Improving an app’s visibility doesn’t require a degree in artificial intelligence or machine learning. Although the algorithms that determine what an app is indexed for are very complex, the process by which any given app is ranked is fairly straightforward. Google looks at three key areas of an app’s metadata when it determines the relevancy for a keyword, and how well it ranks: The Short Description, Long Description, and the Title. Thanks to App Store Optimization (ASO), developers can get a leg up on their competition and improve their visibility by focusing their efforts on these three key areas.
The title is not only the name that users see when they find your app, it’s the first keyword that Google logs. As such, any words and phrases included in the title will be included in the search algorithm and serve as an important part of the description. You should make sure to utilize all of the room you have, especially since 50 characters is not very much space. As small as it is, you should include a few of your important keywords along with the app’s name. You can think of Google Play titles very much like a title tag in SEO. Call attention to your brand and let users know what the most important feature of your app is.
While the title and short description hold the highest weight when it comes to ranking, they are also very limited. This is why the long description is so important – it’s where a developer can tell Google what exactly the app is about and builds relevancy.
The short description can be compared to Apple’s subtitle field, although it actually has more characters. Even though the short description is limited to 80 characters, developers should work on placing core features of an app and include the keywords that the app is trying to rank for. Keep in mind that, along with the title, the keywords in the short description are weighed heavily by Google when indexing.
The long description can be up to 4000 characters, but the amount of words you use means less than the keywords themselves since Google Play doesn’t make you declare what keywords you want to rank for. Instead, developers need to incorporate the keywords that they want into their long description to tell Google, “Hey, I want to rank for these!” Once again, you can think of writing a Google Play description very much like writing SEO content for a webpage. Keep keyword placement and keyword density in mind – too few keywords and you won’t rank, but too many might have a negative impact. Another thing to watch out for is your sentence length. Short, concise sentences will help you rank higher and also make it easier to read. You can also use bulleted lists to lay out your features and integrate keywords that are most relevant and high-volume.
Both short descriptions and long descriptions are important when you’re trying to rank on Google Play. You’ll need to pick your keywords carefully, so you can write a description that both Google and potential users will like. Make sure to spend the time it takes to write a detailed, yet concise, description and keep refining it to fit both current trends and changes to your app.
Ghostly happenings are among us... and in your app listing too? If you aren't leveraging the power of app seasonality to make relevant tweaks to your store listing you're leaving precious engagement and conversions on the table.
Developers on the iOS App Store should plan in advance of the upcoming Holiday Schedule to allow enough time for apps to get approved during the busy holidays.
App Store Optimization is an involved process that should be regularly revisited based on recent changes in trends. Iteration is one of the key drivers for success in ASO.