Slides from my App Store Optimisation presentation at Appsterdam Milan talklab

1. App Store Optimisation
Reverse engineering the App Store search algorithms
Mouhcine El Amine

2. The ultimate goal
The ultimate goal of every app is to reach the highest
number of app downloads.
-> More revenues, a bigger user base and more
brand recognition.

3. What is ASO ?
App Store Optimisation (ASO) is the process of improving
the visibility of a mobile app (such as iPhone, iPad,
Android or Windows Phone app) in an app store (such as
iTunes or Google Play for Android). App Store optimisation
is closely related to search engine optimisation.
Specifically, app store optimisation includes the process of
ranking highly in an app store’s search results and top
charts rankings. — Wikipedia

4. Why search matters?
Download channels:
• App Store search
• Being featured in the App Store
• High ranking
• Direct links

5. App Store search algorithms
Number of
downloads
App name
KeywordsApp rating

6. App name

7. App name

8. App name

9. App name

10. App name

11. App name

12. App name

13. App name

14. Why?!

15. App name
• In August 2013, the app name became the most
important factor in search ranking

16. App rating

17. App reviews
• Bad reviews arrive first
• Unsatisfied users almost always post reviews
• Satisfied users almost never post reviews

18. Improving
App rating & reviews
• Make a quality app
• Insist on asking colleagues, friends and family to
rate the app and write a review after each release
• Add a new version even without updates
• Monitor reviews and flag the inappropriate ones to
get them removed

19. Should we ask for
reviews?!

20. “So not only is Threes an amazing iPhone
game, they prompt for App Store reviews in a
classy way too. Let’s reward this.”
John Gruber

22. App reviews

23. App reviews

24. Keywords
• Volume
• Difficulty

25. Tools
• MobileDevHQ
• AppAnnie

26. Questions