Positioning your app to have increased visibility will always require rank management strategies. The better your app performs on the charts, the more likely an engaged user finds it, downloads it, and engages with it. To do this successfully, you’ll need to work on app store optimization (ASO). In this post, we’ll share ASO tips for the iOS App Store.
iOS ASO Tips: The Basics
ASO increases your app’s discoverability. There are multiple components of ASO to work on, including:
- Custom profile pages (CPP): You can create up to 35 custom pages on the iOS App Store. By doing so, you can personalize experiences for searchers, depending on the type of audience and what they search. You can also use these for CPE (cost per engagement) and CPI (cost per install) campaigns.
- Screenshots and intro videos: The more visually appealing your profile page is, the more likely it will catch users’ attention. High-quality, impactful screenshots can increase install rates by 35%. Inserting quick snapshot videos also highlights what the user experience will be. App videos can improve install rates by 23%.
- Keywords: Stick with keywords that are relevant to your app and the audience you want. Look at volume and keyword difficulty to narrow down the choices. Longer tail keywords can help with niche but might not have a huge number of searches. You can also change keywords depending on current campaigns around events or seasonality.
- Descriptions: This is the hook to get people to hit download. Tell them concisely what the app does and why it would be valuable to them. Does it save them time or money? Additionally, does it offer them convenience or a tool they need? Tell a quick story that includes these points.
- Reviews and ratings: The more reviews you can solicit from users, the greater chance of conversions. Not all feedback will be positive, but you can respond to it. You want to get your rating to a three-star or better because 50% of people won’t consider one under this.
To provide more context, let’s look at how the iOS App Store ASO works.
How iOS App Store ASO Works: Key Ranking Factors
On the iOS App Store, Apple ranks based on multiple factors. How keywords work is unique as well. It provides a specific field, not the description as the source. The other ranking factors include:
- App name
- Subtitle
- URL
- Keywords
- Number of installs
- Reviews and ratings
- App updates
- In-app purchases (IAPs)
So, how can you develop an ASO plan that leads to more user acquisition (UA)?
How to Leverage ASO to Increase Visibility and Organic Engagement
When working with our clients to enhance ASO, we help you with keyword campaigns and category ranking.
Keyword Campaigns
Those looking for an app use search predominantly, with 70% preferring this method. We work with clients to choose keywords that will entice the right users and accurately describe your app. Getting your keyword rankings up will include a dedicated burst campaign for the chosen keywords. A keyword analysis will consider relevance, volume, industry-related, and competitor ranking.
After the campaign runs, we deliver information on performance of rankings and how that led to an organic lift. When your keyword rankings improve, organic searchers find you, and if they download, this is an organic lift.
Category Rankings
The second part of an ASO strategy is category rankings. First, you’ll select the category you want to be more visible in if your app belongs to multiple ones. Then, we set rank goals that are realistic and achievable. Next, we launch a burst category campaign and discuss the results of how you improved positions.
Talk to an AdAction Expert for More ASO Tips
Finally, let’s look at some more ASO tips from our experienced team:
- Use A/B testing to evaluate individual factors (e.g., keywords, creative, etc.).
- Launch on an ad network that has proven experience in multiple geos and categories.
- Budget appropriately to ensure traction.
- Run campaigns during holidays or promotional events to get in front of more users.
- Leverage these campaigns as soon as you see competitors taking over your rankings.
Ready to optimize your app store profiles to deliver visibility and engagement? Contact us today to get started.
