You get more app downloads mainly through two things: people need to find your app in the App Store and Google Play, and the store page needs to convince them to tap install. That work is called app store optimisation, or ASO for short. It's SEO, but for app stores.
In this article you'll read how search works in the app stores, which parts of your store page make the biggest difference and how to get extra downloads from outside the stores. App not published yet? Start with our article on getting your app into the App Store and Google Play.
What is app store optimisation (ASO)?
App store optimisation means improving your store page so your app ranks higher for relevant searches and gets downloaded more often. It has two goals at once. First, visibility: does your app come up when someone searches for 'book driving lessons' or 'appliance repair'? Second, persuasion: does someone who sees your page actually choose your app?
Many business owners put their app live and wait. That rarely works. The stores are full of apps, and a page with a vague name, three random screenshots and a short description gets lost. A few hours of focused work can often win you a lot here.
How search works in the App Store and Google Play
Apple and Google don't use the same rules. That matters, because you fill in your page differently for each store.
- App Store (Apple): the app name and subtitle carry a lot of weight. There's also a separate, hidden keyword field. At Apple, the long description doesn't count towards search results.
- Google Play: the title and short description carry a lot of weight. The long description does count, so your main keywords should appear there a few times, naturally.
- In both stores, behaviour and quality count too: how many people install after viewing, your ratings and whether your app crashes often.
Space is limited. An app name can currently be at most 30 characters in both stores. So choose carefully which word you put next to your brand name.
Choosing keywords for your app
Just like with a website, start with the words your audience actually types. Think from the problem, not from your brand name. Someone is more likely to search for 'hairdresser appointment' than for the name of your salon.
- Type your topic into the search bar of both stores and see which suggestions appear. Those are searches people really use.
- Look at which words competitors put in their title and subtitle.
- For each store, pick one main keyword for the title and a few extra words for the subtitle, keyword field or short description.
- At Apple, don't repeat words that are already in your name. In the keyword field, separate words with commas, without spaces.
- Local words help if your app is for a region, such as a town name.
Want to know more about finding keywords? The approach is very similar to keyword research for a website: start broad, look at what people really type and then choose sharply.
A store page that leads to downloads
Being findable is half the job. The other half is the page itself. People scroll fast and decide in a few seconds. These are the parts that do the most:
- Icon: simple, recognisable and easy to read at a small size. No text in it.
- Screenshots: show what your app solves in the first two. Add a short heading above them, such as 'Book your lesson in 30 seconds'. Many people don't look beyond the first few images.
- Short text at the top: the first sentences of your description matter most. Say what the app does and who it's for.
- Preview video: optional. Only do it if your app really becomes clearer in motion.
- What's new: keep this up to date. It shows the app is maintained.
Write in plain language. Not a list of features, but what the user gains. 'Order your food in three taps' says more than 'user-friendly ordering interface'.
Ratings and reviews: how to get more
Stars and reviews affect both your ranking and visitors' choices. An app with few or poor ratings gets fewer downloads, even if it's good. Here's how to approach it:
- Ask for a rating at a good moment, for example after a successful booking or order. Not the first time the app opens.
- Use Apple's and Google's built-in rating prompt. It's short and the user doesn't have to leave the app. Both stores limit how often the prompt appears.
- Respond to reviews, including negative ones. Calm and concrete. Future users are reading along.
- Actually fix complaints and say so in an update. Low scores caused by one bug often recover once the bug is gone.
Want to know what users think before they say it publicly? Read how to collect feedback from app users inside your app.
More app downloads through your website and marketing
Many downloads don't come from the store's search bar, but from outside. For a small business with existing customers, this is often the fastest route.
- Put clear download buttons on your website, where customers already go, such as the contact or order page.
- Explain in one sentence why the app is handier than calling or emailing.
- Mention the app in your newsletter, on social media and in your email signature.
- Use a QR code in your shop, on the receipt or on your van.
- Advertise in a targeted way. Both Apple and Google offer ads in the store itself, and through Google Ads you can run app install campaigns.
Downloads are only valuable if people keep using the app. A smart notification at the right moment helps with that. Read more in our article on push notifications.
Common app store optimisation mistakes
- Using only your brand name as the title, when nobody knows it yet.
- Screenshots that only show menus instead of the result.
- Repeating keywords unnaturally in the description. It reads badly and the stores don't reward it.
- Setting it up once and never looking again. Now and then, test a different set of screenshots or a different subtitle.
- Measuring downloads, but not how many people still use the app after a week.
Making your app easier to find with Violexa
At Violexa we build apps and make sure they get found. We help with the store page, the keywords and the link with your website. See how we work at websites and apps. A custom app or web application starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project. If you want ongoing help with visibility and campaigns, that's possible through online marketing from €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month, cancel any month.
Not sure why your app gets few downloads? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes we look at your app and store page together, online or on site. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get more app downloads?
Make sure your app can be found for the words your audience types, with those words in the title and subtitle or short description. Create screenshots that show what the app solves and ask happy users for a rating. Also send existing customers to the app through your website, newsletter and QR codes.
What's the difference between ASO and SEO?
SEO is about visibility in search engines such as Google. ASO is about visibility within the App Store and Google Play. The basics are similar, but the stores look at different fields, such as the app name, subtitle and the keyword field.
Does my app description count for search results?
In Google Play it does: the long description helps you get found. In Apple's App Store it doesn't; there, mainly the name, subtitle and separate keyword field count. At Apple, the description is still important for convincing visitors.
How long does ASO take to have an effect?
Changes only become visible after a new approval or update of your store page. After that it usually takes a few weeks before you can properly compare rankings and downloads. So don't change everything at once, so you can see what works.
