App Store Optimization: The What, The Why, The How

Ian Sefferman CEO, MobileDevHQ

Introduction

Email Marketing

SEO / ASO

Introduction

2009-2010 2011 2012-

The What

What is ASO?

App Store Optimization is the process of driving more downloads for an app by rising in the app stores search results. ASO is the app ecosystem equivalent of web SEO.

But Wait, There’s More…

The app stores are different… Thus, ASO also includes: Top Charts, icons, screenshots, ratings, reviews, etc.

A Harmonious Relationship

Just like SEO, the best ASO is a full, well-rounded, marketing strategy.

Search Rankings

Downloads

Top Charts

Downloads

The Why

Mobile Is Eating The Web

0

5

10

15

20

25

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35

May, 2008

May, 2009

May, 2010

May, 2011

May, 2012

May, 2013

May, 2014(E)

Mobile Traffic as a Percentage of Global Internet Traffic

Source: Mary Meeker, KPCB, May, 2013

Apps Are Eating Mobile

Percentage of Mobile Time Spent In Apps

Source: Flurry Blog, April, 2013

80 %

Consumer App Discovery

Percentage of Consumers Who Find Apps Through ASO

Source: Forrester, via TechCrunch, April 2013

65 %

Does ASO Work?

0

1

2

3

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Pre-change Post-change

Case Study: Survival Simulation Game iPhone App

Low Downloads, except New & Noteworthy Title Keywords Screenshots

Does ASO Really Work?

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Pre-change Post-change

Case Study: Children’s iPhone App

Keyword Research Focus on more targeted keywords, low difficulty, higher volume. Only change was Keyword field.

The How

Components of ASO

On-Metadata ASO Off-Metadata ASO

On-Metadata: Keywords

On-Metadata: Title

On-Metadata: Screenshots

On-Metadata: Screenshots

On-Metadata: Icon

On-Metadata: Description

Off-Metadata: Ratings

Off-Metadata: Reviews

Off-Metadata: Links

Getting people to write about your app improves your search rankings in the Play store. - Google I/O, June 2012

Off-Metadata: Social

iOS vs Google Play

A Cultural Difference

iOS vs Google Play

Tactical Differences

Google Play iOS Title Keyword Field No links No social

Title Description Links count +1s

iOS vs Google Play

Ranking Factor Correlations - Ratings

iOS vs Google Play

Ranking Factor Correlations - Ratings

iOS vs Google Play

Ranking Factor Correlations - Title

10

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14

15

Average Rank Median Rank

iOS

iOS vs Google Play

Ranking Factor Correlations - Title

10

11

12

13

14

15

Average Rank Median Rank

Google Play

Thank You!

Ian Sefferman CEO, MobileDevHQ http://www.mobiledevhq.com @iseff