Everything You Need to Know About App Store Optimization

Source: Neil Patel

I talk a lot about mobile search optimization. It’s important in today’s world.

Mobile is a buzzword these days in anything digital.

That’s because worldwide mobile Internet usage has surpassed desktop.

But it’s not just about web browsing anymore.Mobile devices redefined the software industry, and apps are the new way to reach customers.

Mobile devices redefined the software industry, and apps are the new way to reach customers.

In fact, 26% of all mobile searches begin within a branded app.

When we discuss mobile app development, we typically focus on the Apple/iOS App Store.It’s a great place to start with any app’s development.

It’s a great place to start with any app’s development.

That’s because consumer spend is twice that of the Google/Android Play Store.

Android may have a larger installed user base, but iOS users are willing to pay for quality.

If you can provide it, you can make a killing. You can even create a new lane.

Evernote became one of Silicon Valley’s first unicorn startups in 2012 on the strength of 30 million users.

This was long before Microsoft, Apple, and Google’s cloud-based productivity suites became commonplace.

Even with all three of those existing giants, Shiny Frog created a new lane with Bear for iOS.

If these companies can do it, so can you!

That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy.

There are over 2.2 million apps in the App Store.

It’s a crowded market in every niche, and you’ll need a solid app with solid marketing fundamentals to survive.

Competition is fierce, especially for the Top Charts and Featured lists.

It’s not enough to just have a great app. A lot of those get outshined by lesser quality apps with better marketing.

Although we focus on SEO for web pages (and this is still important for the App Store), Google and Bing aren’t the search engines used to find apps.

The App Store itself is where the majority of users discover mobile apps.

So that’s where we’ll focus our search optimization efforts.

However, since many of the same principles apply, I’ll weave in some web SEO stuff as well.

Let’s get started by understanding what the App Store looks like to its users.

Navigating the App Store

Like everything Apple, the App Store is simple to use and navigate from a user standpoint.

Apps are sorted into 24 unique categories depending on the type.

Within these categories, apps are divided between paid and free.

Choosing a category for your app is the first step in building or listing an app. You need to understand your target market.

Users are also given options to search or browse through curated lists of featured and top app lists.

This structure is what we need to keep in mind when deciding how to list our app.

Here’s what the new design layout looks like:

Much like in search engines or marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, visual content is clearly important.

You’re not given much to work with besides an image, title, description, rating, and price.

Reviews and a long-form description also show up on your individual app page.

You’ll also notice related apps show up.

This means if you optimize right, you may be able to steal users from your competitor.

Apple has a powerful search algorithm in place that uses several factors to determine ranking, including engagement, retention, reviews, and search optimization.

Let’s take a look at each in reverse order.

Search Optimization

Much of what I’m about to explain is going to be SEO basics.

If you’re already familiar with these for web searches, there are still a few key differences within the App Store.

Title

The title is our first impression online. It’s what drew you to read this post, and it’s what will draw users to your app.

Optimizing with a keyword in the title increases search ranking for that title by 10.3%!

Obviously, some limitations apply, as the App Store is very regulated.

You’re given only 30 characters for a title in iOS 11, and keyword stuffing is a surefire way to risk being banned.

Users are also wary of downloading shady-looking apps for privacy concerns.

Think about it — would you rather have “Evernote” or “Note Taking Note App for Notes” on your smartphone?

Be smart about how you optimize.

Pandora, for example, does everything right.

Its icon is sleek and simple, and with a short name, it was able to fit in three very important keywords.

When searching the App Store for “free,” “music,” or “radio,” you’ll find Pandora at or near the top.

Description

Here’s where things get a bit murky. Technically the App Store algorithm ignores the description.Users, however, are a different story.

Users, however, are a different story.

Rather than optimizing for direct SEO, focus on explaining the features and benefits of your product.

And, while it seems like you have a lot of space to do this, you actually don’t.

Truncated snippets are shown on your product page, and only 2% of users ever click “more” to read beyond what you see here.

You have 252 characters to make your pitch and convince someone you’re worth downloading.

There’s no room for fluff, and you may need to A/B test several iterations to find what works best.

Keyword metadata

A new feature in iOS 11 provides you with 100 characters to enter keywords separated by commas.

These help your app get discovered through search and related content.

There’s no need to duplicate efforts here, so choose keywords you haven’t already used in the title.

Also, there’s no need to use the category or subcategory.

Some in-depth keyword analysis can be done using Apple Search Ads.

This feature is only available to iOS app developers and is an essential tool for listing any project.

There’s one last search consideration.

Subtitle

Also new in iOS 11, you’re given a subtitle below the title in search results. This is also limited to 30 characters.

It gives you another chance to use more descriptive keywords.

TypeShift, for example, uses the space to input its SEO.

This is a cleaner look and can work well.

I…

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