In this article I will tell you how I recieved millions of downloads all organically on my apps without using paid marketing just by this 20+ secret ASO strategies. Lets dive in.
WHAT IS APP STORE OPTIMIZATION.
ASO represents App Store Optimization the same as SEO that is Search Engine Optimisation.SEO helps in positioning your site or websites or blogs in Google search results known as SERP. There are two sorts of SEO methods i.e off-page search engine optimization and on-page SEO. However, we won’t talk much about SEO in this book. However, I have clarified about SEO in detail later in this book.ASO in short can be characterized as the way toward improving application visibility inside application stores, for example, apple store or google play store and expanding conversion rates that are organic downloads.ASO likewise centers around Click Through Rate (CTR). This implies you need to persuade individuals to really click into your application store listing once they discover it. Higher the visibility, more the downloads. You can do as such by advancing your App Name, App Title, App Icon, App Screenshots, and App Rating and reviews and playing with keywords wisely..So ASO like SEO encourages us in ranking our applications on google play store or apple app store rankings. App developers or organizations must utilize ASO techniques to get their applications ranked higher on google play store and at last get higher organic installs.
When individuals navigate to your application store listing page, you need to ensure they additionally download it or make a buy. This piece of ASO is otherwise called Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO).
The calculation for ranking applications isn’t known to anybody, only google knows how they rank applications on google play store and same applies to apple application store as well however that is not the point to stress, if the methods would not be known to anybody, I wouldn’t write this book. It’s genuine that even I don’t the method for ranking applications yet yes I have the experience of positioning 90% of my applications in top 10 in google play store search results, I have additionally ranked huge numbers of, my customer’s apps, companies I worked for, etc in top 10 of google play store rankings. If right ASO methods are utilized you can without much of a stretch rank your applications on play store with appropriate streamlining strategies joined with keyword research and in particular Digital marketing. There are over 3.6 million android applications on google play store and about 2.7 million applications on apple store. How it’s feasible for your application to hang out in that extreme competition. That is the reason ASO is utilized. Developing an application isn’t an issue, marketing is. There is hellfire parcel of applications advanced with such a large amount of features still doesn’t have downloads considerably more than 100. This is where digital marketing is utilized along with a legitimate app store optimization strategy.
Quick difference between ASO and SEO.
ASO is regularly alluded to as app store SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The two procedures share likenesses like keyword optimizations, backlinks and conversion enhancement. The fundamental contrasts between App Store Optimization and Search Engine Optimization are the ranking elements. Additionally, ASO is used for mobile applications while SEO is for sites and blogs.
SEO factors for an internet browser, similar to Google Search, include in excess of 200 viewpoints and the rundown continues growing. The rundown of ranking components for ASO is a lot shorter, anyway numerous individuals are as yet uncertain of which ones play a major role.Reading this book is an ideal opportunity to stop that!. I have mentioned around 20+ ASO strategies in this book to boost your app ranking within 15 days.
Before we move on to optimization strategies and techniques let me tell you that there are basically two types of ASO.
- On page ASO – On page ASO includes all those techniques and strategies mentioned in the next chapter.
2.Off-page ASO – Off-page ASO is hidden factors that determine app rankings and these factors are unrevealed by google or apple. These are some special and hidden factors that add value to apps rankings.
Here are some of the most common ASO techniques used for ranking your apps on google play store or apple store. - Proper Icon
2.Package name
3..A good and descriptive titles including some keywords.
4.Keyword Research
5…A good short description
6…A proper full description playing with keywords well and targeting keywords.
7…Managing tags and categories
8…Awesome screenshots of your app.
9…A well edited promo video.
10.. Positive Reviews and ratings - Users retained
- App size
13.Share App option
14.App Store Analytics
15.Tracking/Monitoring main KPI’s.
16.App Updates
17.Backlinks and Landing page
18.Replying to all the reviews.
19.App Engagement
20.Conversion
21.Hidden and Special Factors
White Hat,Black Hat and Grey Hat ASO
White Hat ASO – White hat ASO alludes to any practice that improves your applications search performance on an App store listing which is known as APL while keeping up the respectability of the application and remaining inside the guidelines, terms, and conditions of the google play store or apple store. It predominantly incorporates the utilization of genuine optimization techniques and strategies that improves your application rankings. White Hat ASO procedures never violate any policies and are working on following terms and conditions and remaining inside the rules.
Black Hat ASO – Black Hat ASO is inverse or opposite to white Hat ASO. It includes accomplishing something that disregards or violates google play or apple store policies and getting downloads that aren’t legit. This includes fraudulent activities performed by developers to get their application positioned and get more installs. This hack can, at last, suspend or ban your application or even suspend your developer’s account permanently since its not legit. Some instances of Black Hat ASO incorporates counterfeit downloads, fake ratings and reviews, and rehearsing fraudulent activities.Using non-genuine approaches to improve rankings,getting downloads etc goes under Black Hat ASO.
Grey Hat ASO – Gray Hat ASO is a mixture or combination of both White Hat ASO and Black Hat ASO.Most regular practices incorporate purchasing application downloads, app reviews, reskinning applications that is utilizing others application with your own name and package name, etc.Copying others content, etc.
ASO Strategies in detail.
- Proper Icon –
This is one of the most significant procedure for ASO. An all-around made attractive icon draws in users and eventually expands CTR that represents Click-Through Rate. In this case, CTR can be characterized as the no of clicks your application receives partitioned by no of impressions.
CTR(Click Through Rate)=Clicks/impressions100. If your application receives 10 clicks and absolute impressions are 100 that your CTR is 10/100100 i.e 10%.Most probably users will generally click more on the initial 10 applications listed and there an attractive icon can assist you with getting more CTR and that will wind up having more installs to your application.
The suggested colors you can use for your application icons are red, blue, black, pink, and orange, and green. These hues will draw in users to tap on your app more than other colors. Dark colors can have higher CTR than light colors. Try to make your application icon as appealing and attractive as possible.
Pro Tip – - Recommended colors are red, blue, black, pink, orange, and green. Any mix will likewise work.
- Use keywords in icon names while uploading an icon to the application stores. For example use, the icon name as keyword.png and afterward upload it on application stores.
- You can also update your icon regurarly making some minor changes as it contributes to 30% in App store Optimization.Stats taken from recent reports.
2.Package name –
The package name of our application is likewise essential for ASO. Attempt to keep the package name the same as the application name /title of application that may help you in the ranking of your app. Many of us simply overlook the package name yet these little seemingly insignificant details make a significant difference in the ranking of your app. You can likewise focus on certain keywords in your package name the same as your application name.
Example for package name – com.lovequotes.cutelovequotes.
Regardless of whether you are building up your application or getting it developed from somebody else, please make sure that you use certain keywords in the package name too. The package name is something nobody makes a fuss over however can truly help in ranking applications to an extent.
Pro tip – Use at least two keywords, one main keyword, and one supporting keyword in the package name of your application.
3.Descriptive and catchy title including keywords
Apple application store gives 30 characters to your title while google play store gives just 50 characters yet you get a short description of 80 characters on google play store. You must incorporate keywords that you need to get ranked for in your application title. For instance, you need to publish an application for Love quotes, so ensure the keyword love quotes are present in the title and furthermore in the package name as mentioned earlier. With love quotes as your main keyword, you can likewise use supporting keywords, for example, cute love quotes, love quotes for her thus on.(Keyword research is clarified in subtleties later in this book).You should use at least 2 keywords in your application titles i.e one primary keyword and one supporting keyword in a legitimate way that draws in users and is appealing to the eyes. and unique at the same time.
Here is the example for the title – Love Quotes| Cute love quotes, Love Poems, Valentine Quotes
Including keywords for both the package name and title can help your application rankings by 200%. So make a point to utilize keywords in an appropriate way. That is one of the most crucial strategies for App Store Optimisation. The same represents for a short description as well,try to play with keywords in the short description too. You can likewise utilize title with captions focusing on keywords. Make sure the title of your application is easy to read, unique, and catchy.
Pro tips –
1.Avoid conjunctions and prepositions.
- Don’t use numbers in the title of your application.
3.Separate title by using, or |. - Include one primary keyword and one supporting keyword at least in the title.
5.The title ought to be unique and simple to read. - The title should be Relevant to the App.
4.Keyword Research –
A keyword can be described as a word or phrase that individuals use to look at applications either in google play store or apple application store. The above screenShot is taken from google Ads keyword planner tool which is one of the most remarkable keywords planners and simultaneously free as well. Here in the above screenshot, you can see the search volume of the keywords love quotes. It has been looked through 1M to 10M times normal in a month in search results and the competition is quite low for this keyword. Competition implies less no of contenders are working for this keyword. Lower the Competition, higher the possibility of getting your applications positioned in google play store or App store and furthermore higher the search volume, higher the possibility of getting more traffic to your application or installs. Along with that in the event that you can discover beneath, there is parcel of supporting keywords excessively, for example, love quotes for her, cute quotes, I love you quotes, valentines day quotes thus on. These keywords can be utilized as supporting keywords with your principle keyword which is love quotes. By utilizing google keywords planner you can investigate each one of those keywords and target it in your App store for doing ASO (App Store Optimisation) and ranking your app.However this was only a short prologue to keyword research, we will be realizing it in subtleties later in this book and furthermore about best tools for keywords research and some low competition keywords, Page bids, the low and high range and each different things in subtleties in next section.
AppRadar, MobileDevHq, and TheTool, Google keyword planner are probably the most useful assets for App store Optimisations that will locate some best App store keywords for your application.
Pro Tips –
- Try to include the primary keyword in your application title or package name as referenced before.
- Try to use words rather than phrases.
- Avoid conjunctions and prepositions
4.Use commas or | for isolating keywords
5.Use digits rather than spellings.
In apple application store you get just 100 characters for your application description so you need to play with keywords all the more astutely while in google play store you get 4000 characters for your application full description.
5.A good short description –
As mentioned earlier try to include two keywords in your apps short description, it can be one main keyword and one supporting keyword same as app title.
Pro tips – Keep it simple and unique.
- A proper full description –
In the Apple application store, you get just 100 characters for description so you need to play admirably with your keywords, don’t target something that’s not required while in google play store you get 4000 characters for providing your applications description in detail.
The App Description is another fundamental piece of your application’s metadata. It furnishes users with data on what your application is about and gives a review of its principle highlights.
The App Description isn’t just applicable for the users, yet additionally for the application stores’ ranking factors too.
It’s particularly significant for Google Play. The description is one of the primary areas where Google finds the keywords to rank your application. This doesn’t mean you can simply place every one of your keywords into description and trust that the ranking will occur. Attempt to consolidate your keywords into sentences normally and naturally.
Apple won’t file keywords from your iOS application description like Google play. That doesn’t mean you ought to disregard this metadata field. You can in any case use it as a chance to additionally show individuals the advantages and estimation of your application.
In short, your description should be simple, easy, and straightforward.
You can utilize the underneath technique for your description in google play store.
*Introduction
*Full Description
*Tags
*Disclaimer if necessary.
In the introduction, part try to give a concise description of your application and focusing on keywords.
In full description part , write full description simply like you compose articles yet with focusing on fundamental keywords and supporting keywords and furthermore ensure don’t overuse any keywords, you can focus on a keyword greatest multiple times in your full description. Try to target a keyword minimum two times and a maximum of four and not more than that. Over doing it might bring down your application rankings and may affect ASO negatively. So ensure you target one keyword to a limit of multiple times maximum four in particular. You can target supporting keywords joined with them as expressed before.
Pro Tips –
*Informative
*straightforward
*Obviously organized with bullet points and emojis.
*Targetting keywords (particularly with Google Play)
*Up to 4000 characters in length
*Pay extra attention to Full description as it accounts to 46% contribution in ASO.
And also try to describe your app well in this section such as – - What does your app do?
- What are its features?
- What problems it can solve?
- Why users should install this app?
Example – Here in the example your main keyword is love quotes so don’t use love quotes more than 4 times in your description and same applies to supporting keywords such as cute love quotes etc.
Tags – This is also one of the most important parts of your description and also ASO. You have to use it very wisely. You can use this for google play store only since the apple store provides only 100 characters for description but you can surely use it for android apps in the google play store since it provides 4000 characters. So in the tags section use one keyword one time only, don’t repeat a single keyword twice because it may violate google play store policies.
Example of using tags –
You can also find some more features in our app listed below –
1.Love quotes 2020
2.Best love quotes
3.Cute love Quotes
4.Anniversory love quotes
Disclaimer part is optional you can have it or neglect it. - Managing tags and categories –
Use those tags and categories that best suits your app .Don’t use the category that is not at all related to your app.Make sure to select relevant category for your apps.
Here are some pro tips to focus on while choosing category for your app – - Try to choose relevant category for your app that best suits your app.
- Choosing a less competitive category can higher the rankings of your app.Choose a category that is less competitive i.e less apps are available for that category.
- Awesome and Attractive Screenshots –
According to a survey people spend only 7 seconds deciding whether they are going to download your app or not. So it’s very important to make your store page look as attractive as possible and attractive well-designed screenshots play a major role in making your store look beautiful. They are considered as the second most influential factor after app ratings for convincing someone to download your apps.
Some of the top free online tools to design beautiful screenshots.
App Screenshot Builder by Applaunchpad.
App Screenshot Maker by AppInstitute.
ShotBot.
Davinci Apps.
App Store Screenshot.
Appure.
StoreShots.
PlaceIt.
Pro Tip –
Try to show your main features of your apps in screenshots and design screenshot for mobiles,tablets ,portrait screenshots and landscape screenshots.
Adding keywords in name of screenshots will boost your app rankings to atmost 30%.Try to add keywords in your screenshots name before uploading it to app stores.
- Promo Video –
Design a short attractive promo video that mainly focuses on showing the main features of your app. Don’t waste precious seconds showing something that is not at all related to your app.An attractive promo video can increase the chances of getting your app installed.
Pro Tips – - You can create promo videos for your app from Renderforest for free.
- Keep the duration of promo video as minimum as possible.
- Positive reviews and ratings –
Positive reviews and ratings play a vital role in getting more installs and also for getting higher rankings. People tend to download and trust those apps only which has good ratings and reviews. Try to get as many good positive reviews as possible.
Pro tips – - Get at least 50 paid reviews just after launching your app. Paid reviews can increase the chances of getting your app ranked. However most of the experts don’t encourage this but according to my experience, it can help you get your app ranked to a great extent. It’s very difficult to get genuine and positive reviews just after your app launch. You can go for 40 to 50 paid reviews only and not more than that. You can also tell your friends and family to review your app.
- Use cloud messaging service to send notifications to the users of your apps to review your app and rate you 5 stars if they are liking your app.
- Use a pop up asking users to review and rate your app.
- Place a rate us option inside your app either in the bottom navigation or in the navigation menu that depends upon the UI of your app.Very fewer people tend to go to store and rate your app even if they genuinely liked your app so it’s better to place a rate us option inside your app.
- Users retained –
Your app retention rate also plays a very major role in your app rankings. Retention rate can be defined as the no of users retained after installing your app. There are a lot of users who just uninstalls the app just after installing. Therefore its must that you pay attention to retaining users. You have to figure out best practices to retain as many users as you can. You can do this only by providing your users with great user experience.30% retention rate is said to be a good retention rate that is 30 users are retained for 100 users installing your app.
Pro Tips –
Some pro tips for retaining users and improving your retention rate. - Your app should have an attractive UI/UX that will higher the chances of getting your users retained.
- Your app should Provide some valuable features and functions and should be problem-solving.
3.App size – App size also plays a major role in retaining your users. Some users just uninstall larger size apps because of less storage so try to develop an app as lite as possible. - Free of bugs and crashes – No one likes to keep an app full of bugs and that crashes frequently. Your app should be bug-free and crash less and would provide users a awesome user experience.
- App Size –
App size is the most important part of ASO and ranking. Apps that are less in size tend to get higher rankings in google play store and I completely agree with this statement based on my experience. Apps with less size will rank higher than apps with larger sizes. Also, lesser size app can help you retain your users. Try to avoid using unused codes in your apps that is not at all needed. Try to call images from a server rather than using it as a resource in your apps. Encourage best practices to make your app as lite as possible.
Some pro tips – - You can use the android app bundle if you are developing an android app using android studio.
- Avoid unused codes.
- Use images calling from a server rather than using it in your app’s resources. Doing this may lower your app size.
- Compress the size of images and other files.
- Share App Option –
Many of the developers avoid putting share app option inside the app. Share app options can create a chain among users and can also make your app viral. Share app options can help your app move from one person to another based on likes and can bring in more and more organic installs that will finally boost your app rankings. There are very few users who will go to your app store page and share your app. Therefore keeping a share app option inside the app is most important.
Pro Tips – - Display a pop up to share app.
- Use the share app option in bottom navigation.
- Use share app option in navigation menu.
4.Can also use the share app option when the user is making a exit from your app. - App store analytics –
Same as google analytics for web marketing, there are a lot of mobile app analytics tools that will help you in marketing strategy. You will analyze your competition and work accordingly that will boost your rankings. These tools can give you extra exposure when it comes to analytics.
Here are some of the app analytics tools –
1.AppAnnie
2.Sensor Tower
3.App Brain
4.Appfigures
5.App rank Corner
6.Appstatics
7.Applique
8.Applyzer
9.Tune and etc. - Tracking/Monitoring main KPI’s-
Track all KPI’s, keywords, competitors, top charts. organic installs by country. Organic installs are those installs that you receive by organic search results. Also, check out for similar apps, conversion rates to install, revenues from installs, competitors updates and changes, and practices. - App Updates –
Updating your app frequently at least once in 30 days will increase the chances of getting your app ranked higher. So never leave an app without an update for 3 months or 6 months. Google play store or the app store will never rank apps that are outdated. Only the recently updated apps get higher rankings in stores. So try to update your app more frequently. Even if you are not providing some additional features, focus on making your app bug free and crash-free, and provide your users with recent updates.
Pro Tips – - Try to give updates for your app at least once a month.
- You can give minor updates but should give updates frequently.
- Try to make the app bug free.
- Landing page and backlinks –
It’s better to have an SEO ( Search engine optimization) optimized webpage for our apps leaving a backlink to download our app. (Details about SEO is explained later in this book).The web page should be SEO optimized and should contain all the information about your app with screenshots and videos. By doing so we will be able to get downloads for our apps from google search results as well. We will discuss SEO in detail later in this book. You should also focus on getting backlinks to your apps from other blogs and websites. Backlinks mean someone on their website or blog is providing a link to your app describing something. Generating a lot of backlinks increases the chances of getting your app ranked.
Pro Tips –
1.Try to generate as many backlinks as possible.
2.Comment on forums and blogs with your app link or the landing page link. - Give answers on quora providing your app link or landing page link.
- Replying to all the reviews –
Whether you get a positive review or a negative review for your app, its must that you reply to all those reviews, replying to reviews also has some importance for ranking your apps. Make sure you reply to all the reviews in a professional manner and assure the reviewers to fix all the issues they mentioned in the reviews.
Pro tips for replying –
Replying to a positive review –
Thanks for your valuable feedback. It really motivates us.
Replying to a negative review –
Sorry for the inconvenience caused. We are really working hard to make our app bug free and provide an amazing user experience. - App Engagement –
App engagement also plays a vital role in rankings. App engagement includes retention of users, reviews and ratings, and active devices. On how many devices your apps are active and frequently used. - Conversion –
The conversion rate also plays a major factor in your app rankings. Conversion rate can be defined as the no.of installs your app gets per no.of your app store listings.
Ex- conversion rate = no of installs/total no of app store impressions that users see.
In short, if your app store gets 100 impressions, then how many users end up installing your app after visiting your app store. If 10 users end up installing your app and your app store shows 100 impressions then your conversion rate is 10%. - Special factors –
There are also some special and hidden factors that google and apple will not tell anyone since its a hidden algorithm that no one knows. But following the above 20 strategies can 100% get your app ranked higher for sure.
ASO Quick Checklist.
- ASO ( APP Store Optimization) is very vital and important for getting your app ranked.
- Full Description add to the highest ranking factors among all ASO factors.
- App Icon plays a major role in increasing app”s CTR .
- An well arranged attractive screenshots are the second most important factors to look after for optimizing your app store.
- Adding tags in a right way can higher the chances of getting your app ranked.
- Using all 4000 characters for providing full description in google play store will higher the chances of app ranking.
- Adding keywords in name of screenshots and app icon can boost your app rankings by 30%.
- Adding keywords in package name of your app can boost your app rankings to a great extent.
- Developing keyword based apps will bring more and more downloads.
- ASO is still an ongoing process.
