These 3 Tips Will Explode Your ASO Results In iOS 11

With the new more sophisticated App Store comes new ways to gain exposure to your apps.

More than 60% of apps are discovered through app store searches, making ASO the #1 method for app discovery and installs (TechCrunch).

If you are just getting started with ASO and wondering:

What is App Store Optimization?

App Store Optimization (ASO) is responsible for showing what’s magic and unique about your app.  One small tweak from your app’s ASO can be the deciding factor to 1 download or 100,000 downloads.
Multiple ASO variables are weighed when deciding where to place your app in the App Store and Search Results.   These variables include:

• Title
• Icon
• Subtitle (New)
• Promotional Text (New)
• App Description
• Keyword field
• 3 Video Previews (New)
• Screenshots
• App Ranking (New)
• Price
• Age Rating
• Developer Name
• What’s New
• Company information
• In-App Purchases (New)
• App Reviews
• Today tab (New)
• New Apps tab (New)
• Games tab (New)
• App Category

While the above ingredients make up the outer skin of ASO, other hidden factors are taken into consideration when maximizing your app’s discovery (I’ll talk more about this in a sec).
The biggest lie about ASO is that you should always be shooting for the highest traffic, most popular keywords.
The truth is…

Do everything in your power that has good intent behind it to make the user’s life better.
This will undoubtedly drive more downloads and higher rankings.

Keep reading to learn more about the New ASO, Search Retargeting, the Hidden ASO Metric, plus 3 ASO tips to help maximize your app’s discovery.

Search Retargeting Is Here

You know that sneaky banner-ad that keeps popping up promoting those shoes you JUST looked at on Amazon?
Apple is starting to do the same thing!
Like other major platforms (Google, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest…), Apple is starting to personalize the user experience.  Specifically by retargeting apps based on user’s interests, searches, and app views.
Apple is doing this by dripping previously viewed apps in the user’s unique Search index.  Meaning, if you viewed a Porche race car app, it may be indexed in your Search for “Ferrari” a week later.
This is speculative and it’s too soon to know how we can improve our app’s ASO to benefit from Search Retargeting.  But it does mean by simply getting someone to click on your App Page, your app bounce rate will increase therefore improving the chances of a potential install.

Conversion Rate, The Hidden ASO Metric

One important metric Apple doesn’t calculate for us, is our app’s Conversion Rate.

App Store Page Conversion Rate = App Store Downloads/ App Page Views (%)

Your conversion rate is the conclusion of all the ASO variables (icon, keywords, screenshots…) and engagement metrics (how many people click your app, how far down they scroll on your App Page, do they watch the video, do they install it, how often do they use your app, do they leave a review, do they delete the app…).
Did you do a good job with your ASO?  
Your conversion rate will tell you.
Your app and ASO should be constantly growing together to maximize the user experience and improve conversion rates.

3 Tips To Maximize App Exposure

The more eyeballs your app gets anywhere on the App Store, the more exposure Apple will give you on the App Store.
Here are 3 tips for improving app discovery:

Tip#1: Find out where user’s are downloading your app

Sounds obvious, but do you know your app’s No. 1 source of traffic?
Are users finding your app through browsing the Top Charts?
From the Search Box?
Find the biggest funnel to your app and capitalize on transforming this stream of downloads into an interstate of constant heavy app traffic.

Tip#2: Calculate your app’s Conversion Rate

You can find the metrics needed to calculate your app’s Conversion Rate in the App Analytics Overview tab in iTunes Connect.
Your app’s Conversion Rate is App Store Downloads/ App Page Views (%)
The average app conversion Rate percentage is 26.4%.
If your app is below 26.4%, start optimizing.
Here are the best 6 places to start improving your Conversion Rate:

1. Your app’s overall message to the user
2. Icon (26% avg increase with icon A/B testing)
3. Description (26% avg increase with description A/B)
4. Screenshots (18% avg increase with screenshot A/B)
5. Video Preview (16% avg increase with screenshot A/B)
6. Title and Subtitle

Refresh your app experience frequently, aim for every release.  The message and users you’re targeting today, may be completely different next month.

Tip#3: Video Previews

Apple has placed a heavy influence on Video Previews by allowing developers to include up to 3 video previews in the App Store.
And for good reason.

Users who watch your video are 3x more likely to install (apptamin).

When creating Video Previews for the iOS 11 App Store:

• Show your strongest message in the first few seconds
• Test different Poster Frames (video thumbnails) to get more video plays
• Create videos that are engaging and entertaining even when played without sound

What’s Next?

The more eyeballs your app gets anywhere on the App Store, the more exposure Apple will give you on the App Store.
Here’s what Apple analyzes before giving the final verdict on your app:

1. Are users getting what they want?
2. Is the developer continuing to deliver on the user’s demands?

Make sure you’re using intelligence tracking tools like App Annie and Sensor Tower.  These tools will show you what’s working and make testing/tracking easier.
For an added edge, Bluecloud Solutions offers an App Training Package with over 20 ASO Video Walkthroughs. The package includes access to our private mastermind community to help answer and dig deeper into ASO.  Enrollment to the ultimate App Training Package starts at just $1 – check it out here!
I hope your app journey is going well, leave a comment in the Comments Section below with any ASO insights or questions you have.
See ya,
Mark