I. Introduction 

– Brief intro to app store optimization (ASO) and why it’s important for getting your app discovered

II. Keyword Research

– Finding the right keywords to target 

– Tools for keyword research (App Annie, Sensor Tower, etc)

– Focusing on high-volume, low competition keywords

– Long-tail vs short keywords

– Localization – keywords in different languages/regions

III. Keyword Optimization

– Optimizing app name and description for keywords 

– Choosing relevant keywords for app title 

– Writing an app description that targets keywords naturally 

– Using keywords appropriately in subtitle, developer name, etc

IV. App Icon Design

– Creating an eye-catching yet simple icon 

– Ensuring icon looks good at all sizes

– Tips for conveying app purpose through icon

– Tools for creating stunning icons 

V. Screenshots and Video

– Using screenshots to showcase app UI and value proposition

– Strategically selecting device frames for screenshots

– Creating a preview video to showcase app in action

– Tips for compelling and effective preview videos

VI. Localization

– Translating metadata properly for each market

– Avoiding awkward literal translations 

– Modifying icons/graphics for local cultures

– Localizing screenshots for relevant contexts

VII. Ratings and Reviews 

– Prompting users to leave reviews through smart triggers

– Responding professionally to reviews  

– Analyzing reviews to improve app and conversion 

– Using positive reviews in marketing 

VIII. A/B Testing

– A/B testing app metadata to improve conversion 

– Testing icon designs, screenshots, descriptions, etc.

– Measuring results accurately with analytics

– Iterating based on data and testing new variants

IX. Optimizing for App Store Search Ads

– Crafting compelling creatives for search ads

– Bidding on relevant keywords 

– Tracking ad performance and optimizing over time

– Remarketing to users who don’t convert initially

X. Tracking and Analyzing Results

– Linking ASO efforts to app analytics

– Monitoring keyword rankings and store search visibility  

– Measuring impact on downloads, users, retention, etc

– Continuously optimizing to improve results

XI. Conclusion

– Recap of main strategies and tips for ASO

– Importance of ongoing optimization and improvement 

– Final thoughts on getting your app discovered

Introduction

In today’s crowded app markets, getting your app discovered can feel almost impossible. With over 5 million apps on Google Play and 2 million on the App Store, standing out from the pack and attracting users is a monumental challenge. That’s where app store optimization (ASO) comes in. 

ASO refers to the process of optimizing your app’s store listing to maximize visibility and conversion. By researching relevant keywords, optimizing your metadata, designing eye-catching visuals, and employing other proven strategies, you can dramatically improve your app’s chances of getting found and downloaded by potential users.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep on the key fundamentals of ASO in 2023, including:

– Conducting keyword research to identify high-potential targets

– Optimizing your app title, description, and other metadata for maximum impact

– Creating compelling app icons, screenshots, and videos that convert

– Localizing your metadata properly for each target market

– Generating and leveraging ratings and reviews

– A/B testing different elements to improve results  

– Promoting your app through store search ads

– Tracking key ASO metrics and continuously optimizing  

Let’s get started with the first critical step – keyword research and selection.

Keyword Research 

The terms and phrases (keywords) you choose to target and optimize for are the foundation of an effective ASO strategy. Here’s a step-by-step approach to researching and selecting the right keywords:

1. Brainstorm relevant keywords

Start by simply brainstorming a list of words and phrases related to your app’s purpose, features, and target audience. Be expansive in your thinking here – you can narrow things down later.

2. Look at competitor keywords

Use ASO research tools like App Annie, Sensor Tower, and Mobile Action to analyze the keywords your competitors are already ranking for. This provides a helpful starting point. 

3. Identify high-volume keywords

Look for keywords with high monthly search volume – these present major opportunities if you can rank for them. But also consider…

4. Analyze keyword difficulty 

Target keywords that have decent search volume but low-medium difficulty to rank for. Overly competitive keywords will be hard to rank for as a new app.

5. Include long-tail keywords

Don’t just target short 1-2 word keywords. Longer, more specific long-tail keywords like “sci-fi action adventure games” are easier to rank for.

6. Localize your keywords

Research keywords regionally and in different languages. Keyword demand varies across geographies.

By researching thoroughly and choosing the right mix of keywords to target, you’ll maximize your app’s chances of ranking well in relevant searches. Now let’s look at optimizing your metadata.

Keyword Optimization

Your app title, description, subtitle, and other metadata fields present key opportunities to optimize for your target keywords. Here are some tips:

– Carefully choose 1-2 primary keywords to focus your app title around. Weave these into a title that’s <30 characters.

– Write an engaging app description that seamlessly incorporates some secondary keywords. Don’t just cram in keywords unnaturally.

– Include supplementary keywords in your subtitle, developer name, and other metadata fields. Just don’t over-optimize.

– Analyze the keywords ranking apps are already using in their metadata, and identify opportunities to rank for overlooked keywords competitors aren’t targeting yet.  

– Use keyword tracking tools like AppTweak to see how your keyword usage is impacting search rankings over time. Refine based on the data.

– Localize metadata properly for each target market, adapting keywords appropriately. Direct translations often don’t work.

By optimizing your metadata strategically around targeted keywords, you’ll maximize your app’s visibility in key searches on the App Store and Google Play Store.

App Icon Design 

Your app icon is one of the first touchpoints for engaging potential users, so it’s vital to get it right. Some tips:

– Keep your icon simple and recognizable. Complex, cluttered icons don’t render well at small sizes. 

– Ensure your icon is legible on both light and dark backgrounds. Test it at all sizes.

– Consider ways to convey your app’s purpose through visual cues, symbols, etc in your icon design.

– Maintain consistent branding and style across your icon and other visual assets.

– Use established icon templates and tools like Canva to design polished, professional icons yourself.

– Icon sets and graphics designers on Fiverr are also a cost-effective option for custom icons.

– Test different icon concepts with users to see which best grabs their attention.

– Analyze competitor icons for what works well in your niche, but focus on making yours distinctive.

Your app icon is valuable visual real estate, so take the time to perfect it. Pair a compelling icon with optimized metadata and you’ll start converting more browsing users into engaged installs.

Screenshots and Video

Screenshots and preview videos are where you really get to showcase your app’s visual design and user experience. Here are some tips for making them amazing:

– Strategically select 4-5 key user flows or features to showcase through your screenshots. Tell a cohesive story.  

– Capture screenshots on real devices, not just an emulator. Position device frames purposefully.

– Optimize and annotate your screenshots to highlight key UI elements, value propositions, etc.  

– Produce your preview video trailer in landscape orientation, ideally under 30 seconds long.

– Show exactly how your app works through an explainer or “day in the life” video narrative.

– Keep videos focused and free of distractions. Use professional editing tools for polished results.

– Test different thumbnail images and first frame images to see which imagery performs best.

– Localize screenshots and videos appropriately for different target markets.

– Rotate creatives seasonally, promoting features tailored to holidays and events.

Compelling screenshots and videos can be the deciding factor that motivates users to give your app a try. Invest in quality visual content.

Localization

Optimizing your app for international markets takes more than just translating your metadata into different languages. Effective localization means truly adapting your ASO efforts culturally. Here are some tips:

– Work with professional translators – both human and machine translation have limitations.

– Adapt graphics, colors, and iconography for what resonates in each culture. 

– Use regionalized keywords and phrasing in your translated metadata.

– Show locally relevant use cases of your app through localized screenshots.

– Tailor promotional text and videos to align with regional trends and customs.  

– Be careful about transplanting idioms verbatim into other languages – meanings often don’t carry over.

– Consider a localized branding strategy with custom app names tailored to each major market.

– Set up a separate app title and description for each supported language.

By crafting culturally resonant, locally optimized metadata and creatives, you can effectively engage users across global markets. The localization details matter.

Ratings and Reviews

Leveraging user ratings and reviews can significantly impact your ASO. Here are some proven strategies:

– Prompt satisfied users to rate or review your app through timely in-app messages and prompts. Make it frictionless.

– Respond professionally and helpfully to negative reviews to resolve issues transparently. This builds user trust.

– Analyze review sentiment and mentions to uncover product gaps. Use insights to fuel app improvements.

– Display great reviews prominently on your app store listing or website to build social proof. 

– Monitor rating and review velocity as an indicator of user satisfaction and retention. 

– Report fraudulent ratings and reviews that violate app store guidelines through appropriate channels.

– Thank and incentivize loyal users who leave quality reviews and advocate for your app.

By carefully tracking and managing your ratings and reviews, you can leverage this key ASO element while keeping users happy.

A/B Testing 

A/B testing different versions of your app store listing allows you to double down on what resonates and iterate based on hard data. Here are some effective approaches:

– Test different app title and description variants against each other. Measure which copy converts users best.

– Try out different icon designs, colors, and styles to determine optimal visual presentation.

– Experiment with the order and selection of your screenshots and videos.

– Consider testing complete visual revamps and UI redesigns to see if they pop more. 

– Test promotional text and messaging about sales, special offers, seasonal campaigns, etc. Time it right.

– Rotate creatives out systematically once performance plateaus. Continuously test new variants.

– Leverage built-in A/B testing functionality on the app stores or tools like SplitMetrics.

– Analyze performance data meticulously before declaring winners. Minor differences can be meaningless statistical noise.

By taking an iterative, metrics-driven approach, you can continuously optimize your listing for maximum conversion. Testing never really ends.

Optimizing App Store Search Ads

App Store Search ads can be a powerful, scalable channel for driving discovery – but only if optimized properly. Here are some tips:

– Target relevant, high-commercial-intent keywords people are already searching for in the app stores.

– Create compelling ad creatives that make people want to tap and learn more. Test different ad copy and visuals.

– Set aggressive bids on your most valuable keywords to win auctions and get impressions. Monitor competition.

– Build Tightly themed ad groups around related keywords for more relevant targeting.

– Track campaign performance rigorously. Kill off underperforming keywords, and double down on what converts.

– Retarget users who visit your app page but don’t install to nudge them and stay top of mind. 

– Promote worthwhile special offers, seasonal deals and content within your ads.

App Store Search ads and ASO truly work hand in hand. Use them synergistically to maximize discovery potential.

Tracking and Analyzing Results 

Here are some key metrics and methods to track the impact of your ASO efforts:

– Closely monitor keyword rankings in app store searches to gauge how optimization is translating into visibility.

– Look at app page views and bounce rates. Higher views with lower bounce signal positive ranking improvements.

– Check your conversion rate from store page views to installs. Lift here indicates better page conversion.

– Link your ASO keywords into analytics to see downstream impacts on user engagement and retention. 

– Set up attribution tracking properly from first install onward so you capture the entire user journey. 

– Review ratings and reviews velocity as a proxy for user sentiment in reaction to changes. 

– Dig into review content as well for qualitative insights into what resonates or misses.

Essentially, you want to connect the dots from specific ASO activities through to downstream business results. This enables continuous optimization.

Conclusion

In closing, app store optimization should be an integral, ongoing part of your overall mobile strategy. With millions of competing apps, ASO is required to get sustainably discovered. But it goes far beyond just keyword stuffing. You need compelling visuals, strategic localization, impactful advertising, and meticulous result measurement to maximize success.

Consistently implementing these ASO best practices outlined will put your app on the path to greater visibility, conversion, and user retention in 2023. Just don’t treat ASO as a set-it-and-forget-it tactic. To thrive in the dynamic app stores, you need to continually test, iterate, analyse, and optimize.

Put these app store optimization fundamentals into play, and you’ll see your hard work rewarded with more engaged users and five star reviews.