What Are ASO and SEO?
ASO stands for app store optimization. The term refers to the processes used for improving an app’s visibility in stores like Google Play or the App Store.
Naturally, ASO has become important for developers, as it’s one of the tools used to ensure people can find their app when they are scouring the app stores and looking for something to download. The better your ASO, the easier it will be for users to find your app to download. Good ASO can help reduce the cost of getting new users since the app is easier to find in the store.
SEO stands for search engine optimization. This is a process that many people have become familiar with over the past few decades. It helps increase how visible websites are on the search engine result pages. It will help drive more traffic to the website and can help the business to grow. The better your SEO, the higher the rank and the easier it will be for people to find your site.
You can start to see that even though they aren’t the same, they have some similarities to them.
How Are ASO and SEO Similar?
At first blush, it’s easy to see how SEO and ASO have similarities. The goal of both of these processes is to help increase the visibility of the app or site. In both cases, the goal is to grow the business.
However, that’s not to say that they are the same. Far from it. Let’s look at the differences below.
What Are the Main Differences Between ASO and SEO?
Remember ASO wants to increase visibility in the app stores’ search results, whereas SEO is about increasing visibility in the search engines. However, this is certainly not the only difference.
It’s also important to note that the behavior of users is different when they are in one of the app stores and searching than when they are using a standard search engine for the web. The behavior differs because they know they are using different platforms. They expect the results to be different. They are looking for apps when they are on the app store, and they could be looking for answers or locations when they are on a search engine, for example.
Additionally, the search semantics are different. When searching an app store, someone may use several words to describe the type of app they want. They will often use a brand name when looking for an app. For example, people wouldn’t just put in “streaming service” but they would use the brand names Netflix, Hulu, or Paramount+. When users are on app stores, they want to find the app that will meet their specific needs.
When users are using a search engine, their behavior is different. They are using search engines to find out more information about something or to get an answer, or because they are looking for a certain website.
What Factors Affect the Ranking of ASO?
What types of factors help to determine where an app will rank on an app store? First, there is the title, followed by the subtitle and a short description. You will also need to have either a keyword list or a long description, which goes into greater detail about the app.
Other elements that are needed and that will affect your ranking include app listing localization, visual assets, including screenshots, icons, and video, and whether you have in-app purchases. People want to know these things before they download an app. It needs to be prominent in your description.
Other elements that affect ranking will include the number of downloads, reviews and ratings, and updates. Some of these, you will not have a lot of control over. Still, it’s important to know that they can affect your ranking.
Keep in mind that the various app stores will have different layouts and configurations for the text you will add. Get a good understanding of how each of these works if you are putting your app on more than one store. Make sure you create your content and copy to accommodate each of the stores.
If you are not continually improving your ASO, it will become more and more difficult to rank highly in the results pages. Your app could be overlooked because other companies have better ASO, not necessarily because they have a better app.
KPIs for ASO
How do you know whether the work you are doing with your ASO is successful or if it needs some more work? There are key performance indicators that you should be watching.
You will want to look at the conversion rate. Know the visits to your page and the number of downloads you get. If you are getting some visitors but not enough downloads, it could indicate a problem with your description, reviews, or something else. If you aren’t getting enough visitors to the page where they can download, it might mean the description and ASO work are not doing their job.
Other KPIs to watch include search impressions, ratings and reviews, organic downloads, and your revenue.
What Factors Affect the Ranking of SEO?
You have many things to think about when it comes to SEO ranking, as well. As with ASO, the better you understand what affects SEO ranking the easier it becomes to work on those elements and to push your rank higher.
The content is naturally important, as most people have come to realize in recent years. Content that includes information that people are looking for is essential. Adding keywords and phrases (albeit sparingly) can help with the ranking. Too many keywords could end up hurting your ranking. Of course, search engines look at other factors when determining a page’s rank.
This includes the security and accessibility of the site, how fast the pages load, the domain age, site authority, external links, social signals, tags, and image alt text. Additionally, pages today should be mobile-friendly. More and more people are using their phones to search the web, so you need to be sure your site looks great and is easy to use regardless of the device.
These are some of the factors for ranking highly with your website. Pay attention to your SEO, or it will be difficult to bring in any visitors to your site, which will stifle your company’s growth.
KPIs for SEO
Watch the key performance indicators for SEO, as well. Some of the most important KPIs you should be tracking include the amount of organic traffic you are getting, your keyword ranking, bounce rate, conversion rate, views, visitors, visit duration, click-through rate, revenue, and comments.
Pay attention to which pages and posts are most popular. Which of these tends to drive the most amount of traffic? You will find that paying attention to the types of content people are consuming on your page gives you a better idea of how to market to them with additional content for your site. It can also give you some insight into how you can improve your ASO.
What If You Are Talking About Your App on Your Website?
If you are writing up information about your app, such as a details page that will display on your website, consider SEO to ensure the page ranks highly. You can also include links to the app store of your choice, such as the App Store and Google Play. SEO and ASO for apps are different, but they can work together. Put as much work into getting the ASO right for the app stores as you do in getting the SEO right for your website and blog.
Your SEO and ASO strategy should be complimentary. They should work hand in hand, so you have a strong showing on the app stores and the search engine result pages. If you have problems with your SEO or ASO and find that it’s not something you can handle on your own, you might want to speak with professionals in the field who can help to retool either your ASO, your SEO, or both.
What are ASO and SEO?
ASO stands for app store optimization. The term refers to the processes used for improving an app’s visibility in stores like Google Play or the App Store. SEO stands for search engine optimization. It helps increase how visible websites are on the search engine result pages.
How are ASO and SEO similar?
The goal of both of these processes is to help increase the visibility of the app or site. In both cases, the goal is to grow the business.
What are the main differences between ASO and SEO?
ASO wants to increase visibility in the app stores’ search results, whereas SEO is about increasing visibility in the search engines.
