Image source: www.searchenginejournal.com

Over the last few years, the mobile app space has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Research estimates 1.2 billion mobile app users in 2012 alone, and that number is expected to grow 29.8% each year. The app industry is broken down by 2 major players (Android and Apple iOS). In terms of OS platform share, comScore (a leading digital research firm) released the following numbers for OS platform market share as of August, 2013:

• Android: 51.6%
• Apple: 40.7%
• Blackberry: 4.8%
• Microsoft: 3.0%
• Symbian: 0.4%

What is ASO?

App store Optimization (ASO) is the first step to succeed in mobile app marketing.It is the process of improving the visibility of a mobile app (iPhone, Andriod, Windows Phone) in the app store (iTunes or Google Play) and generate extra downloads or sales.

Why is ASO Important?

63% of people discover apps via search, according to research firms Nielson and Forrester, so high visibility in app store search results is a key to success.

Best practices to optimize your app page.

Image source

App Name/App Title: Tell users about your app.

Include keywords in your title. Based on the top 25 ranking positions, it was calculated that an app which includes keyword in its title is ranked 10.3% higher than the ones that do not have keywords.

App Description: Describe everything about your app.

Focus on convincing the reader and portraying the best picture about the app – here is how it’s done:

• Get the first 3 lines very right
• Insert main features and benefits list
• Include social proof (awards, blog/users reviews)
• Localize description

App Icon: Make a first impression.

Make sure your icon or logo clearly and creatively expresses your app.

• Don’t include words
• Don’t standard gloss
• Simple is good. Simple is clear.
• Stand out from the crowd
• Icon/App consistency

App Screen Shots: Show off your best features.

Display some eye-catching screenshots of your app in action.

• Give clear and detailed screenshots of your app and highlight all the best parts of your app with multiple screen shots
• The App Store allows you to upload five screenshots of your app. Be sure to use every single one!
• You can add some simple text or additional graphics to your screenshots to drive home the benefits of your app

App Category: Where does your app fit in?

Make sure you categorize your app appropriately. A lot of searchers jump straight into specific categories if they are looking for something. Apple also allows a secondary category in the event your app fits into two categories, but always treat the primary app as your most important category.

App Keywords: What are users looking for?

The Keyword Field in iOS is a 100 character field which you can use to tell iTunes search for which keywords you should show up

• Focus on relevancy, search volume, and difficulty
• Don’t use multiple word phrases; break out to individual words
• Don’t repeat keywords that are already in your title
• Separate your keywords by commas but do not use spaces – you should use “keyword1, keyword2? instead of “keyword1, keyword2
• Use ASO Tools
• In Google Play, the app description has to be optimized

App Publisher Name: Who’s making your app?

The publisher name can also include keywords and you might even want to publish under several subdivisions of your company. “Badabing Financial Apps” and “Badabing Navigation Systems” would help you rank for those respective search terms.

Off-Page Optimization

Image source

App Reviews – People always download apps that have positive reviews. Sometimes reviews reveal a great deal of information about the app that may convert into download.

App Rating – Every app has a rating. People download an app that has a high percentage of ratings. Developing a great app automatically drive great and higher ratings.

Social/ Articles/Blogs

Post latest app features on social network to engage with consumers and new users. Keep writing about your app on various blogs. It may cover real life experiences or a basic description of app.

To reap the rewards of ASO, you need to invest time and effort. If you do, you’ll have a consistent channel driving traffic to your app.

Contributed by Nitin Revankar, SEO Analyst, Position² Inc.