Top ASO Factors to rank your iOS app in search results

According to some stats, the Apple App Store receives around 100,000 new apps every month. It makes it very hard for your app to stand out on the App Store. In its early days, people were relying on things like review blogs, word of mouth and more to download an app.

However, with millions of apps live today, users are not able to distinguish which ones to download. Stats by Apple say that 65% of all the iOS apps get discovered through the App Store search. It means that your ASO (App Store Optimization) is in-line with the best chance of getting recognized in relevant search results. Without excellent ASO, your app will miss out on millions of free organic downloads and might get buried on the App Store.

Let’s discuss some of the facets that will help companies developing iOS apps master ASO for iOS:

• Testing – Testing your app before launch is the key to success and ASO requires much testing. The app marketers test a couple of optimizations, and they have to give when the optimizations don’t work. Therefore, it is significant that you also look into the tools outside the App Store for testing.
• Keyword Optimization – One factor for which most of the app publishers are keen about is the keywords. It is significant to start with keywords as everything else doesn’t matter if people can’t find your apps in the search. The four places where you can add the keywords to your app are – a) the App Title, b) the Keyword Field, c) Subtitle, and d) In-App Purchases. Optimize these fields by choosing the best keywords of them.
• Keyword Field Optimization - The App Store has a dedicated field for keywords, and therefore its constraints must be taken into account while selecting the keywords. Here’s the list of what you must know to optimize this element of ASO:

                1. Character Limit as 100

                2.  Multi-word Keywords - Apple recommends to put a comma between all the individual words like fire, truck, game.

                 3. Cross-country Indexing

• Optimizing the App Name – With the launch of iOS 11, Apple has reduced the number of characters for app name from 50. It allows you to use a maximum of 30 characters for the name of your app. Also, the app name now appears for all the Apple devices, iPad Apple Watch and more on the App Store. It is recommended to use as many of the 30 characters as possible.
• Icon Optimization - Another most significant factor for ASO is optimizing the app icon. It is the first element that people will see while finding your app in the search. Icon optimization will make your app have a fantastic first impression. Ensure that the icon is clear and conveys what your app is all about. Also, avoid using words on the image, and the focus must be one feature or character of your app if it’s a gaming app.
• App Screenshots and Preview Videos –

                1. Use a text banner for the screenshot

                2. Put your app’s best feature in the first screenshot

                3. Use all the available screenshot slots.

                4. Follow all the requirements by Apple for preview videos

                5. Have an eye-catching first frame

                6. Ensure all the elements in your video are legal to use

Final Thoughts on App Store Optimization for iOS

Here is everything for optimizing your application for the Apple App Store. They may seem a little overwhelming in the beginning, but if you take one step at one time, you will see excellent results and your app will expedite in the organic downloads.