AppStore Optimization -How to generate more organic traffic when marketing channels are rare

Tel Aviv, 11.06.2015

Matthäus Michalik

• With AKM3 GmbH for 4 years

• Senior Consultant

• Key-Account Management

• Technical & Strategic Search Engine Optimization

• App Store Optimization

• Former Positions:

• Hitmeister – Online market place

• SoQuero – Performance agency Frankfurt

• Speaker at national and international conferences

Matthäus MichalikSenior SEO Consultant

AKM3 GmbHPaul-Lincke-Ufer 39-4010999 BerlinTel.: +49 (0)30-30364728Fax: +49 (0)30-69088174

@MichalikMatt

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Agenda

• Targets and Significance of AppStore Optimization

• Keyword Strategy

• Description

• App Title

• Screenshots

• Reviews

• Next to Google Play

• Synergies between a website and an app

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Targets and Significance of ASO

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Browsing/Searching is still the most common method to discover new apps

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The Targets of ASO

• Improved access to an app within the AppStores

• Better rankings/positions within the search

• Improving the rankings of an AppStore page within the Google SERPs

• Increasing the conversion rate

Primary target: Enhancing the Ø of organic downloads

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ASO Can Be Divided into Two Core Sectors

On-page Factors

• App name

• App icon

• Publisher’s name

• Description / keyword field

• Screenshots / Video

Off-page Factors

• Reviews

• Downloads/Installs

• Backlinks to Google Play

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Google Play Mainly Deals With the Following Elements

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Keyword Strategy

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The Correct Keywords Decide How Well an App Can Be Found

• Keyword strategies are crucial for the success of an app

• There is no exact keyword data for apps (just estimations)

• Many tools offer a tendency of keywords rather than exact data

Every new app should follow a clear keyword strategy:

• Who is my target audience?

• What exactly are they looking for?

• Are there synonyms?

• Singular vs plural?

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There Are Multiple Tools for Generating Keyword Ideas

Possibilities & tools for keyword research:

• Brainstorming

• Analysis of competitors

• Google Trends

• Google Keyword Planner

• Keyword Tool IO

• Google Play “Suggest”

• SimilarWeb

• ASO tools:

• AppAnnie, AppTweak, Sensor Tower, SearchMan, etc.

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Google Adwords Can Help With Finding Ideas for Keywords

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Specific ASO Tools Can Help with Analyzing the Competition‘s Keywords and Finding New Keyword Ideas

SensorTower

Search Man

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Google Play “Suggest” Can Help with Finding the Appropriate Keywords

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Localization Leads to Better Rankings as well as More Downloads and Conversions

• Separate keyword strategy per country!

• Adjustment of

• App name

• Description

• Icon

• Screenshots & video

• Usage of localized “Google Play Badges”

How to generate more organic traffic when marketing channels are rare

Google Play NumberNumber Rankings before Update (31.07.2014) 48

Number Rankings after Update (21.10.2014) 61 27%

iTunes NumberNumber Rankings before Update (31.07.2014) 77

Number Rankings after Update (21.10.2014) 154 100%

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App Title

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The App Title is One of the Most Important Ranking Criteria

• Short & concise

• Focus on brand

• Main keyword should be included

• Limitation:

• 30 characters

Recommendation:

[App Name] – [Main keyword]

74,3 % of the apps ranking on position 1 have the keyword in their app title

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Description

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A Good Description Should Encourage the User to Download and Try the App

Possible Content:

• Functionality

• Advantages

• Specific features

• Distinguishing features compared to competitors

• Corporate communications (Website, Social media, support, forum)

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Description in Google Play Is Crucial for the Ranking withinthe Search

Description should primarily be easy to read:

• Descriptions should also be unique

• Google Play: Description should always be keyword optimized (Keyword stuffing is

currently still possible)

• Mention important keywords at least 5x in the description

• HTML formatting is possible (only Google Play)

• Limit length to 4.000 characters

• The most important information should be placed into the first three lines

• Create lists and bullet point lists to enhance readability

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Google Play Descriptions Can Be Formatted with HTML

HTML Code Example Result<b></b> <b>This text will be bold</b> This text will be bold<i></i> <i>This text will be italic</i> This text will be italic<u></u> <u>This text will be underlined</u> This text will be underlined<br/> This will create a line<br/> break This will create a line

break<small></small> This text will be <small>small</small> This text will be small

<font color="red">red</font> This text will be <font color="red">red</font> or <font color="#FF0000">red</font>

This text will be red

<a href="http://url.com">URL</a> This will be a <a href="http://URL.com">link</a>

This will be a link

&bull; &bull; This will be bulleted • This will be bulleted&hearts; This will insert a heart &hearts; This will insert a heart ♥&trade; This will add the Trademark &trade; symbol This will add the

Trademark™ symbol&reg; This will add the Registered &reg; Trademark

symbolThis will add the Registered® Trademark symbol

&copy; This will add the Copyright &copy; symbol This will add the Copyright© symbol

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Example of a Well-Formatted Description

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Update Text & Footer Can Help with Generating More Attention

Update text:

• Optomized for your target group

• Explain bug fixes instead of using “bug fixes”

• Include Call-To-Action:

• “Test new functions”

• “Now with even more functions”

• “Bug XY eliminated”

• Point out promotions

Footer text:

• Refer to homepage

• Refer to social media channels

• Refer to support (forum/Zendesk)

How to generate more organic traffic when marketing channels are rare

✘✔

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App Icon

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The App Icon Is the First Point of Contact Between the App and a Potential User

• Keep it simple

• Avoid words

• Do not use “gloss”

• Consistency with the app design Increase recognition value

• Be distinguishable from the competition and the market

• Special icons for holidays

• Black Friday

• Christmas

• etc.

Google: http://developer.android.com/design/style/iconography.html

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A/B Testing of the App Icons Can Result in ConversionGrowths

A/B Testing can result in improving the conversion of an app

Increase of

• DAU (Daily active user)

• Installations

• Click Through Rates (Ads)

Simple adjustments can already result in improvements:

• Colors

• Arrangement of the elements

• Character

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Source: sparkpage.com

Screenshots

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All Possibilities for Screenshots Should Be Used and Harnessed

Screenshots should give the user the best impression of an app:

• 1st screenshot is the most important! (Presentation graphic)

• Keep it as simple as possible

• Display most important functionalities Storytelling

• Avoid device frames

• Avoid marketing slogans

• Use maximum amount of possible screenshots

• Use different screenshots for smartphone and tablet

• !! No iPhone screenshots for Google Play or the other way around

• Amount:

• Google Play - 8 per device: Smartphone, 7 inch, 10 inch and Android TV

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Video Previews Should Always Be Used for a BetterPresentation of the App to the User

Google Play

• Videos via YouTube

• Length: 30 seconds - 2 minutes

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Notification Bars, Operating Elements or Device Frames Should Always Be Avoided in Screenshots

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Marketing Texts Should Equally Be Avoided

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Keep it Simple: Display most important functionalities

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Reviews

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Reviews Are a Proxy for the Feedback of Users

• Number of reviews influences the ranking

• Average review ratings influence the ranking: Ideally between 4 and 5

• Reduce amount of negative rankings to a minimum

• Review monitoring can identify new bugs (directly after the release of a new version)

• Identify the users’ demands for new features

• Ask users about review (in App) Don‘t harass users. Good Timing!

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Study Reveals that Reviews are Very Important for theRanking of an App in iTunes

• An evaluation of 162.727 iOS apps in the top 20 apps revealed:

• 600 ratings on average for the current version

• An average rating between 4.0 and 5.0

The number of ratings influences the ranking

An average rating influences the ranking

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Exact Analysis of the Reviews Can Help to Better Understand the Users’ Needs

Tom Leclerc from Wooga about Review Mining:http://bit.ly/1zy7NFa

Sensortower

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Next to Google Play

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There are more than just Google Play

Quelle: One Platform Foundation 05/2013

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Alternative App Stores Can Increase the Outreach as well asNew Installations

Relevant alternatives for app stores in Germany (e.g.):

• Amazon App Store

• Getjar

• Samsung Apps

• SlideME

Advantages of alternative stores:

• Fewer apps fewer competition

• Higher probability of being featured

• In some parts paid campaigns are possible

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Alternative app stores can increase the number of downloads up to 200% compared to the Google Play Store

Quelle: One Platform Foundation 05/2013

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Synergies between a website and an app

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Make use of smart banners to promote your apps on your website

• Usage of jQuery smart banner topromote your app on your page.

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App indexing gives you the opportunity to get your user directly into your app instead of your website

• Currently available only for Google Android 4.1 and higher

• Linking directly into the app from the Google result pages

Recruitment: App is installed

Benefits:

• Better User Retention

• Possibly better conversion rate

• Better User Experience

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In Germany are already a few companies using app indexing to get better user retention in their apps

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Thank You Very Much For Your Attention!

Matthäus MichalikSenior SEO Consultant

AKM3 GmbHPaul-Lincke-Ufer 39-4010999 BerlinTel.: +49 (0)30-30364728Fax: +49 (0)30-69088174

@MichalikMatt

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