloads aren’t meeting expectations.
Start by brainstorming all possible keywords that could be relevant to your app or game. Consider what your app does, what problems it solves, and which category it belongs to. This will help you come up with primary search queries.
You can add all your keywords to a Keyword Monitor—a fast and convenient way to collect and evaluate search queries.
Use auto-suggestions, competitor analysis, and search queries from similar apps' descriptions and user reviews. A free tool like Text Analyzer can help you analyze any text, including app descriptions, related articles, or competitors' reviews, to find search queries with traffic.
Indexed Search Queries: One of the most critical ASO metrics. Without relevant keywords, you won’t achieve the desired organic installs. Check your app’s indexing in App Keywords to assess and improve your text-based ASO.
Competitors are a great source of inspiration for keyword searches. The Competitors tab in App Keywords provides a list of search queries that similar apps are indexed for. This is especially useful when optimizing ASO in a foreign language.
After gathering a long list of keywords (at least 60-80 potential search queries), you can expand it using auto-suggestions and similar queries.
Step 2: Keyword Selection and Prioritization
Now that you have a keyword list, analyze and prioritize the search queries to use your keywords most effectively in metadata.
Check the following for each query:
Traffic — This is the estimated number of users who search for this query daily in the selected country. This search volume is divided between organic results and ad displays. In ASO, the higher your app ranks in search results, the more potential traffic it can attract.
Complexity (CI) — A metric that shows the competition level for the search query. It helps you assess how many resources you need to improve your app's visibility for that keyword. The difficulty scale ranges from 0 (low competition) to 10 (high competition).
Effectiveness (KEI) — This indicator helps you choose keywords that bring maximum traffic with minimum competition.
Search Ads (only for App Store) — The popularity of search queries in Apple Search Ads. Values range from 5 (unpopular query) to 100 (very popular query).
Step 3: App Optimization Using Selected Keywords
For App Store:
- Title: Include the most relevant and effective keywords.
- Subtitle: Use relevant keywords and add a call to action to boost conversion.
- Keywords: Use diverse keywords, avoiding duplicates from the title and subtitle.
For Google Play:
- Title: Include the most relevant keywords.
- Short Description: Use relevant keywords and a call to action.
- Full Description: Write a readable description, using mid- and low-frequency keywords without keyword stuffing.
Avoid common mistakes such as using too general or competitive keywords, having too few keywords, or not using enough keyword combinations.
With ASO Creator, you can quickly create metadata using as many keywords as possible. Watch video.
Visual Optimization
Screenshots and icons are critical for increasing conversion rates. Your app’s icon should be bright, memorable, and relevant to your product. Use industry trends and competitor analysis to guide your visual strategy.
Icons and Screenshots:
- Use call-to-actions and short captions that highlight your app's strengths.
- Avoid repetitive or disconnected images. Create a cohesive visual story.
In the Competitor section, the Visual Comparison tool allows you to evaluate your competitors' visual ASO, identify market trends, and compare your app with theirs.
Conclusion:
Optimize your app quickly and easily with ASOMobile tools.
Start your ASO journey with ASOMobile and watch your app’s visibility soar!