How to promote mobile application — quick ASO guide

App Store Optimization
App Localization
Oct 4, 2022

You've created a mobile app and successfully published it to the stores – what are the next steps? How can you compete for users' attention against the other 2 654 747 live applications in Google Play (according to Statista) and about the same number in the App Store? Is there anything like SEO, but for mobile applications? Yes! This set of methods is called App Store Optimization (ASO), and our RadASO team will explain it in detail.

What do ASO and SEO have in common?

SEO optimizers aim to improve a site to increase its ranking in search results and make it more profitable for the owner. The goal of App Store Optimization is to increase the visibility of apps in the store to increase the number of organic installs.

Can I perform ASO myself without additional costs?

Yes, the main costs relate to implementing different tracking services and producing or improving existing graphical material. Of course, it's possible to use various services of specialized agencies, allocating a separate budget for each. In this case, the ASO budget can be compared to the budget allocated to PPC. But it's well worth it: optimizing the app page will continue to generate organic search traffic even after ASO activities are paused or ended.

How many free installs could I gain as a result?

The share of organic (free) installs you can expect depends on the application's thematic focus and the intensity of efforts directed at other traffic channels. A more or less accurate value of conversion rate growth can only be obtained through testing. On average, the percentage of organic installs against their paid counterparts is estimated at 70/30.

Generally, the growth in organic installs depends on the app listing’s position at the TOP of the search results, as well as the number of searches and difficulty of keywords it's trying to rank for.

It is possible to gain additional traffic and installs if you can get the app featured in the categories catalog of the main app store's page. In the event you get it featured on the app store's main page, the result would be significantly better.

Why should one care about organic installs?

The advantage of organic installs lies in a higher level of user loyalty. Those who have installed an app using search are more interested in using it regularly. According to the RadASO team's experience, the share of retention among such users within the next few days is much higher than among those drawn by PPC.

How do users search for apps in stores?

In most cases, users search using specific titles or main keywords that describe an app's functionality or features.

Typically, apps are searched for by entering one or two keywords. When typing queries in the App Store search panel, one may stumble upon various app titles consisting of query words and autosuggestions, while in Google Play, users observe only the latter.

When using a virtual mobile device keyboard, it's not uncommon for users to make a typo. The App Store has to autocorrect functionality, which is why, in most cases, keywords with typos should not be added to the metadata. However, if in certain cases there is no autocorrect and the search result differs from the original keyword, then it can be a solid strategy to incorporate them intentionally.

How do you optimize the main elements of the app listing page in Google Play and App Store?

At RadASO, we conditionally divide the app optimization process into several steps:

  1. Determining the main KPI before proceeding with the exact ASO activities (increasing visibility/organic installs or CR optimization).
  2. Application audit and researching the main competitors.
  3. Determination of priority locales for optimization.
  4. Keyword research and collection of the semantic core.
  5. Metadata creation.
  6. Conversion rate optimization.
  7. Analysis of iteration results and reporting.
Attribute
Value
Format
PNG
Color space
Display P3 (wide-gamut color), sRGB (color), or Gray Gamma 2.2 (grayscale).
See Color Management.
Layers
Flattened with no transparency
Resolution
Shape
Square with no rounded corners
Attribute
Value
Format
PNG
Color space
Display P3 (wide-gamut color), sRGB (color), or Gray Gamma 2.2 (grayscale).
See Color Management.
Layers
Flattened with no transparency
Resolution
Shape
Square with no rounded corners
Word
Frequency in service
Qimai(China)*
AppTweak
Mobileaction
Appfollow
课程 (course)
5387 (high)
56 (mid)
5 (low)
34 (mid)
外语 (foreign language)
5699 (high)
35 (mid)
5 (low)
34(mid)
播放 (play)
5496 (high)
35 (mid)
5 (low)
35 (mid)
*Search index in China provided by Qimai and based on multidimensional calculations such as search results, downloads and relatable keywords.
App Store
Google Play
1. Icon impact on user choice
Important, but not more than a video with screenshots, as they take up most of the screen
Icon is displayed with several other icons in search results, and therefore it has the greatest impact on the user's choice
2. Icon localization
1 icon for all locales
Can be localized for each country
3. Screenshots quantity, orientation
From 1 to 10, any orientation
From 2 to 8, any orientation
4. Screenshots the most important are the ones that are visible before you start scrolling
  • Vertical screenshots: 3 are visible
  • Horizontal screenshots: only the first one is visible
  • Vertical screenshots: 4 are visible
  • Horizontal screenshots: only the first one is visible
5. Screenshots size
Large — the content is legible
Much smaller — the captions are quite illegible
6. Video quantity
Up to 3
One video that must be uploaded to YouTube
7. Video orientation
Any orientation
Horizontal orientation prioritized
8. Video autoplay
Plays automatically for 30 seconds without sound
You need to click on it to play
9. Application cover
Displayed on the application and developer pages
There is no cover
10. Graphics update
After release only
Whenever

On-page optimization: what can be optimized?

Optimizing the text elements (i.e., the app's title and description) is necessary to improve the positions the app appears under for various search queries. This can be done by including relevant keywords in the app title, subtitle (App Store) / short description (Google Play), full description, and "keywords" field (exclusive to the App Store) with a 100-symbol-character limit.

Application title

In both stores, you may not exceed the 30-character limit. This field has the biggest impact on indexing, so it should be filled with the most important keywords.

Short description (only for Google Play)

This is the text field that is displayed until "More" and has a maximum length of 80 characters. An app's core idea should be described here while naturally incorporating as many keywords as possible.

Full description

On the App Store, the description length is restricted to 4000 characters and does not count toward the indexation of keywords. It should be noted that only 1-2% of users read the full description, so it does not actually affect the conversion rate, except for the first few sentences.

In Google Play, the full description counts as an indexation factor. The text limit is 4000 characters.

The ideal occurrence rate of a single keyword in the app’s description is no more than 4-5 times per 4000 characters. It is important not to overdo it here, as trying to stuff too many keywords inside could cause it not to appear in the search results at all.

The main promotional keywords should be placed in the first 167 characters of the description.

Also, check how the Google algorithm sees your description by running it through the Cloud Natural Language checker. The desired confidence number of the category relevant to your app should be at least 0.85.

Keywords field (only for the App Store)

This field should contain no more than 100 characters. It can be specified in the app account in App Store Connect. Note that the actual users browsing the App Store app page will not see the content of this field as it will be invisible to them.

The process is as follows:

  • you should use each of the 100 characters;
  • add keywords using only commas without spaces;
  • keywords should not be repeated (the same goes for other fields in the same locale).

Category

It is essential to choose the most relevant category. You can pick the second category in the App Store, while in Google Play, you can add tags. To choose wisely, you need to be rational and mimic the categories used by your top-ranking competitors. At the time of writing, 27 categories are available in the App Store (without subcategories) and 49 categories in Google Play, including Games.

Example of App Store’ Categories

For the most part, that's all that needs to be done with the text. But it's not enough just to be at the TOP of the catalogs list if you want users to press the desired "Install" button. The appearance of the app in the listing and app page itself should feature the kind of details that evoke users' interest and a desire to install it.

To achieve these goals, one should work on CRO from impressions to installs. Above all, pay special attention to the graphical elements to be included.

Icon

The icon is an element that helps the users form the first impression of an app.

It is recommended to follow each catalog's size guidelines (App Store and the general manual for graphical elements provided by Google Play). The following recommendations should be considered:

  • the icon should not contain any text – use it in the title;
  • transparency and fine details should be avoided;
  • no photos or screenshots are allowed as icons.

Screenshots

Optimizing the screenshots section is an effective way to improve the conversion rate and generate more installs. What a user can see in the frame of their device is an app screen with a text annotation – a brief description of a feature on the screen (it's possible to use search terms that have been prepared in advance).

App Store. The maximum number of screenshots is 10. The first three are the most important, as they are displayed in the search results. If the description also features a video, two screenshots will be displayed in the preview.

Google Play. The maximum number of screenshots is 8.

Here's a lifehack for those who want to create their own cool screenshots featuring a device frame and annotation. You can use these free generator programs: appure.io, app-mockup, previewed.app, and theapplaunchpad.

  1. Create the required number of app screenshots for each store.
  2. Upload them to one of the offered services, choose a background and a device frame, add the annotation to the screen and choose the style you want it displayed in.
  3. Download the bundle of screenshots for each device, ready to be uploaded via App Store Connect and Google Play Console.

This method is also suitable for creating localized screenshots.

Promotional video

App Store. The video’s duration should be no more than 30 seconds. In the App Store, it is possible to add a video for one locale only, so it's recommended to make a video that acts as an animated promo designed to showcase various app usage scenarios.

It is better not to use text captions in the video itself so that the video is more suitable for audiences from different countries. And don't forget to choose the most attractive slide for the preview.

Google Play. The video must be 15-30 seconds long. It's possible to have a separate video for each locale, a feature supported by Google Play.

All important information should be placed in the first five seconds of the video – this is the main rule for all platforms. Only a small percentage of users will watch the video in its entirety.

Localization

If your application is multi-regional, the best practice is to localize the app page elements: populate the title, description, and keywords fields correctly, and create a set of screenshots for each language.

For each locale, one should visit App Store Connect and Google Play Console, choose the app, and tick the languages to be used in page adaptation. The next step is to fill in the title, description, and other information for a particular language.

For the App Store, it's possible to change certain metadata, including the default language that takes precedence when the iOS app version is first downloaded.

How to research the best keywords?

For ASO, classic semantic collection methods are only partially suitable, as frequency and phrases which are used on the web when users search for information do not always correspond to mobile search.

It’s recommended to start by creating a list of keywords and phrases that you associate with your app to analyze and expand the semantic core.

However, this will most likely not be enough, so we suggest using additional ASO platforms where you can analyze your competitors and all the keywords they're using.

Device or context
Icon size
iPhone
60x60 pt (180x180 px @3x)
60x60 pt (120x120 px @2x)
iPad Pro
83.5x83.5 pt (167x167 px @2x)
iPad, iPad mini
76x76 pt (152x152 px @2x)
App Store
1024x1024 pt (1024x1024 px @1x)
Source language
Target language
How much longer (+) or shorter (–) the text in the target language is
English
French
21.18%
English
Spanish
19.52%
English
Italian
17.91%
English
Deutsch
16.67%
English
Dutch
13.80%
English
Portuguese (Portugal)
14.29%
English
Portuguese (Brazil)
12.96%
English
Polish
9.33%
English
Russian
9.11%
English
Czech
3.70%
English
Arab
–6.25%
English
Japanese
–39.68%
English
Korean
–44.04%
English
Chinese (Simplified)
–61.97%
English
Chinese (Traditional)
–63.80%
*Search Ads Popularity (SAP)shows the popularity of the search term from 5 to 99.

Off-page optimization: what can be optimized?

Ratings and reviews. Low ratings can lead to lower positions in search results and a decrease in the conversion rate. It is possible to set a pop-up window questioning the user about their app experience, but it's not advisable to interfere with the user-app interaction, so choose the timing wisely.

We recommend responding to negative reviews as soon as possible – the author of the review receives an email notification with the developer's reply. There is a real chance that the user will revisit the review and give the app a higher score.

Device
Spotlight icon size
Settings icon size
Notification icon size
iPhone
40x40 pt (120x120 px @3x)
29x29 pt (87x87 px @3x)
38x38 pt (114x114 px @3x)
40x40 pt (80x80 px @2x)
29x29 pt (58x58 px @2x)
38x38 pt (76x76 px @2x)
iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini
40x40 pt (80x80 px @2x)
29x29 pt (58x58 px @2x)
38x38 pt (76x76 px @2x)
Search term
Translation
SAP* English (U.S.)
SAP* English (U.K.)
truck games
games with trucks
62
39
lorry games
games with trucks
32
jail games
prison games
29
8
prison games
prison games
32
24
*Search Ads Popularity (SAP)shows the popularity of the search term from 5 to 99.
App Store
Google Play
What can be tested?
  • Short description
  • Long description
  • Icon
  • Feature graphics
  • Screenshots
  • Videos
  • Screenshots
  • Videos
  • Icon (has to be uploaded to the build*)
Number of simultaneously running tests
5 tests (each test is valid within a single country.

You can choose a default country test (details below): then it will run in all countries where there are no localized graphical or textual materials.
1 test (the test can be immediately extended to all countries where the application is available or opt for specific countries as needed)
The number of test variants that can be tested with the current version in the store
Compared with a maximum of 3 new variants
Can a test be launched while another item is under review?
Yes
No
Mandatory formats for screenshots uploaded to the store
6.5
  • 6.5
  • 5.5
  • 12.9 (if there is an iPad version)
*Build – is a new version of the application. Updating the icon is only possible when updating the application version in the store. In other words, the term "build" refers to a specific version or variant of the application that is ready to be downloaded and installed on the users' devices. It contains all the necessary files and data for users to install and use the application.
More about optimizing graphic elements in the App Store and Google Play can be found in the article 'Graphics in Mobile App Promotion in the App Store and Google Play (ASO) – How to Optimize Graphic Elements.'

The page has been optimized. What's next?

After the basic app optimization has been performed and the results measured, the next step is to start testing local changes in detail. Following each iteration of the A/B test, it's possible to pinpoint exactly what to aim for to improve visibility and conversions.

According to our experience, the conversion rate growth potential after each A/B testing is estimated at around 15-45%.

It is possible to use free testing tools integrated into Google Play Console and App Store Connect.

ASO, like SEO, is not a one-time activity. It's important to constantly test and monitor the results of any changes you've made, research the competition and be aware of all the prevailing trends in the mobile world. Get yourself ready for a marathon. ;)

Device size or platform
Screenshot size
Requirement
Screenshot source
6.5 inch (iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR)
1284 x 2778 pixels (portrait)2778 x 1284 pixels (landscape)1242 x 2688 pixels (portrait)2688 x 1242 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPhone
Upload 6.5-inch screenshots
5.8 inch (iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone XS, iPhone X)
1170 x 2532 pixels (portrait)2532 x 1170 pixels (landscape)1125 x 2436 pixels (portrait)2436 x 1125 pixels (landscape)1080 x 2340 (portrait)2340 x 1080 (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPhone and 6.5 inch screenshots are not provided
Default: scaled 6.5-inch screenshotsAlternative: upload 5.8-inch screenshots
5.5 inch (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus)
1242 x 2208 pixels (portrait)2208 x 1242 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPhone
Upload 5.5-inch screenshots
5.5 inch (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus)
2048 x 2732 pixels (portrait)2732 x 2048 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPad
Upload 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation) screenshots
5.5 inch (iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s Plus)
2048 x 2732 pixels (portrait)2732 x 2048 pixels (landscape)
Required if app runs on iPad
Upload 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2nd generation) screenshots
Price
Traffic Source (Self Reporting Networks)
Facebook
Google
X (Twitter)
Apple Search Ads
Cohort reports
Impression tracking
Audience segmentation
At extra charge
Custom Dashboards
Custom Reports
At extra charge
Advertisement Cost
DAU/MAU (Stickiness)
Raw Data Export
At extra charge
At extra charge
At extra charge
API Reporting
Search term
Translation
SAP* French
SAP* French (Canada)
soldes
sale
25
5
aubainerie
sale
14
*Search Ads Popularity (SAP)shows the popularity of the search term from 5 to 99.
Device
Icon size
iPhone
180px × 180px (60pt × 60pt @3x)
120px × 120px (60pt × 60pt @2x)
iPad Pro
167px × 167px (83.5pt × 83.5pt @2x)
iPad, iPad mini
152px × 152px (76pt × 76pt @2x)
App Store
1024px × 1024px (1024pt × 1024pt @1x)
Icon format
PNG
Color models
sRGB or P3 (see "Color Management")
Layouts
Aligned without transparency
Sizes
Shape
Square without rounded corners
All the current requirements for icons are specified in the specification.
Icon format
32-bit PNG (with alpha channel)
Color models
512 х 512 pixels
Layouts
1024 КБ
Sizes
square, without rounding and shadows (Google automatically rounds the corners and adds shadows)
All the current requirements are specified in the specification.

If you aim to grow organic traffic in app stores and improve the number of installs, it is vital to:

  1. Perform competitor and market research.
  2. Define the most relevant keywords.
  3. Implement keywords in various text elements (title, description, keywords field).
  4. Optimize the graphical elements (icon, screenshots, video).
  5. Localize the app for different countries, which is important for mobile promotion.
  6. Constantly test and measure the results.
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