The act of optimizing App Store or Google Play apps to rank higher on a search results page is called Mobile app SEO. It is just like optimizing the content on your website by improving metadata and heading (on-page SEO).Â
Google has increased its focus on a mobile-first algorithm, and you can tweak your mobile app’s content to make sure it is spotted and indexed by search engines. Not only does Google prioritize and direct visitors to mobile-friendly sites, they also provide recommended applications related to people’s search phrases right at the top of the search engine results page (SERP). A top SEO agency helps improve your app’s search rankings through dynamic keyword research, quality competitor analysis, creative content support, and algorithm insight.
Generic search: A properly optimized app shows up well on a generic search. A quick search on Google for a good app includes information about the number of app installs, app rating, and download cost.
Organic brand name search: If someone searches for your specific brand on Google, a snippet of your app listing appears along with rating info, install numbers, and cost. You can also let your customers install the app directly off the SERP. This takes anyone who clicks it to the app store for installing the app.
App Store Optimization (ASO): App store SEO is done when you optimize your app to influence where it appears when someone searches for related terms within an app store. Now, if you ask why is ASO important, the answer is that by improving the ASO of your app, it can appear higher in app store search results and, in turn, get more installs.
Why Does Mobile App SEO Matter?
Responsive and mobile-friendly websites are not just appealing, they are also an industry standard. By spending some time and effort on your app’s SEO and ASO, you can help it rank higher on search engines, increase your brand’s search engine ranking, and reach people that want to install it organically. Â
SEO Strategy for Mobile Apps
Now that you know what is app store optimization, you can see that there are some similar ranking factors between the SEO and ASO of your mobile app.
App Title
Your app title should contain the keyword that receives the most search traffic. Before settling on a keyword for your title, it’s essential to conduct thorough keyword research. Additionally, changing your title might have a negative impact on how you rank. As your app starts to gain visibility and ratings, its popularity will increase by word of mouth also. It is important to make it as simple as possible for users to locate your app by searching for your brand or app name directly rather than relying on suggestions and recommendations.
App Subtitle
You have an additional 30 characters in the app subtitle to better describe your app; use this space to include other primary keywords that you could not use in your title.
App description
The copy of your app description should engage and entice users to learn more about your app and lead to app downloads. The description can explain the problem your app solves for the user, in short, concise sentences and plain language. Using bullet points to explain key features and being transparent about payments, subscriptions and data sharing will make it easier for people to understand what your app is about. Even though the app description does not affect your ranking directly, its user experience will impact how people deal with your app.
App Metadata
Keep your metadata updated. Help users get a real flavor of what your app is like before installing.
App Ratings and Reviews
Apps with good ratings naturally rank higher on search engines and app stores. They also help increase conversions. Similarly, bad ratings and reviews lower your ranking and stop people from installing your app. You should connect with app users who you know are happy with it and encourage them to review your app. You can use app review plugins to make it easy to leave reviews. You can also respond to negative reviews. This shows users that you listen to them and are serious about making improvements based on user experience.
Monitoring and measuring your SEO strategy for mobile apps can help users find and install your app more easily. You can craft engaging copy to describe your app, include your snippet, and test different versions to explore what engages your target users the most. A digital marketing agency will have a team of SEO experts who can help you get your app noticed.
