April 6, 2021 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

By Juliana Santos, SpicyMinds Web Specialist

The app industry is considered a very competitive market based on data fromBusiness of Apps in 2020. This is why one of the big mistakes when developing an application is launching it in the corresponding app stores, expecting users to search for it and download it. According to the data provided by Business of Apps, in 2020 there were 2.5 million applications created in the Play Store and 3.4 million in the App Store, adding thousands of new apps daily to this number. As in the searches we carry out on the web , users are interested in the first 10 results found in the list. But, how do you get them to find you with so many results available? We will begin by answering, asking ourselves the following question:

What is ASO?

App Store Optimization , better known as ASO . The strategy that is characterized by being a set of techniques that aim at organic positioning in the App Store (Apple) and Google Play Store stores.

It is based on the same concept of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) , but its actions are focused on the optimization of apps developed for mobile devices, with the aim of: obtaining the best positions in search engines in the market apps of your category, have good brand visibility, that users are interested in downloading and keeping them active on their device. To achieve this goal, we must not only focus on the titles, descriptions and keywords, it is also essential to consider the visual elements and the good user experience.

Because it is a strategy, it must be executed and the results it generates must be constantly monitored, as well as necessary adjustments, adding new actions that will help maintain the position among the best and most recommended apps.

^{ASO techniques that aim at organic positioning in the App Store and Google Play Store / Image: Depositphotos.com}

On the other hand, what would be the advantages of having a good positioning in the market apps?

• Increased visibility: the better the positioning of the application, the greater the chances of being known and downloading. > Product quality: knowing what users think and following up on their feedbacks, allows for constant updates and improvements to the apps. Thus, it is achieved that users are satisfied, leave a good rating and review , generating trust and in turn turning out to be a quality product that attracts more new users.
• Competition: because it is a little known technique, when it is well executed it usually has better results in searches compared to the competition. So if you don’t know much about her, it’s time you keep reading this article.

We tell you 5 important factors to consider and that will help you increase the positioning of your app in the market apps

1. Title: It’s not just the name! Through the title the user can have an idea of what the application is about, this title must be associated with its icon; These two factors will be the first approach that your future users will have with the app. Up to 30 characters are allowed in AppStore and up to 50 characters in PlayStore. You can add a value keyword next to the name to generate more visibility in searches.

2. Icon: it is the most relevant visual element, since it will provide the first visual impression of the app to your users. A creative and attractive icon represents the quality of the design and this is essential for users to be interested in knowing the app and thinking about downloading.

3. Description: it is usually one of the most challenging elements. It is not only about writing a summary and that the user can easily understand what the purpose of the application is and what it is about. The description is one of the best ways to increase visibility and ranking, since it is the text that ends up hooking the user to download.

4. Keywords: one of the most important items of the ASO . With their high impact on search algorithms, keywords can make the app appear two to four times more in the results. For this, it is important to investigate the keyword platforms which are the best that can work according to the category and theme of the application. It is recommended to choose keywords that have a high search volume and with a low level of competition to obtain excellent results.

5. Reviews: although a review is not directly controlled, it is users who rate their personal experience with the app, confirming if its content, design and usability are in accordance with what is proposed in the descriptions and images. Every experience is unique, which is why many people consider user feedback a deciding factor before downloading.

After getting them to download, having a direct interaction with the reviews is essential to know what your users think and understand if they have had a positive or negative experience with the product or if there are new areas of opportunity for improvements.

Support channels are important in case there is a problem or you have difficulties in using them. They not only serve to resolve errors, but also so that negative feedback can be avoided, keeping the comments satisfied and with positive evaluations.