Google is introducing many changes in the way it searches through content on mobile optimized pages and the way it conducts mobile searches.
Among the more significant changes for mobile users is that the search results not only index web pages but also apps that can be downloaded and installed without the user having to visit the app store.
This is potentially very important for app developers as it opens up a completely new way of boosting their app usage. Some perspectives:
The Importance of SEO for App Marketing
With more searches now being conducted on mobiles than on desktops, it is even more important than before for apps to achieve more visibility in search results.
With multiple ways in which apps can now turn up in web searches, enhanced search visibility is not only vital for acquiring new users but also to refocus on existing users who may not have been using the app regularly.
The Most Popular Methods of Discovering App
Typically, users go to the app stores of Android or iOS to search for and download apps of their choice; however, many apps are also discovered outside these platforms.
A recent study by Google along with Ipsos MediaCT revealed that only 40% of all apps were downloaded from the app stores with the rest coming from a large number of other sources like family, friends, and colleagues, websites of various companies, advertising in the media, and search engine results.
The study revealed that a massive 27% of users actually discovered and installed apps from search results, which indicates the imminent need for performing SEO for your app, including web advertising.
Factors Affecting SEO Ranking For Apps
While all the factors that significantly influence the SEO of web pages are important for app SEO, it is also important to pay attention to optimization of the app store, keywords, reviews and ratings and good-quality backlinks.
Just like any other content, mobile apps also need to have the most relevant keywords that can be leveraged to achieve superior search engine page ranks.
It is possible to find the best keywords using commonly available tools like Google Keyword Planner, App Radar, etc. and insert them strategically into the description and the title of the app.
Having the keywords and the brand name of the app in the app package is of great benefit as it will form a part of the URL of your listing in the app store.
Reviews and ratings wield considerable influence on the search results within a mobile app store and are also considered an integral factor by Google in SEO.
The success of the app can depend considerably on the good ratings and reviews by users. Good quality backlinks continue to play an important role in making your app a success.
Getting other websites with high authority, especially the media to discuss and recommend your app can give you the backlinks that you can leverage on for attracting more traffic and downloads. The more good-quality backlinks you have, the better the perception of Google about your app.
Using Mobile Search to Find Apps
Apart from the generic SEO techniques for boosting search rankings, there are some other ways that can be taken advantage of:
1. App Packs in Google search
This is the most common way that apps are shown when you perform a search; a Searchmetrics study says that this accounts for around 10% of all mobile searches.
An App Pack is simply a group of suggested apps that a search query turns up; the suggestions are platform specific, i.e. searches on Android devices will throw up only App Packs that are built for Android devices from the Google Play Store while iOS users will get their results from the Apple App Store.
2. Single results through organic brand search
When searchers perform a search for specific brands or through long-tail keywords, the searcher could be shown a preview of the app store listing of the app.
This includes the name of the app, icon, the rating, the initial line of the app description and the button for installing, which when clicked redirects to the Google Play Store.
3. App Indexing for searching for specific content in the app
Thanks to App Indexing, Google can crawl through apps and their screens, which means that users can find specific content within the app using Google Search and open directly in the app by clicking on the search results.
This facility is especially useful in engaging existing users and attracting new users who have not yet installed the app. App Indexing can be set up by integrating the App Indexing API.
How to Enhance Visibility in the App Store
Important as Google Search is for boosting your app visibility, it is very important not to ignore the app store search, which is the top-ranked app discovery channel.
It is therefore vital to focus on App Store Optimization (ASO), which is essentially a reiterative process that lifts that rank of an app within the App Store.
While ASO can be quite complex, the essentials that every marketer needs to focus on are keywords; the title of the app, ratings, and reviews, and the total number of downloads.
While it is obvious that the app needs to be considered relevant to the search fired by the user, through the process of optimization it is possible to influence how the app is indexed and ranked by the strategic placement of keywords into the title, subtitle, short description, and keyword fields.
A large number of downloads and a good average rating by users will boost the visibility of the app within the App Pack greatly.
Conclusion
It is an inescapable truth that with the population of mobile apps increasing dramatically, it is essential for marketers to try to attempt to get increased visibility for their apps by performing scientific Adelaide SEO and ASO.
The more the downloads and installs, the better the chances of the app getting favorable reviews that lead to a snowballing effect on the ranking of the app in organic search. You can make use of a number of tools for optimizing and measuring the performance of the app so that it delivers a better ROI.
