App Store Conversion Rate Optimization – AIDA

Conversion Rate Optimization is something you’ve probably heard a lot about. (scroll to bottom to watch video!)
It’s important to know exactly what we’re discussing before going forward. Conversion Rate Optimization is, generally speaking, a method of analyzing traffic and user feedback to improve the performance of your app.
The idea can be used for improving virtually any metric of your online business, but it’s usually associated with the acquisition of new users, subscribers, downloads, click-throughs, and more.
Put simply, it’s a way to increase the number of users who experience that eureka moment that turns casual browsing into a valuable encounter.
Now, today’s post is partly inspired by the “always be closing” speech from David Mamet’s renowned Glenngary Glen Ross. If you haven’t seen the film, just search for the scene on Youtube; the clip features some salty language, so make sure kids aren’t around!
However, you don’t need to see the scene to understand what we’re talking about here. The key takeaway is the following acronym:
AIDA: Attention, Interest, Decision, Action.
We’re going to talk about exactly what this means for your app. A lot of people only consider downloads when gauging popularity, but downloads only get you so far. Keep in mind that running a successful app is as much about sales itself as it is about marketing.
A lot of folks get into the app business, doing keywords and app title right, getting downloads from the store, but forget about the actual sales process. That’s where AIDA comes in.

1. Attention

First, ask yourself this: How am I getting attention? To get your app out there in front of eyeballs, you’re going to need great screenshots, a catchy icon, and a solid title of course.
But you’re also going to need to get out there on social media, where people already are, to get noticed in the first place. Once people start seeing you on their feeds, and in their suggested app list, they’re going to want to take a closer look.

2. Interest

Once someone sees your app, how will they get interested? This is a crucial step in conversion rate optimization. Everything about your app needs to cater to the interests of the user.
They need to be able to look at your app and say, I’ve got a problem and this app solves it! This app seems targeted specifically toward me.
This is how you find niche markets and the people who populate them. You need to present your app in such a way that it says in bold, clear language that it will directly address the needs of a user.

3. Decision

It’s decision time. This is that eureka moment we mentioned earlier. This is when the user decides that the app is worth installing. It’s the difference between saying, “this looks cool,” and saying, “I’m going to take the time to put this on my phone.”
A big part of this is doing a great job with design, both aesthetically and functionally. Your app solves a problem, right? Make sure the user can tell right away.
You’ll want to ensure that your app makes a compelling case for itself. Great reviews, screenshots, and UI design all help put your app in front of the right people, the ones it will make a direct connection with.

4. Action

The final step is where the magic happens. Once a user has downloaded your app, how do you get them to do something with it?
The onboarding process means any number of things, including whether they keep the app installed, whether they make an in-app purchase, click on something important, or otherwise directly engage.
This is the moment where your app moves from a mild flirtation to a relationship with the user.
Your focus should be on making sure that your app not only presents itself as the answer to a question, but also actually answers that question. This is where money gets made. This is where “closing” happens.

Make It Happen

So we covered the steps in the process, but the important thing to keep in mind is that you have to follow through completely. Putting in the work, every time, is the only way to come out on top.
If you don’t get the user to do something once they’re in your app, then it’s pointless, a waste of a download. The user needs to be engaging with it, buying something, clicking on the ads, telling friends about it on social media, sharing it, or even reviewing it positively.
All of these things help drive engagement. They all help optimize that all-important conversion rate.
If you can follow the formula once you’ve got people into the app, you’ll start seeing a dramatic increase in downloads, revenue, and brand awareness.
Catch ya later,
Carter