App Store Optimization (ASO) Checklist 2022

Read on this checklist to know about App Store Optimization, its benefits, and the ways to do it.

What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?

App Store Optimization (ASO) is the method of growing your app visibility within the app stores and building app conversion rates. App Store for iOS and Google Play for Android, are the major app stores to consider.

You can do so by optimizing your App Name, App Title, App Icon, App Screenshots, and App Rating.

Benefits of App Store Optimization

• ASO improves the visibility of your app and helps it stand out among the other apps
• Facilitates your app discoverability infront of relevant users
• Boosts organic App downloads in a sustainable way
• Minimize user acquisition costs and get continuous growth
• Maximize App revenue and conversion rates
• Global reach for your App

App Store optimization checklist

1. Understand your customer and your competition

Understanding the way your customers use the app, along with the insights about your competitor apps will help you achieve better App store optimization. Follow your competitors to know which keywords are being targeted by them. This helps you decide whether to target these same keywords or a separate set of different keywords to your individual value proposition. 

2. Select the right app name

Coming up with a unique name for your app with relevant keywords will ensure that your app is discovered easily. Try to keep the actual name short and sweet to make it  URL-friendly.

3. Maximize your keywords

The App Store and the Google Play Store have two very different approaches when it comes to ASO keywords. However,  it is ideal to write for the customers in mind. Then you can come up with minor small edits for keywords next. This will be the ideal way as the ranking algorithms consider both keywords and conversion metrics into account.

4. Create a captivating description

An app’s description is the first call-to-action for potential customers. Hence, you have to take your customer into account along with the search engine index while creating an app description. It should communicate to the customer what the app does in simple and concise language while listing its benefits. Your app’s description must also be changed every time you submit an update.

5. Come up with a unique icon

Both the App store and Google Play store have their own preset standards for the ideal size, geometry, and color scheme of app icons.

For iOS, the icons should be sized to at least 1024×1024 pixels. For an Android icon, the only difference is that Google Play requires a 512×512 icon.

Click for additional details on iOS and Android icon details.

6. Place screenshots and preview videos

The inclusion of high-quality screenshots and videos drives app downloads in app stores. Your visual elements displayed on the app stores should show off your app’s most central features, new updates, and the pages that engage and interest the customers.

7. Localize your app listing

It is ideal to speak to your customers in the language they use at home. Take assistance from translation or localization services to translate your app’s title, keywords, description, and screenshots to the languages of your major customer segments. This definitely increases adoption and conversion as the app seems to be localized to the customer with a welcoming product page in their own language.

8. Update the app frequently

For becoming a more customer-centric and high-value app, you should make updates to your app ad publish them frequently. Further more you can inform your customers about the update through a push notification or an email or text message. You can also update the what’s new filed in your app store. Earning a 5-star rating will also make your app look good in app stores.

9. Encourage ratings and feedback

Apps with a large volume of positive ratings dominate the top charts in app store downloads. The apps with the highest rating and positive feedback counts are those that engage the customers and proactively seek customer feedback for future improvisations.