App store optimization (ASO) is a bit of a mystery to many SEOs. So let's start with the basics.
SEO aims to improve a website's ranking on search engines such as Google;
ASO focuses on optimizing mobile apps for enhanced visibility and performance within the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
But there is a lot of research and strategies that SEOs can perform, from organic search to researching ASO campaigns.
Understand how some important SEO research components factor into your ASO plan and effectively implement them into your app strategy to increase app store visibility and increase your app's visibility on Google. You can increase your chances of increasing the number of downloads.
Some SEOs divide organic search into two simple buckets: on-page SEO and off-page SEO. I'll do something similar and break down my tips on SEO and ASO synergy into two different opportunity areas.
- App landing page: A page on a website to feature an app.
- Store listing page: Apple App Store and Google Play Store listings.
Learn how to use strategic SEO thinking and ASO research skills below.
App landing page
We all know about landing pages and their importance in organic search.
However, many brands underestimate the importance of app-specific landing pages when it comes to ASO. Simply add Apple App Store and Google Play Store buttons to pages across your site. These brands are missing out on the benefits of creating a dedicated app landing page.
Let's take a look at four reasons why creating a landing page for your app is important and how you can leverage your SEO skills to maximize your ASO success and learning.
1. Highlight your value proposition
Even for app-based businesses, your website is a critical touchpoint in the customer journey. This is your opportunity to have a dedicated place for website users to discover your app, learn about its features and value, and easily download it.
Below are some examples highlighting the benefits of using the Vrbo, KAYAK, and SoFi apps.
Your website is also a great place to highlight your app's carefully selected social proof, such as awards, reviews, and testimonials. This is an essential strategy in today's world of EEAT-based searches.
Here's an example from Bank of America with a successful app landing page.
Here's another example from Priceline.
2. Test and learn
Leverage your app's landing pages to run tests and collect useful data.
how?
You can make feature descriptions clickable and track clicks, or use heatmapping software like CrazyEgg or Hotjar to understand which features your audience is most interested in.
You can also A/B test your landing page copy and layout and use those text and creative insights to inform your app store metadata and app creative.
3. Own your branded SERP results
App landing pages provide another proprietary asset that can occupy valuable SERP real estate for branded queries.
For example, there is a clear difference in the SERP real estate of brands like Centr and Tone It Up (which don't have an app landing page) and Peloton (which does have an app landing page).
For the “Centr app” and “Tone It Up app” queries, Centr and Tone It Up currently only have organic positions 1-4 on their properties, while Peloton owns “Peloton app” positions 1-4. 5 and the website ranking is #5. This is the app's landing page.
Why is this important? When you open Reddit, the 5th ranking result for the query “Centr app”, the first thing you see are negative reviews.
Perhaps if Centr had a landing page dedicated to the app, it could outrank the negative press it's receiving on Reddit.
4. Internal links
Internal linking is one of the most effective and underrated SEO tactics. It's low-impact, easy to implement, and usually yields great results from our agency's internal links.
That's why this is also a tactic you should use to increase the authority of your ASO campaigns and app pages.
If you want to build authority and visibility for competitive non-brand terms in your app, internal linking to your app's landing page is a great way to help build those signals.
Here's an example from Western Union's blog:
This strategy helps build buzz authority for Western Union's app within the competitive money transfer space.
Get the daily newsletter search that marketers rely on.
App list page
When you browse the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, the app listing page displays each app's features and other information. These pages are even more important to your ASO strategy than your app's landing pages, as their content directly impacts app store rankings. These are what potential customers see before they click and download your app.
These include several important elements such as ratings and user reviews, previews of how your app will look, and app metadata. Let's look at four ways to leverage your SEO skills to maximize the performance of your app listing page.
5. Research and competitive analysis
Tools like Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, and Semrush can help with your ASO strategy as well as SEO. These platforms can help you check organic traffic, keywords on your Apple App Store listing, and backlinks to your Google Play Store listing.
For example, here are the summary stats from Ubersuggest for Western Union's Apple App Store listing page:
Below are the same stats for competitor Wise shown on Semrush.
Why is this information useful?
You'll have the data you need to understand how your app listing page is performing against Google and your competitors, so you can adjust your strategy as needed.
Whether you're working on an SEO campaign or an ASO campaign, always keep an eye on your competitors to see how you're stacking up, what advantages you have (and want to maintain), and what opportunities you have. It's important to understand where it is.
6. Apple App Store hidden keywords
How users find Apple App Store pages in Google Search can help you learn how to search and find your app directly within the store. Her ASO manager, who also knows how to use SEO research to inform hidden keyword targeting for iOS, is a very powerful asset to your campaign.
While app downloads may primarily come from branded queries for some brands, there is a lack of opportunities to increase app visibility and drive downloads from non-branded keywords. does not mean.
Below is a case study of our agency that increased traffic for non-branded keywords and increased installs by 57%.
The 57% increase in non-branded app downloads our clients saw was due to a strategy rooted in SEO principles. Most of his ASO keyword ideas for campaigns came from client websites, including app landing pages.
By focusing on fundamental information and strategies such as keyword-level data and metadata restructuring, we were able to succeed in a highly competitive environment.
7. ASO meta optimization
Finding keywords with high competitor visibility also gives you more considerations for optimizing your ASO metadata across the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
For example, below you can see that Remitly's App Store listing is ranked #1 on Google for “Wire Transfer Apps,” while Western Union is ranked #10.
Looking at their respective listings, you'll notice that Remitly uses “wire” in their App Store description, while Western Union does not.
instead:
western union:
Similar to traditional SEO, if you want your store listing page to rank higher on Google for specific terms, understand what people are searching for and integrate the right keywords into your store listing's metadata. You need to make sure that it is.
8. Backlinks
Backlinks are not considered in the Apple App Store, but are considered in the Google Play Store.
Conducting competitive backlink research and finding ways to get mentions across the web are tasks you should do for SEO and ASO.
Here are some tips to get you started with your backlink strategy.
Conquest through competition
An effective competitive conquest strategy starts with researching roundups and articles that mention apps in your industry.
Find an article where your app is not listed and pitch the author why they should include it and link to their app's list.
When you contact us, please provide the same information about the app in the same format and with the same details as the other apps in the article.
For example, Centr's fitness app is not featured in the Forbes roundup below. Contact Forbes with information about the app's price, whether it offers live classes, whether it has heart rate monitoring, a list of its best features and overall pros and cons (provided for the 10 apps featured). (5 important information to know) will make it easier for Forbes to add them.
PR pitching
Taking it from a PR perspective has the same effect as conquering the competition, except you're not trying to break into existing coverage.
The goal of a PR pitch is to provide journalists with up-to-date information about your app for inclusion in new articles.
Instead of targeting the best fitness apps, you can focus on different audiences and timely use cases, such as the best fitness apps for women or the best fitness apps for beginners. Using this approach, you can create a reason for journalists to want to write this article.
Be sure to include data about why your story is relevant now and pitch your theme several months in advance. For example, pitching your app as one of the best fitness apps for women in March will give journalists time to finish their articles before Women's Health Month in May.
forums and discussions
Answer consumer questions about your app in forum communities like Quora and Reddit.
Link directly to where users can find your app in the app store in your answer. This allows consumers to ask questions directly and increases your app's chances of ranking in forums and discussions within Google SERPs.
Drive app downloads with SEO basics
Although ASO is a completely different practice from SEO, many principles apply to both fields. If you're struggling to improve your app's performance, it might be a good idea to go back to basics.
Approach your app store listings and landing pages from an SEO perspective and improve fundamental aspects like keyword optimization.
Combine this with other sound ASO strategies and you might be surprised by your new download numbers.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily those of Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.