App Store Success Map:

from ideas validation to installs and further

Introduction 3

App Store Success Map 4

Planning and Validation 5

Increasing Visibility 7

Boosting App Downloads 15

Analyze and Adjust 19

Table of content

It’s been almost a decade since Apple App Store was

launched. Back in 2009, it offered just 500 free and paid

applications. Nowadays, with millions of apps in major app

stores, publishers face a real turf battle even for being

discovered.

In this post, we’ll go over different aspects of App Store

Optimization best practices using straightforward app

success roadmap. It was developed by SplitMetrics team

to maximize your app growth in a quick and easy way.

Map to Success in App Stores

Many app marketers are used to relying on paid

advertising, but having it as your only strategy is too

pricey. The cost-per-install may reach 4$, and it takes

thousands installs per day to get into TOP 10 (depending

on the type of the app).

To provide for multiple downloads and thus guarantee

good marketing ROI, you should focus on so-called natural

positioning of your app and develop a sustainable ASO

plan. Sticking to app store optimization best practices will

help you grow the user base and sales, expand into new

markets, and strengthen your brand in general.

Planning & Validation

Any good idea is never good enough to succeed and requires

thorough testing. Before you start developing your app, you

have to face 3 basic questions:

● What is your target audience?

● Why do they need this app?

● Will it stand out in the competition and how?

Planning and Validation

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Data-driven growth strategy

The answers lie in the deep understanding of your users’ needs and their

experience with similar applications. The expedient research can be:

- done manually via customer surveys and focus groups (reliable but

time-consuming),

- ordered from a third-party analytical company (expensive and hardly

tailor-made),

- performed with the help of Splitmetrics, an A/B testing service that lets

you double check concepts on actual users and optimize each and

every element of the app page before it goes live.

Launching & Increasing Visibility

1. Come up with effective keywords

They should be relevant to your app and represent the sensible

middle between difficulty and popularity (it’s no problem to

increase difficulty and get more popularity after your app gets its

first boost). There are some interesting theories concerning

keyword ranking algorithm (by Gabe Kwakyi) and average

revenue per user (by Thomas Petit).

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The first proves that using the keywords in the title can more than

double your rankings. The second states that too competitive

keywords shouldn’t be targeted at all.

However, for a start, you can find high-quality keywords

researching top-ranking competitors’ apps, their titles and

descriptions, mining reviews, analyzing related posts in social

media, and working with an online thesaurus or a solution like

Google Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Keyword Suggestions or

Keyword Tool.

Making sure your app ranks high in App Store search results is as

important as any other aspect of an app development process.

And here are 6 things that can help you get spotted.

Increasing Visibility

For a start, you can find high-quality keywords researching

top-ranking competitors’ apps, their titles and descriptions,

mining reviews, analyzing related posts in social media, and

working with an online thesaurus or a solution like Google

Keyword Planner, Google Trends, Keyword Suggestions or

Keyword Tool.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“The App Store has a 100-character keyword field.

Play with long-tail and short-headed keywords to

use its capacity to the fullest.”

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SearchAdsHQ Keyword Planner dashboard

Make it unique, illustrative, and pronounceable, and add a couple of

keywords for the search engine, considering the above-mentioned fact

that the keywords in the title weigh the most. Mind that same

recommendations on app store optimization best practices apply to

refining your app’s subtitle.

However, don’t overdo! The App Store cuts the title after the 23rd

character, and Google Play – after the 30th. Titles in a device’s navigation

menu or home screen are cut after 11th and 14th characters

respectively.

2. Choose a dominant app name

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App Store Optimization best practices:

“Limit yourself to alphabetic characters and

punctuation marks, as your title will be used to

create your app URL.”

If there’s a text that your users are most likely to read (at least first 252 characters of

it), it’s the app’s description, so if you’ve got anything good to say about your app, say it

in the description box.

Keep the text short (no one usually goes beyond the “read more” button), list all the

most important features and updates, and add a call to action and your app’s social

media links. If you came up with several versions and can’t decide between them, use

SplitMetrics A/B testing to see which one will be scrolled to the end and clicked on

more often.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“Using keywords (Google App Store) and emojis can positively

impact your rankings and downloads.”

The same recommendations apply to optimizing your app promotional text.

3. Write a catchy description

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Make sure no information related to your app is missing and

no information is excessive or irrelevant. In case of doubt,

refer to App Store Review Guidelines or Google Play Store

requirements.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“Align with the strictest requirements. Let your

screenshots and previews fit for 4+ kids even if

the app itself is rated higher.”

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5. In-app purchases4. Pay attention

to metadataSelling something within your app gives you another chance

to increase its visibility as the names of in-app purchases

(IAP) get indexed in the app store search.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“Since the emergence of iOS 11, it’s allowed to

use a separate display name, promotional

image, and description for each IAP. Besides

that, in-app purchases give you extra

opportunities to appear in search results and be

featured on the Today, Games, and Apps tabs.”

Despite their relatively high-cost search ads can help

increase your app exposure greatly. Most users don’t see the

difference between paid and organic search results in App

Stores.

Setting a campaign is not rocket science, taking into account

the fact that Apple and Google search ads have some

common features, but it can take long. The formula for

success here is in the right account structure and keyword

choice.

To make the most of these App Store ads manage them with

SearchAdsHQ. The platform becomes your partner in

achieving cost-effective spending by optimizing campaigns

for subscriptions and purchases instead of just installs.

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SearchAdsHQ dashboard

6. Make use of Apple Search Ads

SearchAdsHQ does the hardest part for you. Besides a built-in

keyword planner and recommended keywords search based on

hard numbers, the tool has a wide range of advanced features like:

● AI-powered automated CPA bidding which takes proper

care of adjusting your bids;

● Automatic rules which apply changes to your ads based on

settings and conditions you choose;

● Bulk management which lets you duplicate campaigns and

keywords, change bids and settings – all in bulk;

● Support of Apple Creative Sets;

● Real-time control over budgets, bids, keyword texts and

match types.

Make use of Apple Search Ads

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App Store Optimization best practices:

“ If you are new to Apple Search Ads start your first campaign

with around $0.50 per tap. You can always increase the bid if

you notice that the ads are not displayed.”

Boosting App Downloads

A good icon pays off 100% and more, so keep it simple and let the

graphics speak for you. Of course, there are quite a few specific

points like color associations, background gradient, the

intricacies of border use, and the choice of design elements.

These can be determined with the help of A/B testing.

Splitmetrics has a guide to icon optimization where you can find

the full list of the elements to check.

1. Design an Awesome Icon

Mytona icon experiment

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When it comes to downloads, the visual perception channel

takes the lead. Unfortunately, it is characterized by a short

attention span. This means that whatever content your offer,

you need to focus on the first impressions. Another important

point is a quick expansion to vacant niches.

Boosting App Downloads

Create a story behind your app and tell it via screenshots. Add a short

explanation text at the top or at the bottom to make your message

clear. It’s advisable to utilize all screenshot slots but most users don’t

tend to go past the second one.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“Consider the type of device most users see your app on

and resize your screenshots accordingly.”

2. Optimize App Screenshots

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The shorter the better. You literally have about 10 seconds to grip users’ attention,

so highlight only the superior features of your app. Be careful, video app preview is

one of the trickiest elements of the app page and should be tested first.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“Don’t rely on voice-over – too many people will watch it with the

sound off.”

3. Make Your Preview Video Rock

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Even if you offer a top quality product, people are not always lavish of their praise.

If you ask your users to rate you at the right moment (e.g. at the end of a

successfully completed mission) you’ll definitely come up with more positive

reviews.

The same way you can include an intermediary form for collecting feedback from

the dissatisfied and thus reduce negative references.

App Store Optimization best practices:

“Regular surveys and testing will help you identify the right

moment and the right user to be asked for a review.”

4. Earn good reviews

Analyze & Adjust

Whatever element of your app you are trying to optimize you

usually have more than one alternative to choose from. And even

a tiny difference between them can turn out determinative. Why

not let the available variations compete then? A/B testing with

SplitMetrics gives you the luxury of not looking back.

Test Everything You Do

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According to Adweek, Apple’s search ads are generating conversion

rates higher than 50%. However, to reach such impressive results,

you need to make the prospects not just click on the ad they see but

go further and download it. With SearchAdsHQ you have a unique

opportunity to focus your ad spend on a target action.

● Set any event from your mobile attribution system as a goal

for ads optimization;

● Spot the ads campaigns, ad groups, and keywords that drive

in-app events;

● Monitor the performance of various segments and keywords

using advanced filters;

Such an approach will help you attract high-LTV users and

significantly reduce CPI.

Enhance Your Ads

SearchAdsHQ dashboard

Localization is a great way to increase your audience and what is

equally important to double, triple and so on the number of

keywords in use. When it comes to Apple Search Ads, it’s really

easy to win new storefronts fast duplicating your app listing with

the help of SearchAdsHQ.

Entering a new market is never easy and a mistake can cost you

dear. That’s why you should test every detail and optimize

beyond language for a specific culture. Thorough research of a

new region of your interest is a must along with consistent A/B

tests. With SplitMetrics platform, you’ll safely and cheaply

reconnoiter the ground anywhere you want.

Conquer new markets

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No matter, how many installs or registrations you get, you have to keep an eye on your rivals. SplitMetrics offers

in-depth analysis of your competitors’ conversion rates and advanced monitoring of your app’s conversion in

search results when it appears next to your rivals. It helps you tailor efficient growth and promotion strategies to

the current market situation.

Besides that, success is an ongoing process. You have to constantly adapt to the changing competitive

environment and every time you make a change you need to make sure it’s a turn for the better. Using A/B testing

as your basic approach is a proven way to avoid unnecessary risks and make the most of your resources.

You Can’t Afford to Be Complacent

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