Top 5 Ways to Improve Your Mobile App’s Search Ranking
So you have launched your mobile app to increase your sales and grow your business. That’s a great step toward attaining your business goals. But with so many similar apps out there in the market, how do you stand out from the crowd and get yourself noticed?
One of the ways to let people know about your app and see conversions is to improve your mobile app’s search rankings. As per Google Research, 48% of users find out new apps by browsing app stores. Also, as per Tune, 47% of US iPhone users search the app store to find an app.
And the main factors that impact app position in search engine results are the number of downloads, user reviews, comments, app launches by users, and the dynamics of app deletes from a device.
Looking at these factors, you can work on the areas to improve. Here are five ways you can implement to improve your mobile app’s search rankings.
Craft a memorable and creative app title
The title of your app should be memorable, but at the same time, you want your users to figure out what the app is about easily. Use it to communicate to your users what the core function of your app is.
Plus, your app title is going to have a strong impact on how your app appears in any search results. Since your app is new, you will need to include a certain amount of optimized description to let potential users understand what the app is about.
For instance, instead of making the title Flickr, you can add a description that says Flickr – Photography. Try to keep the title, including the description under 50 characters.
Write a persuasive keyword-rich description
Your app description will form a big part of the App Store Optimization (ASO) process. If written right, it will make a positive impact on the app store’s search algorithm.
Ensure that you are writing a crisp description and use the keywords that your users are using to find a mobile app like yours. But it doesn’t mean that you will have to use the keywords just for the sake of it. Limit the keywords to not more than five.
The keywords you use should be seamlessly woven into the description of your app so that it becomes a part of it. Avoid repeating words in the description as Google Play’s content policy will penalize you.
Also, put the most important information in the first three lines of the description. Not everyone clicks the “read more” button. If anyone endorsed you, you could consider putting it at the beginning of the description.
In the app description below, even if you don’t read the full description, you come to know that The NY Times has endorsed it, proving the app is worth using.
Focus on getting good ratings
The number of star ratings you get is going to influence the position of your app in search results. Since app stores get profit from each download, they will showcase only the apps to users they will probably download.
Users usually look at the reviews and download only the ones with good ratings. So, if your app has good ratings, it will rank better.
Also, getting fresh reviews is crucial. As per a study, current reviews are almost 7 times more significant as compared to all-time reviews.
There are definitely going to be some users who aren’t satisfied with your app. To deter them from leaving bad ratings, leave contact info or add a contact tab in the menu so that they can reach out to you.
Also, make it a point to read the reviews people leave. You may not be able to answer all the reviews. But make an effort to answer as much as possible, especially the negative ones and fix the issues.
And avoid being too pushy while asking for reviews. Users can easily get annoyed and end up not using your app, let alone leaving reviews.
Add an app preview video and screenshots
Adding an app preview video showcasing the different functions of your app can be very beneficial. Studies have it that adding a video to the main page can boost conversion by 25-30%.
By adding a high-quality video, you can lessen the installation costs and gain more loyal customers while increasing the chances of getting your app discovered.
Apple recommends adding a demo video of your app about 15 to 30 seconds while listing it. Consider testing the video with some attractive poster frames or thumbnail images. You can then find out which ones are driving more users to click and watch the video.
Even Google Play allows you to add a video to the listing. But it will work out better if you are offering a paid app. Creating a video requires you to invest money that can be recovered through your app.
Screenshots can also encourage downloads as they let the user envisage what his experience will be like. Add a keyword in your first screenshot captions to rank better. As per a study, adding keywords may boost the search rank up to 2.4 times. Ensure to place the screenshots with features and functions first.
Create an attractive icon
Having an attractive icon will inspire visitors to download your app, thus boosting your rankings. But note that the icon should not only be good-looking and enticing enough, but it should reveal the app’s purpose.
While designing your icon, consider the store requirements. You can take a look at the recommendations from Apple and Google while designing your icon.
A simple design is better. And avoid using texts on the icon. Also, create a scalable icon. It should look good on different devices. A study reveals that colorful icons with custom design rank better.
Consider using Google Play to test and learn by changing your icons for free. But note that icons at times perform differently in each store.
Wrapping-Up
To rank higher in the app store is not an easy task, but it is achievable if you follow the right strategies.
Craft a memorable app title and add an SEO-optimized description, keep your app description crisp and keyword-rich, focus on getting user reviews, add videos and screenshots, and work on creating an attractive and scalable icon that will look good on different devices.
By applying these strategies, you can improve your mobile app’s search rankings. Be patient with your search optimization campaign and keep monitoring. Side by side, you should also market your app on different channels and implement other techniques to see the best results.
Aanya Rachel is the Content Manager at, a coworking space in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge, experience, and extensive research in this field. She writes on a wide range of topics related to coworking, growth of remote workers, startups and real estate.
