Introduction to ASO. Getting started guide. appannie.com. 23 Geary Street #800, San Francisco CA,

Transcription

1 Introduction to ASO Getting started guide appannie.com 1

2 Introduction to ASO If you re a part of the app industry, you ve undoubtedly heard the term ASO mentioned before. Have you found yourself asking questions like: What exactly is ASO? or Is ASO something my app can benefit from? Rest easy, we ve got a quick and easy guide that will break down what ASO is, why it matters and how you can benefit from it. What is ASO? ASO stands for App Store Optimization. It refers to the methodology of optimizing aspects of your mobile app s meta data for platforms such as ios and Android. The goal of ASO is to increase your app s visibility within stores like Apple s App Store and Google Play, so that you can get more downloads without spending money on advertising. Similar to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites, ASO is optimization for mobile apps. 2

3 Why is ASO important? App Store Optimization helps you surface your app to interested users, without spending a dollar on user acquisition. In a study conducted by Forrester, the firm found that 63% of apps are discovered through search. This finding makes ASO an extremely important factor for app developers and publishers. Below you can see the complete chart that outlines the findings from the study. Source: Forrester The fact that search is the dominant form of app discovery shows the importance of ranking for keywords that users are searching for. 3

4 What are the different aspects of my app that can be optimized? The key aspects of your app that get optimized are: app name, app description, keywords, screen-shots, icons and app videos. What will ASO do for my app? App Store Optimization will help increase your app s discoverability and drive relevant users to your app to increase its downloads without costing you a single dollar. ASO vs Paid User Acquisition In contrast to ASO, paid advertising is another way in which app developers acquire users. Paid user acquisition requires working with ad platforms that advertise your app to users and charge you on an install or click basis (amongst other payment models). As cost per installs increase, paid user acquisition becomes an expensive venture. Those who are willing to spend more will have their ads displayed more often and increase their chances of getting more app installs. Optimizing your app with ASO best practices and making sure your app ranks for the right keywords is a cost effective way of getting downloads. 4

5 How to approach ASO? ASO is not a one time thing. It is an ongoing effort that requires regular monitoring and tweaking based on the changing environments of the app stores. Each day introduces new apps, keywords and trends, making it imperative that you track your keywords on a regular basis and work ASO into your app s long term marketing plan. Similarly, ASO is not a miracle cure-all to combat app stores saturated with millions of apps. It is one component of your broader marketing strategy, which can include a combination of paid UA, social marketing, guerilla marketing, content marketing and much more. Conclusion With search being the dominant form of app discovery, and cost of user acquisition ever on the rise, ASO is a cost effective way to help your app s chances of getting discovered in the highly competitive app stores. 5