iOS App Store Optimization (ASO) is the process of optimizing your app for the Apple App Store in order to improve its visibility and ranking. There are many components to ASO, including keyword optimization, app store descriptions, app name, screenshots, and more.
ASO is important because it can help your app rank higher in search results, which will lead to more downloads. In addition, ASO can also help you improve the quality of your app store page, which can lead to higher conversion rates.
Keywords
Just like with SEO for websites, ASO for iOS mobile apps is all about using the right keywords and making sure your app is relevant to those keywords.
There are two main types of keywords you need to be aware of when doing ASO:
1. App Store Keywords
These are the keywords that people use when searching for apps in the App Store. In order to optimize your app for these keywords, you need to include them in your app’s title and keywords field.
2. Search Ads Keywords
Search Ads are the paid ads that appear at the top of the search results in the App Store. Unlike App Store keywords, you don’t need to include these keywords in your app’s title or keywords field. However, you do need to use them when creating your ad campaign so that your ad is shown to people who are searching for those keywords.
When choosing keywords for your app, it’s important to consider both App Store and Search Ads keywords. However, you should focus most of your efforts on App Store keywords since they are more likely to result in organic (unpaid) downloads.
In order to find the right keywords for your app, you can use App Store keyword tools like Sensor Tower and Mobile Action. These tools allow you to see what keywords are being used to search for similar apps. You can also use them to track your app’s ranking for specific keywords over time.
Once you have a list of potential keywords, you need to decide which ones to target. The best keywords are those that are relevant to your app and have a high search volume but low competition. You can use the tools mentioned above to see how many people are searching for each keyword and how difficult it would be to rank for that keyword.
After you’ve chosen your target keywords, you need to start optimizing your app for those keywords. The first step is to include them in your app’s title and keywords field. This is important because it tells the App Store what your app is about and makes it more likely to show up in search results for those keywords.
In addition to including keywords in your app’s title and keywords field, you should also use them throughout your app’s description. This will help your app rank higher for those keywords and also make it more likely that people will download your app when they see it in the search results.
Reviews and Ratings
Another important factor in ASO is reviews and ratings. Apps with more positive reviews and higher ratings are more likely to rank higher in the App Store.
There are a few things you can do to get more positive reviews and higher ratings for your app. First, you should make it easy for people to leave reviews by including a link to your app’s page in the App Store in your app’s description. You can also prompt people to leave a review after they’ve used your app for a while.
In addition to getting more reviews, you should also focus on getting high-quality reviews. This means reviews that are detailed and specific about what people like or don’t like about your app. Generic reviews like “This app is great!” or “This app is terrible!” are not as helpful and can actually hurt your app’s ranking.
To get high-quality reviews, you need to give people a reason to leave them. One way to do this is to offer something in exchange for a review, such as an in-app purchase or an exclusive game level. You can also run a contest where the prize is a review of your app.
App Updates
Another way to optimize your app for ASO is to regularly release updates. Each time you release an update, your app will get a fresh start in the App Store and have a better chance of being featured. In addition, each update is an opportunity to include new keywords and improve your app’s ranking for those keywords.
When you release an update, you should also take the time to respond to any negative reviews. This shows potential customers that you care about their experience with your app and are willing to make changes based on their feedback.
Conclusion
ASO is an important part of marketing your app. If you have recently developed an iOS app, you need to optimize it in the App Store. By optimizing your app for the App Store, you can improve your app’s visibility, increase its chances of being featured, and get more people to download and use your app.
Zara Raza is the Marketing Lead at Sunvera Software. Sunvera is a local software development firm based in Irvine, CA, providing intelligent software solutions for small and mid-sized businesses as well as entrepreneurs and startups.
