App Store Keywords Research

What is App Store Keywords Research?

App Store keywords research is the process of gathering insightful information that will help a developer or marketer decide which keywords to add to an app listing’s metadata, in order to achieve optimum App Store search success. 

Think of it as laying the groundwork prior to the app launch. For a retailer who is opening a new shop, it would be imperative to scope out the location, area, conditions, and locale prior to opening and the same can be said for an app. 

By only getting one chance at launch, the keywords need to be as optimized as they can be. Some practices of keywords research include brainstorming words/terms/phrases, understanding the competition by looking at how similar apps are ranking by keyword and reading reviews to understand what users want.  

Why App Store Keywords Research is Important

The biggest organic contribution to users locating an app in the App Store and installing it is the keywords that Apple’s algorithm pulls in from an app’s product page, as 70% of installs occur after a search in the App Store. This means that it’s imperative to conduct solid, reliable research prior to launch. Effective research will result in healthy impression figures, organic traffic, conversion rates and growth. 

There are important factors to balance when conducting App Store keywords research. Search volume (assessing the potential traffic of users keywords may have) regardless of relevance, intent (you wouldn’t expect to use keywords for music for a travel app) and competition. Attempting to rank for a particular keyword should be strategic: a competitive keyword is harder to successfully rank for. Instead, it might be worth looking at keywords that may bring less traffic but an app listing stands a good chance of ranking for a high spot in these search results.

App Store Keywords Research and ASO

App Store keywords research is an integral part of an ASO strategy. In order to conduct the most effective research, it might be worth speaking to an ASO expert like Storemaven, though there are plenty of tools available online to assist in building a strategy.  

There are a number of ways to conduct research on keywords. It’s recommended to use a keyword density tool to see all the keywords a similar app is ranking for. It’s also worth reading reviews of competitor apps to find regularly used keywords or phrases. 

The nature of optimizing is the steps taken to improve and make something more efficient. If we apply this to App Store keywords research and ASO, it means an app developer or marketer must allow for a recursive research strategy in order to keep up with the App Store’s evolving ranking process.