Top 5 tips to optimize your App Store and Google Play page

There are nearly 2 million apps on the Apple App Store and 2.5 million apps on the Google Play Store. The fact that these stores are accessed by over 3 billion smartphone users on a regular basis means a lot of opportunity for developers. Naturally, these numbers can be very daunting when you are an app or a game developer trying to draw attention to your app. Hence, to create a successful app or game you need more than just a great app or game; you need to utilize App Store Optimization  (ASO) strategies so that your app is actually found in this ocean of apps.

What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?

Many developers think of app stores merely as a place where their app is hosted but this is completely wrong as these stores are in fact one of the largest search engines out there, and so they must be treated like one. When it comes to app visibility, far more apps are downloaded directly from Apple’s App Store than any other avenues like app websites, Facebook, reviews etc. Recent statistics put this number at roughly 70%.  Like search engine optimization (SEO), where web developers try to increase the number of visitors to their websites by improving their search rank, ASO is the process of improving your app visibility and conversion rates. In other words, it involves not only making your app easier to find but also convincing people to download it once they open the app page.  There are various ways you can optimize your app. Here, we will discuss five of them.

Tip 1: Use keywords wisely

Apple’s App Store allows you to have 100 characters for your keywords, so it is important that you spend time and make the right choices. While you can repeat keywords in your app description, avoid keyword stuffing throughout your metadata, and lowering your search rank if you get penalized for spam. Try to choose keywords that provide specific details about your app’s features and functionality, as well as words that your audience would use to find your app. Once you have chosen your keywords you can use services like MobileDevHQ and AppRadar to keep track of your keywords and their performance. 

Here some other quick tips when choosing keywords:

1. Use words rather than phrases, unless a phrase is an absolute integral keyword

2. Avoid using punctuations or special characters as they do not carry extra weight

3. Try to use keywords that are seldom used by apps  but show high traffic

4. Try to put your top keyword in your app name – tests have shown that it can improve search ranking by 10.3%

5. Use commas rather than spaces to separate keywords

6. Use digits instead of spelling out numbers

Tip 2: Focus on icon design

The first thing people notice when they see your app is the icon, and since first impressions are everything it is important you spend time creating the right icon. A great icon might not guarantee more downloads, but it will help get your audience to tap the app and read the description or watch the app video. Also, a great icon increases repeated usage, especially for apps that do not have obvious utility as it draws the user’s attention and keeps your app on the user’s mind.

So how do you make a great icon? Here are some key tips to keep in mind when choosing an icon:

1. Make the design simple but inventive to make a memorable impact on the user

2. For iOS apps, don’t use a transparent background: If you use transparency the resulting icon will appear to float on a black background

3. Try to add the app’s name to the icon to enhance brand recognition

Tip 3: Describe your game well

Things are a little different here as the Apple App Store does not take into account the description for the search rank but the Google Play Store does. Despite Apple’s disregard for the description when it comes to the search rank, keep in mind that there is someone who highly values an exciting description: your prospective users . Ultimately, it is very important that you describe your game well or else you risk losing the user after bringing him or her all the way to your app page.

When writing about your app, start with the most important unique selling point first, as the user will be able to see this without clicking the ‘read more’ button. When mentioning specific features use lists as this not only significantly increases readability but also makes the features easy to remember. Finally, end with a call to action and outline the key benefit of the app for example “install the app and increase your reading speed in 30 days”.  

P.S. if you have updates do not forget to mention all the great features you added as well.

Tip 4: Use high quality screenshots and app previews

Like app descriptions, screenshots and previews are a great way to provide more information to the users and convince them to hit the download button. Research shows that it takes users on average 8 seconds to decide whether or not to download an app. Reading descriptions typically takes much longer and so app screenshots are a great way to showcase your app and its features to your prospective users. Therefore, you need to spend time picking and designing the right screenshots and not just upload a  random collection. Here is some guidance on selecting the best screenshots: 

1. Work with text overlays: Do not just have a screenshot of your app but instead add some text overlays or graphics that describe features of your app

2. Add a zoom to some portions of your screenshot; this will highlight some key features of your app 

3. Add rewards or good reviews that your app has received. This will further influence people and encourage them to download the app.

4. App previews: Our brain processes videos 60,000 times faster than text, so a video preview will allow your user to have the closest experience of the app without actually downloading it. 

Tip 5: Re-evaluate your app regularly

Finally, it is very important that you regularly look at your app and its progress; if you are not pleased with the search rankings or the click through rate you need to understand why that is and what you can do about it. Here are some questions that you should be asking yourself.

Maybe the keywords aren’t right?

Is the description persuasive enough?

Are you sure the app is placed in the right category?

Does the icon need some fine tuning?

If you have optimized your app but are still not getting the desired reach consider paying for search ads as they can significantly increase your reach and lead to more downloads (which will further boost your search rank in the future). User Acquisition Funds are a great way to support you and your cash flow to be able to spend more on growth campaigns without giving away equity, intellectual property or ending up in debt. This is where we can help. Here, at 1Up Capital we understand the creative side of game development and we believe that you should remain in the driver's seat. For this reason we support Indies, Devs and Studios with tailored and smart User Acquisition Funding.