How to optimize your app search and get downloads in Google Play Store

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Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash

You’ve probably heard of “app store optimization” before, but what does it mean?

App Store Optimization (ASO) is a process that helps you make sure your app is getting found when someone searches for it. It’s a really important aspect of marketing and branding because if people can’t find your app on the store, there’s no way for them to try it out!

The good news is that ASO isn’t just about making your app look pretty — it’s also about making sure that people know where to download it from. ASO can be expensive, but there are lots of ways to get started with ASO without spending a ton of money. In this post, we’ll go over some of the most useful ones! App store optimization is important because it won’t just help you get more exposure and make your app more visible. It also helps give you an edge when someone else searches for the same keyword. Here we will discuss ASO concerning the google play store.

  1. Adding suitable keywords in the package name.
    Adding relevant keywords for your app in the package name can boost your downloads. For example, if your app is a travel app, it’s better to add keywords like “free traveler”, “travelbook”, “travelapp” etc. So the suggested package name could be like travel.freetraveler.travelapp

2. Google Play Store Tags
Only 5 tags can be added to an app, in the play store. To find the best ones use the ones recommended by the google play store, check competitors’ apps & finally monitor rankings after changing the keyword.

3. App Icon, Feature graphics, Screenshots etc
When you’re creating your app icon, feature graphics, and screenshots, it’s important to make sure that they show what your app does — and how it can benefit the user. So put your best screenshot forward and focus on the main features and benefits.

And don’t forget to localize your app for the maximum impact. Different cultures respond differently to colors and images, so it’s important to test them out before you launch. Luckily, you can create store listing experiments for free — so there’s no need to hold back. Just make sure you use the best version. A/B testing is a great way to find out which one works best.

4. Focus on finding the right keywords to target the users.
The right keywords are essential for a good ASO. Imagine that your app is a travel app and let’s name it Weekend Trips. When people search for travel-related apps they are going to search terms like “travel”, “free travel planner” etc. So add these keywords to your app title. So it should be like — “Weekend Trips — Free travel app”. Relevant keywords could be found in competitors’ apps too.

5. Check your app rankings
Well, to keep track of your app’s performance, you need to monitor your rankings on a daily. This way, you’ll be able to see if there’s any correlation between your rankings and your ratings, reviews, or keywords. And the higher your rank, the more likely it is that you’ll get more downloads. Try to make your app in the top 10, because if the first app they download gets the job done, chances are fewer people will check other apps.

6. Promote your app on social media
It’s no secret that social media is a powerful tool for marketing your app. But what you might not know is that you need to provide value to people on social channels, not just promote your app.

Think about it — if all you do is a post about your app, people are going to get tired of seeing it pretty quickly. But if you post interesting and engaging content that provides value to people, they’ll be more likely to check out your app.

And that’s what it’s all about — building relationships with potential users. So make sure you’re interacting with them on social media, and providing content that they’ll find useful and interesting.

7. Reduce app crashes, ANRs
Google measures the number of crashes the app makes. So reducing them will help to rank better in google play store searches. To measure crashes firebase, sentry etc could be used. For most of the developers, their free tier is enough.

8. Multiple Appstore Presence

Multiple Appstore Presence will let a different set of audiences know about your application. You can publish your app in Apple Appstore and Amazon Appstore users know about your application.

9. Encourage reviews and testimonials
It’s important to encourage reviews and testimonials from your users. More positive user feedback will raise the visibility of your app and improve its rankings.

So how can you get your users to leave feedback? One way is to offer incentives, like discounts or freebies. Another way is to make it easy for them to leave a review. You can do this by adding review buttons to your app or website, or by providing a link in your email signature or social media posts.

The more positive reviews you have, the more likely people are to download and use your app. So make sure you’re doing everything you can to encourage your users to leave feedback!

10. App Performance
If you’re looking to achieve 1 million downloads for your app, it’s important to make sure your app is performing well. Crashes and ANRs can cause churn and can lead to a reduced ranking in the play store.

Make sure your app is well-built, and that you’re doing everything you can to reduce crashes and ANRs. If your app is not performing well, the algorithm will rank it below others. So make sure you’re putting in the work to keep your app running smoothly!

11. Using ASO tools
A lot of ASO tools out there,

You can follow this link to use the best-suited one for your application.

You can’t just create an app and expect it to take off overnight. It takes time and effort to build up a loyal following. And you have to be prepared to put in the hard work, day in and day out.

So don’t give up too fast. Keep working hard and you’ll see results in time.

That’s it for this article folks!!

Happy reading

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