What is App Store Optimization and why is it important for a successful mobile product launch? App Store Optimization (ASO) is the process of improving the visibility of your mobile app in the IOS or Android App Store and increasing organic downloads.

App Store Optimization is considered one of the most important steps in creating your mobile marketing campaign. With over 2 million apps featured in both the IOS & Android App Store, enhanced discoverability of your app can make the difference between the success or failure of your app.

Tip #1 Define Your Product: The first ASO tip is to define your product and your target audience. Regardless if you are building a game, utility or a communication tool, the key to your app’s success is to understand what you are building and why it will benefit your user.

Tip #2 Naming Your App: What’s in a name? EVERYTHING! Naming your app is one of the most exciting steps of application development. Often publishers have an idea of what they want to call their app even before it’s developed.

Key Success Factors

• Title – The keyword placed in the mobile app title should be the one with the heaviest search traffic. It’s important to research the keyword that best describes your app and will drive the most traffic to your App Store page.

• Keywords – To improve your search engine ranking, you need to research which keywords are most relevant to your App Store category and your target audience. We recommend that you monitor your competitors App Store page and chosen keywords to optimize your ASO strategy.

Tip #3 The Power of an App Icon: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then your app icon is worth more than any other asset for your mobile or tablet app. Your app icon is the most evident element of your branding; both on the home screen of the users devices and in the App Store where they make the decision to download your app.

Users typically make app choices based on icons – similar to how they often judge a book by its cover. With mobile download behavior being very impulsive, it’s extremely important that your app icon stands out and is visually creative. We recommend that you A/B test your App Store icon and screenshots first before making a final decision.

Tip #4 Sell Your App With Vivid Screenshots: Outside of your app icon, the most powerful visual elements of your product page within an App Store are your screenshots. People are more visual in nature and when a user visits your app page or any other mobile product property you have online – such as a landing page, or social network page – the user will gravitate towards your icon and screenshots before reading any copy describing your app. You must be strategic with the selection of your screenshots. Review other popular apps screenshots for tips and ideas.

Tip #5 Write an Effective Product Description: One of the most important selling tools for your mobile app is your App Store description of your product. Writing about your product can be a challenge, especially when faced with a blank page, and you’re more inclined to write code than marketing copy.

We recommend you write a short, succinct description of your app that answers these questions:

• What is your app?
• What does it do?
• Why should I care?
• Why are you different?

We call this the elevator pitch because you should be able to articulate your app description in a few sentences, two or three at the most. Readers should be able to get a clear picture of what your app is all about and most importantly, why they should download it from the App Store.

If you follow these five important App Store Optimization tips, not only will it increase your discoverability in the App Store but increase your chances of making your mobile product launch a success.