A Complete Guide to App Store Optimization (ASO)

Every year there is less and less space in traffic arbitrage. New teams come, new sources appear – a newcomer here will no longer earn easy money without skills. However, ASO, App Store optimization, works even for solo arbitrageurs. In our article, we talk about how optimization works in the App Store.

What is ASO

ASO, app store optimization means optimizing an application to get organic traffic in the App Store and Google Play. In fact, this is the same as SEO. They optimize the site there, and here they optimize the application, but that’s the whole difference.

Optimization in the App Store works well in verticals such as gambling, betting, and various games because it makes sense to create an application in them. ASOs work to increase installs, improve search visibility, and optimize conversions.

Unlike SEO, ASO is fast. 7-10 days and the first results will already show themselves. It is possible and even faster, the indexing process will be accelerated thanks to motivated traffic that can be purchased on exchanges.

What is optimization

As in the case of website optimization, work with the application is large and complex. It is divided into the following areas:

All this improves the behavioral factors of users – the number of downloads and deletions, search queries.

How to get to the top application

Ideally, ASO is worth doing with an unreleased application. This is often easier than dealing with errors.

Collect keys

First, the webmaster must collect the semantic core – the keywords that the user will use to search for the application in the store. As in the case of SEO, the keys in the application have different competition. It is more difficult to work with high-frequency keys – more funds will have to be invested for promotion, and the success of this event is not guaranteed.

You can collect keys manually. It is enough to enter a request and look at the continuation – the system itself will tell you exactly what users are looking for in the stores. True, in this way the system will show just common, high-frequency keys, which will be difficult to move along.

Another option is to use a special key selection service like Asodesk or ASOMobile. They will select ready-made keys by which it will be possible to move forward and they will also analyze competitors.

Write a description of the application

The collected keys should be used in texts about the application, this is necessary so that the user can quickly find what he needs in the search.

It is worth noting that the description of the application in ASO is a purely technical function. Text influences the user’s decision to install to a lesser extent.

Assemble the visual

Visual content is one of the main tasks of the optimizer. If the selection of keys and the composition of the text only bring the application itself to the top, then high-quality screenshots help the user make a decision about downloading it.

It is important that the user immediately read the vertical and the capabilities of the application. Good visualization helps to do this in one color, for example, red and gold resemble the colors of a casino. The user immediately understands that this is something about gambling. And if the icon also shows a slot, understanding develops into confidence.

Screenshots are what the user chooses whether to download the application. For this, the first two or three are enough. Screenshots should be of high quality – they should explain what is inside the application. Ideally, they should display what the user wants to get from the download – the possibility of winning, rich emotions, and everything in that spirit.

Buy motivated traffic

In principle, you can do without it, but the indexing of the application will take a long time. And motivated traffic will show the algorithms of the store that the app is interesting for users and they will start showing it to other audiences.

The main thing here is not to overdo it. If you immediately fill in a couple of million installations, the same algorithms will suspect something is wrong and completely ban the application.

What is the difference between ASO in the App Store and Google Play

The two main global stores are the App Store and Google Play. The general principles of optimization are the same for them, but there are subtleties for each site.

For example, working with text – the name of the application affects indexing in both stores. But the App Store has another subheading, which is the second most important section in the app store. Google Play, on the other hand, has to work with a short and complete description, entering the keys there. Reviews are also indexed on Google Play – this does not happen at all in the App Store.

Search algorithms in each store also work with differences. The mechanisms in the App Store are quite simple, but Google Play is able to decline words by case, translate and select synonyms. Accordingly, Google search is smarter.

In addition, moderation is also different. In the App Store, it is manual, which means that tough creatives simply will not be missed. But on Google Play, the application is checked by internal compliance mechanisms. And with this store, you can try ads “on the edge”.

Finally, traffic volumes are significantly higher on Google Play. But solvency is again much higher in the App Store.

Tips for optimizing on the App Store and Google Play