What is ASO in digital marketing?

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Application search optimization, known as ASO, is a group of techniques with the goal of optimizing, promoting visibility and appealing to a mobile app in stores such as App Store and Google Play Store.

The aim of this tool in digital marketing is to increase the position and the conversion rates, which also result in the increase of the app’s visibility and download rate.

In this text, we will get an understanding of the importance of ASO and how it separates itself from other strategic tools.

What is ASO in digital marketing and why is it important?

ASO is a group of techniques that aim to increase the visibility and classification of a mobile app in app stores. With the current competitive scenario in the app market, successful ASO implementation is crucial for the success of an app,  boosting the chances of appearing in search results, as well as being easily found by potential users.

To app editors, the increase of the user ‘s base and the number of downloads are essential. These downloads can be obtained through paid ads campaigns, with cost per install (CPI) and optimization of the application for organic traffic, paying greater attention to the title, icon, rating and other details, both following ASO guidelines.

How does app store optimization work?

The two main aspects of ASO are focused on click through rate (CTR) and the classification of search results. To reach a high CTR, it is important to persuade the users to click on the app logo by working on many visual aspects such as titles, prints, messages, rates and icons. 

  • The ASO (app/android store optimization) offers plenty of benefits to developers and app editors. When implementing the store optimization it is necessary to pay attention to the use of relevant keywords, interactive icons, optimization of the description, comments and rates, prints and videos. Taking this aspects into consideration, it is possible to obtain high results, however, bearing in mind:
  • More visibility in App Stores: your app must be found so it gets more downloads. The higher the visibility, the higher the chance of your app being chosen by users. 
  • Attracting qualified users: listing relevant keywords is a good example of ASO optimization and allows your app to be found by qualified users that are searching for these kinds of apps. 
  • Organic downloads: with an effective ASO strategy, you can increase the number of organic installations and guarantee lasting results. When people search keywords related to your app, it will be shown on the search results, contributing to an better classification
  • Cost reduction and continuous growth:  the organic growth obtained by ASO reduces ad costs and guarantees the continuous growth of qualified users.
  • Conversion rate and increased revenue: the optimization of conversion rate guarantees that users are attracted to downloading your app. The revenue increase can happen through ads, shoppings or subscriptions.
  • Please note that SEO and backlinks also influence the ASO: the Google search results can include app listings. Therefore, optimising the app content is fundamental. 

How to put it into practice

Before starting to use the ASO strategy, it is important to:

  • Fully comprehend the market your app is in and how the users find apps in this category. You can build a good ASO strategy based on this analysis.
  • Analyse the main characteristics of your app, compare them to your competition and observe the keywords they present to their users. Define an appropriate name to your app, a detailed description, a coherent subtitle and successful keywords.
  • Be focused on the quality of the data used, build clear metadata and test different variations, making improvements on the results and competition analysis. 
  • Present characteristics of your app and tell stories through prints and videos, taking into consideration the layout and size. 
  • Incentivise users to evaluate your app, answer proactively any negative comments and highlight the positive evaluations. 

Conclusion

ASO is a crucial optimization strategy which aims to increase the visibility and traffic of apps in app stores, taking into consideration classification factors while concentrating on the optimization of elements such as name, description, keywords, evaluations and images, seeking to improve your visibility and reach the target user. 

The implementation of an efficacious ASO strategy increases visibility, rankings and the general success of an app or website in the online environment, helping to reach a wider public, attracting qualified users and obtaining better results within the app market.

Written by: Mariana Moya