ASO & SEO: Chapter I
Have you already heard about ASO or SEO? Do they ring a bell to you?
While creating an app, these two tools are the most important and essentials regarding your marketing strategy. ASO stands for "App Store optimization", while the SEO is "Search Engine Optimization". Many people are confused if these two tools are the same, complementary, or different from each other.
The answer is that both tools are connected and related, but they differ a bit from one another. For example, ASO is known as the tool for apps, while SEO is compatible with websites.
Key Elements of ASO
While talking about ASO, there are a few things that need to be considered and known such as:
- On-/Off-Metadata factors - The different ranking signals
- Keywords research - Understanding user search behavior
- Visual Assets - Screenshots, icons, and branding
- Ratings & Reviews - User feedback and social proof
- Conversion Rate - Turning downloads into users
The objective of these elements is to:
- Increase visibility in app stores
- Improve conversion rates
- Drive more downloads
On-/Off-Metadata Factors
The ASO factors are the ones that will directly impact visibility and conversion rate to download. There are two main types: On-Metadata and Off-Metadata factors.
On-Metadata Factors
These factors are the ones that can only be controlled by the developer and can be modified and edited in the developer App Store Connect or Google Play Console. The factors can differ depending on the platform (App Store vs. Google Play).
On-Metadata factors include:
- App name or title
- Short description
- Keywords field
- Promo text
- Long description
- Category
- Developer's name
- Tags
- App icon
- Screenshots
- Feature graphics
- Video preview
- URL/Package/Name or Bundle ID
The position of these various factors differs depending on the app platform. As seen in the image below, the visual representation shows how these factors are arranged:
You can reference guides like PICKASO's ASO Guide 2022 to see additional visual representations of how these factors are arranged on each platform.
Off-Metadata Factors
The Off-Metadata factors are items that depend on the product, marketing budget, market response, and marketers' expertise. In comparison to On-Metadata factors, these have an impact on developers but cannot be controlled directly.
Off-Metadata factors that come into play include:
- Ratings volume - Quantity of user ratings
- Average rating - Quality of user ratings
- Reviews - Detailed user feedback
- Backlinks - External links to your app
- User engagement - How actively users interact with the app
Off-Metadata factors vary by platform, but they typically include metrics that indicate app quality and user satisfaction, as shown in the images below:
What's Next?
There are still more tools and concepts within ASO that need explanation. In upcoming chapters, we will dive deeper into:
- Keywords Research - How to find and leverage the right keywords
- Visual Assets - Optimizing icons, screenshots, and preview videos
- Ratings & Reviews - Building social proof and managing feedback
- Conversion Rate - Turning downloads into engaged users
These chapters will give you a complete understanding of all the essential tools and strategies needed to optimize your app for success in app stores.
Stay tuned for Chapter II where we explore Keywords Research, Visual Assets, and Ratings & Reviews in detail!
