The app market is more competitive than ever. With over 1.8 million apps in the Apple App Store and approximately 3.4 million in the Google Play Store, standing out from the crowd has become increasingly challenging. In 2022 alone, users downloaded a staggering 142 billion apps, highlighting the immense potential and fierce competition in the app marketplace. With an average of 1,209 iOS apps and 1,101 Android apps being published daily, the need for effective App Store Optimization (ASO) has never been more critical.
In this blog, we will explore a comprehensive ASO checklist designed to help you optimise your app’s visibility and performance, covering essential elements such as keyword optimisation, metadata enhancement, and user engagement strategies.
What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?
App Store Optimization (ASO) is the process of improving an app’s visibility within app stores, such as Apple’s App Store and Google Play. While similar to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for websites, ASO focuses specifically on mobile app marketplaces. The primary goal of ASO is to increase an app’s ranking in search results and top charts, ultimately leading to more downloads and user engagement.
Unlike SEO, which primarily deals with website content and backlinks, ASO optimises various elements specific to app stores. These include app titles, descriptions, keywords, icons, screenshots, and user ratings. By fine-tuning these components, app marketers can significantly enhance their app’s discoverability and appeal to potential users.
What are the benefits of App Store Optimization (ASO)?
In the crowded app marketplace, ASO plays a crucial role in achieving app store success. Here’s why optimising your app’s presence in app stores is essential:
- Increased Visibility: Effective ASO helps your app rank higher in search results and category listings, making it more likely to be discovered by potential users.
- Improved Download Rates: Higher visibility typically leads to more downloads, as users are more likely to find and install your app.
- Better User Engagement: By optimising your app’s store listing, you can attract more relevant users who are likely to engage with your app long-term.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Compared to paid advertising, ASO is a cost-effective way to drive organic downloads and increase your app’s user base.
- Competitive Edge: In a market where new apps are constantly emerging, a well-optimized app listing can give you a significant advantage over your competitors.
To learn more about building a successful App Store Optimization strategy, check out our What is ASO guide.
ASO Checklist for Success
To help you navigate the complex world of ASO, we’ve compiled a comprehensive ASO checklist. By following these steps, you can significantly improve your app’s visibility and success in the app stores.
1. Master keyword research
Before diving into optimisation, thorough keyword research is crucial. This involves:
- Identifying target keywords that potential users might use to find apps like yours
- Analysing competitor apps to understand their ASO strategies and identify opportunities
- Studying user behaviours and preferences in your app’s category
Essentially, you want to look at all available materials to help you understand your USPs against your competitors and build a comprehensive keyword bank – a list of keywords that are relevant to your app’s functionality and features. Tools such as AppTweak, App Annie or Google Keyword Planner are perfect for that, but don’t underestimate the power of Google, YouTube or TikTok, as they can be a great source of information on market and seasonal trends. The more information you gather, the more equipped you’ll be to create a winning ASO strategy.
2. Optimise app title with generic keywords
Now you’ve done your research, it’s time to optimise your app’s metadata. Your app’s title is one of the most critical elements for ASO. To optimise it effectively:
- Include your app’s name and 1-2 relevant, high-traffic keywords. Some of these keywords may be common terms that users might type into the search bar when looking for apps. For example, Jet2 would use terms such as holidays, travel, and flights to attract the right audience.
- Keep the title concise and memorable (Apple limits titles to 30 characters)
- Ensure the title accurately represents your app’s functionality
By including crucial keywords in the title, the app becomes more discoverable to a broader audience, increasing the likelihood of downloads and boosting overall app performance in app stores. Remember, the title is often the first thing users see, so make it count!
3. Design a catchy app icon
Approximately 60% of users decide whether to download an app based solely on the first impression they get from the app’s visuals – screenshots, videos, and icons – without scrolling down to read the description. This means that an eye-catching app icon can significantly impact user downloads and engagement. Consider the following when designing your app icon:
- Keep it simple and easily recognisable, even at small sizes
- Use bold colours and unique shapes to stand out
- Ensure the icon reflects your app’s core functionality or brand
For example, Instagram’s camera icon is simple yet instantly recognisable, while Angry Birds’ character-based icon effectively conveys the game’s theme and personality.
4. Use engaging screenshots
Apps on iOS can hold 10 screenshots, and Android allows 8. As these are the largest visual representations of your app available to potential users, they must stand out. Here are some tips to follow when designing your screenshots:
- Showcase your app’s key features and user interface
- Use high-quality images with clear, readable text overlays
- Consider using device frames to provide context
- Create a visual story that guides users through your app’s benefits. Using captions is a great way to point out some of the app’s key features and benefits.
For instance, Calm uses clear captions in their screenshots to effectively showcase the app’s benefits, inviting users to explore a relaxing, mindful experience.
5. Add capturing preview video
A compelling app preview video is a quick way of explaining your app’s proposition and can significantly increase conversion rates. When creating your video:
- Keep it short (15-30 seconds) and focused on key features
- Start with a strong hook to capture attention immediately. On average, you have approximately 10 seconds to capture users’ attention.
- Demonstrate real-world usage scenarios
- Include captions or text overlays for viewers watching without sound
TikTok’s app preview video effectively showcases the platform’s content variety and user-friendly interface, giving potential users a clear idea of what to expect.
6. Optimise entire metadata
This is an important part of your ASO checklist. Beyond the title, other metadata elements play a crucial role in ASO. iOS App Store and Google Play Store prioritise keywords and user discovery differently. Therefore, you need to tailor your app store listing metadata for each platform. Here are a few tips for optimising the metadata for each app store.
Optimising your metadata on the iOS App Store
- Upgrade your subtitle – The subtitle section is a vital place to implement keywords that don’t fit into the title. This should be a short sentence, limited to 30 characters, describing the app’s key value proposition, features and benefits while incorporating all relevant keywords.
- Optimise your keyword field – This section is made up of 100 characters and should be filled with high-traffic, relevant keywords that potential users are likely to search for. It’s a good practice to use a variety of keywords related to your app and popular search terms. Since this section isn’t visible to the users, it’s an excellent opportunity to target competitor keywords.
- Enhance your promo text – With a 170-character limit, this section doesn’t directly impact your app’s ranking but plays a vital role in engaging users. Use this space to provide a more detailed description of your app’s offerings, which can help improve conversion rates. Dedicate time to your description – While it’s not indexed for search, it’s essential for helping users understand the app’s purpose and value. Take the time to craft a compelling narrative that highlights what makes your app unique.
Optimising your metadata on the Google Play Store
- Strengthen your short description – This section is limited to 80 characters. Ensure your short description includes essential keywords that are both relevant and generic to your app.
- Boost your full description – With a maximum of 4,000 characters, this section should be rich in keywords, unlike its counterpart in the Apple Store. Use this space to communicate your app’s features and benefits effectively while incorporating relevant search terms. Package name – The package name serves as a unique identifier for your Android app in the Google Play Store. Including relevant keywords in your package name can enhance your app’s visibility.
Expert advice: Add extra keywords to your keyword field
Consider including foreign words in your keyword field to maximise your app’s reach. For instance, if you have a significant number of French users, adding common French terms can improve discoverability and give you a competitive edge, as many competitors may only utilize basic keywords. For example, if your app is a fitness tracker, you could use French words such as exercise (exercise) or santé (health) to boost the app’s visibility.
As you refine your app’s metadata, regularly consult your ASO checklist to verify that you are adhering to best practices for both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
7. Leverage positive ratings and reviews
As part of your ASO checklist, review positive ratings and reviews as they significantly impact your app’s ranking and user perception. Typically, users look at ratings and use them to inform their decision whether or not to download an app. Here are some strategies to effectively leverage user feedback:
- Encourage satisfied users to leave reviews at optimal moments (e.g., after completing a task successfully)
- Respond promptly and professionally to user feedback, addressing concerns and showing active engagement
- Implement in-app prompts for ratings and reviews, but avoid being intrusive
Remember, the quality and quantity of reviews can greatly influence potential users’ decisions to download your app.
8. Enhance ASO with A/B testing
A/B testing is a method used to compare variants of creatives against each other to determine which one performs better. By randomly splitting an audience into two groups and presenting each group with a different version (A and B), we can analyse the results based on predefined metrics, such as conversion rates, click-through rates or user engagement. Continuous improvement through A/B testing is crucial for ASO success and here are some tips to follow:
- Test different variations of app icons, screenshots, and descriptions to identify which variations attract more downloads. Consider testing colour schemes, image styles, and text placements to see how small changes can impact user perception.
- Use tools provided by app stores (e.g., Google Play’s A/B testing feature) or third-party services, such as Optimizely, which can provide more advanced testing capabilities and analytics.
- Analyse conversion rates to determine which elements resonate best with users. Look beyond just the number of downloads; analyse how different elements affect user behaviour, such as time spent on the app page or bounce rates.
Implement changes based on test results to optimise your app’s store presence. Just make sure that changes align with your overall branding and messaging strategy. Here’s a great example of screenshot A/B testing for Channel 4.
9. Maintain regular app updates
Keeping your app fresh and relevant is an essential element of any App Store Optimization strategy and a must-have step on your ASO checklist. Ensure you:
- Release updates regularly to fix bugs, improve functionality, and add new features
- Highlight key updates in your app’s “What’s New” section
- Consider the frequency of updates, as too many can be overwhelming for users
Regular updates signal to both users and app stores that your app is actively maintained and improved. This positively impacts your app’s ranking in search results, ultimately driving more downloads.
10. Boost engagement with In-App Events
Research on global retention rates has shown that the average retention rate across 31 mobile app categories is 25.3% on Day 1, declining to 5.7% by Day 30. To combat this, In-App Events such as regular updates, personalisation and frequent notifications can significantly boost user engagement and attract new users. Consider the following:
- Plan and promote seasonal events, challenges, or limited-time offers
- Use eye-catching graphics and clear descriptions for your events
- Leverage push notifications to inform users about upcoming events
For example, Pokémon GO regularly hosts In-App Events tied to real-world holidays or game-specific themes, keeping players engaged and attracting new users.
11. Drive success with feedback collection
User feedback is invaluable for improving your app. Positive reviews are beneficial to your ASO as they increase visibility in the app stores and enhance user trust, leading to higher conversion rates. However, negative feedback can be beneficial too, as it can provide insights into areas needing improvement, helping you refine features and optimize the overall user experience. Therefore:
- Implement in-app feedback mechanisms to gather user opinions and suggestions
- Monitor app store reviews and ratings for insights into user experiences
- Use feedback to inform future updates and ASO strategies
Actively engaging with user feedback demonstrates your commitment to user satisfaction and can lead to improved ratings and reviews.
12. Expand your reach with localization
Once your app has successfully captured a satisfactory domestic audience, you may consider expanding into global markets. To reach a global audience, consider localizing your app store listing:
- Translate your app’s metadata (title, description, keywords) into relevant languages and remember to consider linguistic nuances, cultural differences, and technical variations
- Adapt screenshots and promotional text to resonate with different cultural contexts
- Research local keywords and trends to optimize for specific markets
Effective localization can significantly expand your app’s reach and appeal to international users. Keep in mind that entering a new market is not always straightforward. If you want to localize your app effectively, check out our comprehensive guide on app localization.
Mastering your ASO Checklist
In the competitive world of mobile apps, a comprehensive ASO strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential for success. By following this expanded ASO checklist, you can significantly improve your app’s visibility, increase download rates, and engage more effectively with your target audience. Remember that ASO is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort. Continuously monitor your app’s performance, stay updated on ASO best practices, and be prepared to adapt your strategy as the app marketplace evolves. With persistence and a data-driven approach, you can maximize your app’s potential and achieve long-term success in the app stores.
