New ASO optimization trends you must know for APP promotion in 2017!

2017 is here. Looking back at 2016, friends who made apps may have felt lost, panicked, and frustrated during the ASO optimization process. We may have been happy, screamed, and hugged each other... But no matter what, those sad and happy stories have been blown away by the wind. In the new year, we will set sail again and continue to explore the secrets of ASO.

According to statistics, 63-65% of an APP’s downloads are done through app store searches, and good search and download results, and even activation after downloading, are inseparable from ASO.

Today, ASO's capabilities are a combination of product, market, technology, statistics, and operations . ASO does not mean that you can get more organic downloads for free without spending money. Web page SEO also costs money. It just means that ASO is the most economical and most direct means of application promotion and operation. Money in ASO or SEO is like financial leverage. It amplifies or at least consolidates the value of ASO.

1. ASO optimization trends in Apple App Store

In fact, what ASO optimizers talk about most is the optimization work for the Apple App Store. Looking back at 2015, Apple was ruthless in removing related illegal apps from the shelves. But whether this blow can scare people depends on how ASO optimizers calculate the ratio between benefits and risks.

1. Update of AppStore’s word segmentation algorithm

Word segmentation technology has always been one of the optimization technologies that ASO optimizers focus on analyzing. The purpose is to cover more keywords through word segmentation technology. This type of technology is not uncommon in SEO. Nowadays, a considerable number of ASO optimizers have switched from SEO, so it is not surprising that word segmentation technology is used in ASO.

AppStore has updated its word segmentation algorithm to improve its ability to identify keywords in titles. Now that AppStore can more easily identify each phrase and make accurate matches, the weight of title keywords will remain the top factor affecting APP rankings in the new year.

2. Introducing social sharing weight

While ASO optimizers are busy begging users to write good reviews, in 2017 we may have to ask users to share more by introducing social sharing weights. The more times an app is shared, the more Apple will regard it as having left a good impression on users, and will give the app a certain weight based on the number of shares.

3. Vulnerabilities still exist

Apple's rules will become increasingly strict in 2017. Although the space left for ASO optimizers to take shortcuts will become increasingly narrow, where there are rules, there are bound to be loopholes in the rules.

The former ' Himalaya ' ASO optimizer took a different path from most ASO optimizers. Although he still couldn't escape Apple's eyes in the end, this ASO optimizer had maximized his profits during this period.

Therefore, don't be surprised if unconventional products like 'Himalaya' appear again in the new year.

4. Covering hot words is not as good as covering related words

When we understand that blindly covering hot words will not bring much downloads to ASO optimizers, in the new year, ASO optimizers will never go down a single path, but will develop towards covering related hot words. Although some hot words have amazing indexes, they have nothing to do with their own products, and the conversion rates they bring are naturally not ideal. Besides, it is already 2017, so ASO optimizers should not be jealous of those hot words that have nothing to do with their own products. For more details, please refer to the numerous promotional materials on Qinggua Media’s official website.

5. Prepare the pull-down associative words

Drop-down associative words have attracted the attention of ASO optimizers in 2016. When users search for keywords, relevant drop-down associative words will automatically appear in the drop-down box. A considerable number of users will click on the drop-down associative words for a more precise search. ASO optimizers will naturally not miss this opportunity.

6. There is still room for more comments

Although Apple removed apps that had too few five-star reviews in 2015, after checking relevant information, I found that the quality of the reviews that were removed for fake five-star reviews was so poor that it was unbearable to look at. The comments were simple and crude, and most of them were comments like "good", "very good", and "excellent". Anyone with a discerning eye could tell what was going on.

In the new year, ASO optimizers will of course have to brush up on comments when necessary, but they should pay attention to how to do it? What content to brush? Good reviews not only affect the APP ranking, but also can induce users to download. Therefore, it is very important for every ASO optimizer to write good reviews carefully.

7. The risk of spamming is further increased

According to relevant investigations, a shopping app's ranking dropped in the short term due to a violation of Apple's promotion rules. Although it returned to normal in a short time, the ranking of this app dropped rapidly again on the same day, and all the hot words it covered disappeared.

It can be seen from this that the disappearance of the hot word coverage of this APP is related to the previous illegal promotion. As for what illegal behavior it is, it is obvious that it is word-brushing.

As the risk of spamming increases, in 2017 I think we should first expand brand words, and then do associative words. As for those irrelevant hot words, to be honest, just put them there if you can. There is no relevance and no conversion. I believe this sentence in SEO also applies to ASO optimizers.

2. New Trends in ASO in the Android Market

Domestic Android channels have always been one of the channel sources that optimizers attach great importance to. However, compared with the regulations of the Apple market, the diversity of Android channels and user experience issues have always troubled many ASO optimizers. However, compared to APPStore, ASO optimization in the Android market is relatively easy, but in the new year, ASO optimization for Android may further shift to the technical level! For more details, please refer to the numerous promotional materials on Qinggua Media’s official website.

1. Further optimization of search engine algorithms

Simply put, the purpose of updating search engine algorithms is to accomplish two tasks: the first task is to meet users' various search habits and provide users with more accurate search results; the second task is to combat cheating.

The continuous update of search engine algorithms means that the difficulty of ASO optimization will be further increased. However, due to the large number and complexity of Android channels, it is unlikely that ASO optimizers can use the same optimization method to win all Android channels. At this time, it is particularly important to selectively study and maintain certain high-quality channels.

2. Searching for associative words will be more accurate

As mentioned above, any algorithm update of the search engine is based on enhancing the user experience. In 2016, the algorithm optimization of the Android channel will not only enhance the user experience, but will also bring new opportunities to ASO optimizers. For example, search association words will be more accurate. When the search association words further meet the user's search expectations, the download volume brought by the search association words will also increase further.

Therefore, in the new year, ASO optimizers can focus on the changes in volume brought about by search association words when optimizing algorithms in major Android channels, and make predictions in advance and make good layouts of relevant search association keywords.

3. ASO optimization has more operation points

In fact, in many electronic stores now, when users enter keywords in the search engine, the platform will show users the relevant search rankings. When users click to search, the secondary search rankings will appear immediately. This invisibly gives ASO optimizers more technical operation channels.

In addition, the level of business capabilities has always had a great impact on ASO, but with the standardization of the Android market, the interference of business capabilities on ASO will be reduced. Along with this, the path for ASO optimizers to take the technical route will be clarified.

3. Development Trend of ASO Optimization

In 2017, the development of ASO must inevitably innovate and embrace change. Here, Qinggua Media will share with you the trend forecast for the development of ASO optimization.

1. APP search will affect ASO optimization

“Research on deep linking will become a focus of future development.”

What is “deep linking”? Translated into Chinese as deep link, the biggest change in the field of App promotion is app indexing: in this way, Google and Apple can monitor what kind of content is inside the app and what content is being accessed by users, and thus conduct blind searches for content. For example, users can directly search for "cooking" or "recipe" to quickly see what kind of recipes are contained in the App.

At the same time, after the user search displays the corresponding content, if you have already downloaded the application that provides the content, you can click to jump to the relevant page of the application.

This means that in-app searches will replace web searches, and the app market can also be handled in a traditional search engine way.

In March 2016, SearchMetrics released a survey report on US App Indexing. The statistical method focused on the top 100 websites in the US market to investigate whether these websites published their own apps. The survey results show that 84% of websites have Android apps, and 88% of websites have iOS apps. Among them, 30% of Android apps and 19% of iOS apps have enabled Deep Link. Most of the apps with Deep Link enabled are e-commerce and clothing apps.

We can see that through app indexing, APP can achieve more traffic and conversion, which means that app indexing will greatly affect the ASO optimization pattern and the entire App promotion market. App promotion will be directly linked to search engine optimization. We developers must also pay attention to the huge potential of APP retrieval function.

2. Ratings and reviews will become more important

“Every manager should focus on reputation management.”

We have been discussing whether the number of reviews and star ratings of apps in the App Store will have an impact on the app rankings? For now, reviews of app promotions have a certain impact on the rankings, but their weight in the ranking algorithm is relatively low.

But on the other hand, although the comments of App promotion cannot directly affect the ranking, most of the higher-ranked App promotions have good comments. When we look at the TOP100 apps in the App Store free rankings, more than half of them have a rating of 4.5 stars or above.

Therefore, if nothing unexpected happens, comments in App promotion will become an important factor in the future. ASOers also need to pay more attention to the management of comments and guide users to leave high-quality comments. For more details, please refer to the numerous promotional materials on Qinggua Media’s official website.

3. Real-time analysis of apps will improve

“Quality customer service is about understanding your customers’ motivations and needs”

At present, we already have many ASO auxiliary tools to detect APP rankings, keyword coverage , keyword popularity, etc.; however, the trend of ASO tools is to develop real-time analytics tools, real-time detection and information statistics tools.

This development trend will be closely linked to App promotion technology. Through real-time analytics tools, ASOers need to spend more time studying keywords and competitor strategies to better customize the keywords or long-tail words that users are really looking for.

4. The number of ASO service providers will increase

What we can foresee is that with the development of the ASO market, even marketers who are not professional in ASO have realized the importance of App promotion in the process of App promotion.

At the same time, the corresponding professional ASO services and agency companies will also grow significantly, helping APP developers promote through professional ASO strategies .

5. More real-time A/B testing

“There is still plenty of room to define the future of mobile A/B testing standards, and the next year will be the most critical.”

A/B testing has actually been used on web pages for many years. It has only expanded into the field of mobile applications with the development of the App promotion market. To put it simply, the so-called A/B testing is to develop two plans (such as two pages) for the same goal, let some users use plan A, and other users use plan B, record the user's usage, and see which plan better meets the design goal? The beauty of this method is that it directly provides users with multiple options and determines and selects the best one based on customer feedback data.

A/B testing looks simple, but the results are of great value to business. Generally, we can conduct A/B testing through the following elements: icons, screenshots or other elements displayed on the App Store. An icon is often the first product element that users see, so the more it stands out, the better.

Our experimental results show that optimizing icons can increase the installation rate by 3-5% (for example, from 10% to 13%). The same is true for screenshots and other display elements. ASOers can pay more attention to the application of a/b testing.

6. The importance of app promotion description is more important than ever

“The quality of keywords in the app description will become as important as the app title, so ASOers need to spend more energy to research accurate and attractive descriptions.”

Both Apple and Google require that app descriptions for app promotions be readable. App developers need to spend more time writing detailed app descriptions while making it easy for users to digest them.

7. In-app engagement and personalization will become more complex

“In-app engagement and personalization will become more mature and important, increasing user stickiness and activity.”

Faced with tens of thousands of applications in the APP Store, user retention is also a headache for many promotion operators. In addition to the basic titles, keywords, descriptions and other aspects of ASO optimization that we have always emphasized, participation in App promotion and personalized customization will also be a new battlefield that ASOers need to focus on in the future.

Generally speaking, we can customize from the following 3 points:

a. Personalized content.

b. Personalized message push.

c. User-generated content.

For example, some clothing app promotions can set customized content for each user, including preferred style, brand and other information; for example, the mobile app promotion launched by IKEA allows users to customize their home layout. Users can create and share their favorite layouts, and participate in voting to select their favorite layouts.

These personalized contents attract users' attention and enable users to participate in interactions, which in turn can provide feedback with more information content, thus forming a virtuous circle.

Comment: When looking at ASO, you must not be short-sighted; when looking at ASO, you cannot simply understand it as keyword optimization, although the final form is keyword matching and search result ranking; ASO, after all, is fundamentally about satisfying user needs and catering to user judgment and understanding; ASO is a continuous practice.

Mobile application product promotion service: APP promotion service Qinggua Media advertising

The author of this article @马海祥 compiled and published by (Qinggua Media). Please indicate the author information and source when reprinting!