ASO: Basic Principles and How to Improve App Conversion
Metadata
App Name
Focus on brand and keywords: Ensure that your app name includes your brand and the most important keyword.
In the App Store, you can use up to 30 characters. This limit should be fully utilized.
Subtitle
It’s important to complement the app name with additional keywords and a brief description of functionality, explaining what your app offers. The App Store also has a 30-character limit.
Keywords
Keywords are the most important metadata element for ASO. They are used to determine which search queries your app will appear in. The App Store has a 100-character limit for keywords, and you should use all of them.
Competitor Analysis: Study the keywords used by your competitors and find niches that might be underrepresented.
Frequent Updates: The market and trends are constantly changing, so it’s important to regularly update your list of keywords.
App Description
The app description in the App Store can contain up to 4000 characters.
A detailed description is not a ranking factor in the App Store, but it plays a crucial role in conversion optimization. If a user reads your full description, it should convince them to download your app.
Inverted Pyramid Style of Writing: Start with the most important information, gradually moving to details. The first few lines are critically important as they are visible in search results without needing to expand the entire description.
Use of Keywords: Include keywords naturally, avoiding their accumulation. This makes the text easy to perceive.
Ensure that your description includes:
An opening paragraph (the first three visible lines) that intrigues, grabs attention, and encourages the user to read the entire description.
The main features of your application, its unique selling points, and the value or benefits the user will receive after downloading it.
Any mentions of awards or positive reviews.
High-volume keywords found through tools like Google Trends. These can help your application appear in search results.
Localization for each target language.
Well-formatted and easy-to-read text, divided into paragraphs and bullet points, with capitalized headings and symbols to accentuate important points.
Use of the full 4000-character limit.
While not a ranking factor, a well-written and detailed description can significantly improve your application’s conversion rates and encourage users to download it.
Categories and Subcategories
Categories and subcategories are used to classify apps in the App Store and help users find the most relevant apps for their needs. They are also used to determine which search queries your app will appear in.
Ensure that your app is in the most appropriate category, as this directly affects its visibility.
Promo Text
Promo text is not indexed and not used for ranking, but it provides an opportunity to attract people’s attention. The text appears above the detailed description and does not require moderation. This is an excellent place to highlight the main features and benefits of your app, as well as inform users about promotional activities, planned features, and other relevant content.
The limit is 170 characters.
What’s New
Although this section does not affect ranking or conversion, it helps to showcase new features and significant improvements to active users. Indirectly, this section can influence app retention, which is a ranking factor.
Avoid a simple list of bug fixes.
Localization
Adapting to Different Languages and Regions: Localize metadata for different markets, including translating and adapting keywords, app names, and descriptions to the cultural characteristics of each region.
Cross-localization
Cross-localization means using metadata from one country or region to increase visibility in another. For example, optimizing metadata in English can affect search results in countries where English is not the primary language.
Use this to penetrate new markets, adapting keywords and descriptions to the cultural and linguistic features of each localization.
If your app is targeted at only one locale, use cross-localization as additional input fields for your target localization.
Graphic Materials
In addition to text descriptions, visual elements are also considered part of the metadata. They should be high-quality and convey the key functions of the app.
The App Store allows adding up to 10 screenshots and up to 3 videos.
Icon
Creating an icon for your application requires careful consideration to ensure it stands out and conveys the app’s main purpose or genre. To start, review the Apple guidelines for app icons and follow their recommendations for designing your icon. Be sure to monitor Human Interface Guidelines to stay up-to-date with the latest design trends.
Your icon should be simple and uncluttered, avoiding unnecessary details that could make it difficult to recognize. It should also contrast well against potential backgrounds, including light, dark, and colorful wallpapers. Additionally, the icon should distinguish your app from competitors, using a unique design while adhering to a consistent graphic style.
Use high-resolution images to create a crisp and clear icon that displays well on all devices. Finally, optimize the icon size for each device to ensure it displays correctly. You can use icons generator. By following these guidelines, you can design a memorable and eye-catching icon that will help your app stand out in the crowded App Store.
Screenshots
Screenshots are displayed in Apple Store search results and are one of the first elements that users see when opening the app page, making them a crucial factor in driving installations.
To create effective screenshots, start by analyzing competitor creatives and developing a concept for high-quality graphics. Choose a suitable format, such as horizontal or vertical, based on the type of application you have. For instance, games may benefit more from horizontal screens, while portrait screens will display the first three screens in search results under your app name and subtitle. Adding panoramic backgrounds that visually link your screenshots together can encourage users to scroll through all of them.
Ensure the first three screenshots showcase your app’s most exciting features and benefits, and arrange them in a logical sequence. Use short captions with a large font that’s easy to read on smartphone screens.
Upload a minimum of five screenshots, prepared for at least two mandatory smartphone screens: 5.5 and 6.5 inches. Ideally, prepare screenshots for all devices. If your app also works on tablets, prepare screenshots for the 12.9-inch screens. Localize your screenshots for each language and culture and check how they look in light and dark themes to ensure they stand out.
Finally, if you have multiple hypotheses, prepare at least two sets of screenshots for A/B testing.
App Store Preview Video
App Store Preview Videos are short videos that play automatically when users open your app page and capture users’ attention. They are a great way to showcase your app’s main features and benefits, and can help you stand out from the competition. When creating your video previews, consider the following:
Choose suitable portrait or landscape formats, depending on your application. For example, portrait videos will display the first preview video in search results with your first two screenshots, while album-oriented videos will display the first video without additional screenshots.
Include at least one video out of three possible and use a screen recording of your application, avoiding over-the-shoulder angles or simulated gestures. App Previews may not be moderated. The video should showcase your app’s most exciting features while using on-screen touchpoints to demonstrate navigation and interaction.
Selected poster Frame conveys the main essence of the application.
Make sure the video is accompanied by text commentary and appropriate music that enhances the viewing experience. In games, the video should display real gameplay and avoid misleading users or creating false impressions.
The video should intrigue users and prompt them to install the app within the first three to five seconds. When demonstrating registration or login screens, a mask should be used to prevent showing real user data.
Choose licensed materials, such as music, characters, and trademarks, for your videos. Keep the duration of the video between 15 to 30 seconds and ensure that it complies with all technical requirements outlined in the App Store guidelines.
Create video previews optimized for at least two mandatory smartphone screens (5.5 and 6.5 inches) that will also work well on other devices. If possible, create separate previews for each device.
If there are multiple hypotheses, prepare at least two video previews for A/B testing with screenshots.
Reviews and Ratings
Ratings and reviews have an impact on app rankings in the App Store, as well as on install conversions and brand reputation.
The app rating is equal to the average rating in the category, but not less than 4.1 stars.
After the initial release, you asked your family and friends to rate your app in order to quickly gather a solid pool of reviews.
You motivate users to leave reviews by offering bonuses in the app. However, it is important not to abuse bonuses in the App Store to avoid getting banned. Reviews/ratings are included in the game process. For example, participation in an event is only available after leaving a review. Remind users about reviews on your social media pages and in push notifications. A pop-up form with a request to leave a review is integrated into the app, appearing at a “fortunate” moment when users will be satisfied with your app.
You respond to negative reviews to show potential users that you deserve their trust.
Featured reviews contain only positive feedback. Negative reviews are downvoted or pushed down by marking positive reviews as helpful.
Complaints are filed in the App Store for non-objective reviews, reviews with insults and profanity, and reviews that do not comply with the App Store guidelines.
A/B Testing
A/B testing can be a powerful tool for optimizing various elements of an app’s page in the App Store, such as the icon, screenshots, description, and more. By testing two different versions of a page with a randomly selected audience, developers can gather data on which version performs better and make data-driven decisions to improve their app’s performance. Limitations:
Up to 3 testing variants can be created.
Tests can last up to 90 days.
You can choose what percentage of users see default and test pages.
Icons must be submitted for review with a new app version, while screenshots and previews can be submitted without updating the app.
Changing the order of screenshots and previews does not require review.
Competitive analysis was conducted, and various hypotheses and goals were defined based on it.
Icons for testing were submitted for review with the new version of the app.
Only one element or hypothesis will be tested at a time to understand its impact on conversion.
Testing has been coordinated with the marketing department.
All graphic materials created for the test comply with the specifications, rules, and requirements of the App Store.
Custom Product Pages
Custom Product Pages (CPP) do not have an impact on app store ranking, but they can significantly increase conversion rates from advertising channels. However, increasing overall traffic to the app can affect its position in search results. On a CPP, you can showcase unique sets of screenshots, video previews, and promotional text. These pages are fully customizable and can only be accessed through a link.
Limits:
Up to 35 custom pages can be created, and each CPP will have its own set of data for analysis.
Audience research has been conducted, and their main motivations for installing the app have been identified, along with a suitable segmentation method for creating custom pages.
Segmentation can be based on app features, content, interests, promotional and seasonal events, source, demographics, etc.
All graphic materials comply with App Store specifications, rules, and requirements. Regular synchronization between ASO and marketing teams/specialists is conducted to create custom pages for marketing campaigns in advance.