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App Store Optimization: get found and get installed
A good app nobody finds stays a hobby. ASO makes your app show up for the right searches and makes the store page convince people to install.
Start a projectWhat ASO is
App Store Optimization is SEO for the App Store and Google Play, with different rules. You only have a few characters, and the platforms read your text differently. There is also a second lever: position is not the only thing that counts, so does how many people install after seeing your page.
What I look at
Search terms
How do users describe their problem, as opposed to your feature? I look for terms with reachable competition and assign them to fields. The method is described in ASO keyword research.
Metadata
Title, subtitle, keyword field and descriptions, per platform and per language. Limits and differences are in App Store vs Google Play.
Store page
The first screenshot often decides whether someone keeps reading. Screenshots should show the benefit, not the menu. The captions get rewritten for each language rather than just translated.
Ratings
Ask for a rating when someone has just achieved something, not on first launch. Critical reviews get an answer, because future users read along.
Localisation
Every extra language is a new chance to match searches, but only if the terms are really searched for in that market.
Why me
I build and publish apps: 1000 Words for 33 languages, DreamVocab, Bellezaa and AppReviewX. So I know store submissions, Apple and Google reviews and waiting for new versions from my own work. If ASO is not enough because the app itself is the problem, I can help there too, since development is part of what I do.
Related articles
- ASO: App Store vs Google PlayTitle, subtitle, keyword field, description: which fields count on the App Store and Google Play, and the character limits you have to work with.
- ASO keyword research in 6 stepsHow to find the right search terms for your app without expensive tools: collect, check, prioritise and spread them across the store fields.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly does ASO work?
On the App Store, the title, subtitle and keywords change with a new version. Expect several weeks before you can judge changes properly, because search positions fluctuate.
Is optimising once enough?
To begin with, yes, but competitors and search behaviour change. A review every few months or with major features makes sense.
Does ASO replace advertising?
Not necessarily. They complement each other: a better store page also lowers the cost per install in paid campaigns.
Let’s talk about your project.
Tell me briefly what it is about. You get a personal reply from Tobias and then a fixed price. Prefer email? info@tob-apps.com