Any developer wants to get visibility online. The problem is that app stores are difficult to optimize for. Most times, it seems like the user search has to be an almost exact phrase match for your product to come up.
There’s also a lot less research on app store optimization than there is on traditional SEO. Luckily for you, users moving toward using search engines to find applications online.
We’ll discuss how to employ good app SEO so that your app can be more visible in search results.
App SEO at a Glance
While you can’t neglect the app store, it still holds that roughly one-third of users make their app discoveries in search engines.
ASO (app store optimization) is similar to SEO, but there are different ranking factors used for each. This means that you can’t use the same keywords for your web optimization if you already have an app optimization in place. There are similarities between the two, however, so you don’t need to start completely from scratch.
Similarities between ASO and SEO
There are certain elements of optimization that are consistent across all platforms. Things like the name of your product, its URL, and its description should remain consistent as far as optimization goes.
User contributions to a site’s ranking are going to remain important and only indirectly affected by the site owner. Reviews are extremely valuable. At the same time, all that a site owner can do is to provide great customer service and give incentives to users who leave reviews.
Additionally, the volume of your downloads will contribute to a higher ranking. In other words, the more people download your app, the higher you’ll rank.
Backlinking is another element that will help your rankings. Getting links from authority websites in your niche will have a positive impact, whether you’re on the app store or online.
Methods for Optimization
No matter your niche, these optimization methods will help boost your rankings. You may find that your newfound visibility brings more clients, thereby increasing your workload and revenue.
If that added traffic changes up your team’s workload, read more here to find out how a time clock app can streamline employee productivity.
1. Diversify Your Keyword Research
Whether you’re looking to rank on app stores or SERPs, keyword research is a must. Basically, you need to optimize your app with keywords that are trending in both SEO and ASO.
There are various keyword research tools that work for both. Whether you balance your optimization between different pieces of content or you optimize each piece for both, it’s important to cover your bases.
2. Understand That There’s Interplay
The popularity of your app on the store and your organic search results will affect each other. One of the main links between ASO and SEO worlds is that app directories and profiles are also technically web pages.
This means that a particularly popular app-related page will generate organic search traffic. All of those pages contain backlinks, are referenced, and are typically keyword-optimized so that they perform well in search engines.
Downloads boost rankings in much the same way as reviews do, so it follows that your ranking will grow slowly with the popularity of your product. ASO will boost SEO significantly if it’s successful.
On the other hand, your SEO probably won’t benefit your ASO too much. While a lot of the qualities of a successful app work well within the context of search engine optimization, SEO doesn’t necessarily meet all of the requirements of app store optimization.
3. Generate Backlinks to Your Key Pages
Of over 200 ranking factors, backlinking is among the top two or three. It’s essential to generate links to your site from prominent sites within your niche.
Websites should try to optimize each post they make, driving traffic back toward pillar pages that are the broadest and most relevant to the users. Apps, however, need only to generate backlinks to their download pages and listings.
This makes the process a lot easier as there are only one or two pages to optimize. Link building can come in a number of ways. After a certain point, links will become easier to generate because users will find your site so relevant that they’ll share it online.
Before that happens, though, you have to do some work. Start by reaching out to authority sites to let them know about your app. Describe the ways your app could help their users and give them a reason to link to it.
Probably the most effective way to generate backlinks is by guest posting. This strategy involves writing content for an authority site. Email website owners and industry influencers and ask if you can post content along with a link to your app on their sites.
Guest blogging is an established way of generating backlinks. The effects are compounded as well because once related sites catch wind that authority sites are linking to you, they’ll find you desirable to link to as well.
Track Your Results
When you’re working on your app SEO, it’s important to know how well you’re doing. If you keep a close eye, you can examine what does and doesn’t work, and change your approach as needed.
If you’re looking for a reliable way to monitor your progress and overall performance, visit our site to find the tools you need!
