forbes.com
If your business is building an app, you have likely put
quite a bit of work into it. Once the product is finished, your success depends
on whether customers can find it. Let’s look at how you can ensure your hard
work doesn’t go to waste.
Even though Android holds a higher market share than iOS,
Apple’s App Store still holds the lead when it comes to store revenue. With 1.2
million apps to choose from, however, app developers have to work hard to stand
out. So, how do you make that happen?
Content optimization has become a popular marketing topic in
recent years, helping companies rank at the top of search engine results for a
variety of keywords. This type of content marketing extends to iTunes, where an
app’s description helps customers find and download it.
Here are 15 content marketing tips to improve your app’s
chances of getting discovered – and downloaded.
Analyze Similar Apps
There are likely similar apps to your design. (If not,
congratulations. Your new idea will have little competition.) Look for a
popular app that would use the same keywords as yours. Pay attention to their
keyword placement and consider similar keyword placement in your own App Store
description. If your app is an informative app about your great restaurant in Burbank,
for instance, note the Burbank restaurant whose app ranks highest for the
search term “Burbank restaurant” and pay attention to how the title and
description utilize those keywords and similar terms.
Choose the Right Title
Before you take your app public, put careful consideration
into its title. Once you’ve launched it will be difficult to change the title
since a growing audience will already know about it, so it’s important to pick
a solid name from the start. Carefully study the search terms customers
routinely search in iTunes using helpful keyword tools and choose a title that
is likely to be searched.
Create a Compelling Description
After putting time and money into creating a winning app, it
is time to tell customers what they are getting. In addition to incorporating
the keywords you identified through keyword tools and research, your app
description needs to serve as a sales tool. It should compel readers to
download the app, but it should also be concise, with the most important information
at the top. First grab readers’ attention by describing the problem the app
addresses, then describe specifically how the app accomplishes this.
Maximize Keywords
In addition to incorporating keywords into your description,
Apple also asks you to list search terms relevant to the app in the “keywords”
section. Include as many keywords as the form will allow to make sure your app
is as visible as possible in the iTunes search engine.
Choose the Right Icon
As a user scrolls through search results, the first thing
they will notice is the icon you’ve uploaded. This should be eye-catching,
while also being an accurate representation of your app. Apple provided these
tips for creating an App Store icon that will stand out. Most successful app
developers use bright colors, simple graphics, and unique shapes. Because of
size limitations, it’s difficult to come up with just the right image to
represent your brand, but a search through other app icons in the store may
provide inspiration.
Go Global
When you upload your app, it will be reachable by consumers
in your own country. To optimize success, though, many developers are choosing
to localize the app for a variety of different markets. This will ensure
customers in the chosen country will see the app in their own search results.
Connect with Customers
Apple reportedly now factors customer engagement into its
algorithms, which means if your app is receiving a large number of downloads,
you’ll be rewarded with great search rankings. Encourage your loyal customers
and friends to download your app in the early days and spend time marketing it
in the months that follow.
Incorporate Socialization
One way to bring more customers to your app, and therefore
increase engagement, is to incorporate social sharing into your app. This can
be especially popular with competitive apps like games or exercise trackers. By
allowing users to share results with friends or invite social media followers
on sites like Facebook or Twitter, your app will gain exposure and improve the
number of reviews and downloads, which will in turn increase your App Store
visibility.
Choose One Day
Some people have observed the number of app downloads in one
day can be connected to an uptick in rankings. Consider launching a marketing
effort that will have a large number of consumers downloading the app on a
particular day. This could be a one-day-only sale, a launch day party, or some
other creative way of luring customers over.
Use Screenshots
Another factor that might not directly impact algorithms is
the use of screenshots. However, a series of eye-catching, informative
screenshots that shows how the app works will result in more downloads. Even
with a free app, customers like to know what they’re getting before they make
the commitment to download it to their mobile device.
Credit Developers
If you entrusted your app development with a reputable
company, consider mentioning this. When your app is developed by a team that is
known for creating reliable apps, you’ll gain credibility with Apple, as well
as customers. Even if your app developer is a first-timer, mention the company
within the app. After your app begins to gain some traction, its creator is
likely to leverage it to get more great app development jobs.
Use Outside Optimization
The App Store isn’t the only place you can optimize your
content. Apple reportedly takes click-throughs into account, noting that when
an app is getting a large amount of click-througsh from outside sites, it often
is generating quite a bit of buzz. Write blogs and regularly post social media
updates about the app to generate interest among your online followers. Keep in
mind that an app that loads faster will get better reviews.
Analyze Results
As with every new product or service, the best way to
improve your marketing efforts is to analyze each new effort. Services like
AppFigures allow you to track sales and download numbers, compare your ranks
and reviews across the world, and much more. By continuing to follow your
results, you’ll be able to tweak your optimization efforts to improve rankings.
Fix Bugs
A study from Appurify found that half of all one-star
reviews in the App Store were due to performance issues. By fixing bugs as soon
as you’re aware of them, you can reduce those negative reviews and rank higher
in search results. Fixing bugs will have the added benefit of improving
retention rates and personal recommendations, which will also mean better
rankings.
Update Regularly
While Apple doesn’t release details about its algorithms, a
stagnant app that rarely sees an update may not have as much success as one
that is regularly tweaked and updated. One major reason for this is that the
updates often serve to make it better, increasing customer satisfaction and
positive reviews.
A great app can help grow a brand or serve as a money-making
venture on its own. Whatever your goals are, utilizing recommended App Store
optimization techniques will help improve visibility and draw more attention to
your app. With so much competition, it’s important to do whatever it takes to
stand out.
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