App Store Optimization for B2B Apps

b2b apps aso

App store optimization (ASO) is critical for every app. Where you rank matters in the app store, as searchers initiate more downloads this way. Apple reports that 65% of downloads occur organically via search. Having a strong ASO strategy is just as crucial for B2B apps as those that target consumers. 

The approach isn’t much different than how apps target consumers. However, a user’s motivation for needing that app isn’t the same. With the shift to remote work accelerated in the past year, B2B apps that include tools necessary for employees to do their jobs are ripe for opportunity. 

If you want to improve rank and visibility, retuning your ASO efforts could lead to more downloads.

Why Does ASO Matter?

There’s not much ambiguity on the potential of ASO. Organic discoverability is the goal with ASO. Achieving this is possible by following ASO best practices. It’s not unlike how you optimize for SEO. Your rank will depend on these areas of your profile.

  • Title: Should be descriptive and include relevant keywords.
  • Keywords: Choose these based on how your audience searches, volume, and difficulty.
  • Descriptions: Answer questions about how it works, features, and use cases.
  • Visuals: Enable users to visualize using it. Screenshots and an app preview video can make all the difference. (Get more tips on ensuring a visual wow in our infographic on improving ASO!)

This content is the first impression much of the time that a user has with your app. If it’s not inviting and informational, they might keep on scrolling. You also need to express things that are important to enterprise users, sizing up the options.

B2B App Categories

Most of the B2B apps that are in high demand relate to enabling a mobile workforce, including:

  • Video conferencing and VoIP (i.e., Zoom, Microsoft Teams)
  • UCaaS (unified communications as a service) (i.e., Slack, WhatsApp Business)
  • VPNs
  • File sharing and document creation (i.e., Google Drive, Microsoft Office)
  • Document management and scanners (i.e., Adobe Acrobat, Dropbox)
  • Job and employee scheduling (Note: These apps may have experienced a pandemic boost but were already in high use for restaurants, retail, and field service companies.)
  • Project management (i.e., Asana, Trello)
  • Accounting and expenses (i.e., QuickBooks, ADP)
  • eCommerce (i.e., Shopify, Square)

Most all these fit into the Business or productivity categories (or both) on app stores. When individuals use these apps, they are most likely doing so for business purposes. Each individual contributor probably did not choose to use that platform. Decision-making for these apps varies by the size of the company. Small companies may listen to feedback from all users. Larger companies often allow IT to select apps, and their motivators are cost, usability, and security.

These decision-makers are whom you’re targeting predominantly. However, individual users will undoubtedly provide feedback if they aren’t impressed or informed by your app store profile. What it contains may keep them from adopting the technology, and if a company gets enough backlash, they may reconsider. Further, individuals aren’t usually under a mandate to download an app. They could just use the solution on their desktop or interact through the mobile version of the website. 

Ideally, you want all business users to download your app. How can you attract them? They need to hear some specific things from you in your ASO.

Optimizing ASO for B2B Apps

optimizing aso b2b apps

If you’re going to attract business users via ASO efforts, consider these opportunities.

  • Be explicit about security in your title, description, or keywords. Users have every right to be skeptical of the safety of their data, considering the scandal of Zoom’s compromise in 2020. If certain security features are only available for paid subscriptions, be clear about this. 
  • Reconsider your audience: Audience targeting is constantly evolving. Your app should be eliminating a pain point for them. You need to illustrate that in your description and visuals. Including what it does and how it makes a user’s life easier is good fodder for an intro video.
  • Refine your keywords: How users are searching for apps like yours is also changing. “Remote” continues to be a popular keyword for this category, but offices are reopening, so it might be better to say it’s mobile-friendly.
  • Look at competitors: Competition is an excellent catalyst to see what you may be missing. You don’t want to copy them, but they may be doing things that help them keep an edge that you can employ.
  • Optimize metadata: Structuring your metadata can also assist with search visibility. Volume isn’t the only mark of a good keyword. It also needs to align with what your app does and who it benefits. Doing this can increase your clicks and app store ranking.
  • Solicit reviews and respond to them: Reviews offer social proof of the quality of your app. Asking for reviews is commonplace, so you’ll want to ensure this is part of your engagement strategy in-app. Also, if the review isn’t positive, respond to it with honesty and transparency.

What Else Can Improve Discoverability and Ranking?

ASO is the bedrock of increasing app discoverability, but there are other ways to improve visibility. Delivering a great user experience matters in ASO and beyond. Without this, you’re unlikely to retain users, receive positive reviews, or attract more installers.

Additionally, you can use paid search ads and bust campaigns. Those target specific keywords, categories, and users. They can be a nice complement to ASO. Paid ads drive traffic and installs. As installs rise, apps can also receive an organic lift in rankings.

Ready to Boost Your B2B Apps’ Visibility

B2B apps serve specific needs for their users. Ideally, they should make an employee’s daily life easier with easy access to the tools they need. Ensuring your app receives consideration by companies for enterprise-wide use starts with ASO. To learn more about how we can help with ASO, contact our mobile app marketing experts today.



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