The Definitive Playbook: App Store Optimization

T H E D E F I N I T I V E A S O P L AY B O O K
A P P S TO R E O P T I M I Z AT I O N :
The Definitive
Playbook
1 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

TABLE OF CO NT ENTS
3 Introduction
3 What Is App Store Optimization?
4 Making a First Impression

5 App Icons
6 Screenshots
8 Video
11 Testing Your Creative Assets
14 ASO Cheat Sheet: Making a First Impression
15 Improving Discoverability
15 Choosing Keywords
20 Monitoring the Competitive Landscape
21 Discovering Keyword Opportunities
22 Where to Place Your Keywords
24 Categorizing Your App
26 Keeping Tabs on Competitors
26 Creating a User Feedback Loop: The Influence of Ratings & Reviews
29 Influence of Search Ads on Discoverability
30 Monitor the Competition’s Keyword Bidding Strategy
31 Keep Tabs on Branded & Generic Keywords
31 Using Mobile Web to Increase App Store Traffic
35 ASO Cheat Sheet: Discoverability
37 Going Global: How ASO Factors into Market Expansion

37 Improving Discoverability in an Existing Market
44 ASO Cheat Sheet: Going Global
45 Optimizing & Measuring Success: Why ASO Is a Living Process
46 About App Annie

INTRODUCTION:
What Is App Store Optimization?
The app market is one of the most competitive spaces in the world. And it’s crowded —
with approximately 2 million iOS App Store apps and 4 million Google Play Store apps.
Between the sheer number of apps and the skyrocketing costs of advertising, successfully
acquiring and retaining users is more challenging than ever.
As a mobile marketer, your job is to cut through that clutter and get in front of the right
audiences. Increasing exposure for your mobile presence helps increase app downloads,
boost store rankings and ultimately drive revenue for your business.
A complete mobile strategy is comprised of both mobile web and mobile apps. While
mobile web casts a large net and can be a great funnel for initial interest, mobile apps
allow for more personalization, a more optimized experience and tend to see greater
engagement. For this reason, apps are typically the ultimate goal for most mobile
marketers.
Jane Butler, Managing Director, App Promotion, Americas at Google explained,
“People expect fast, reliable, personalized

experiences from the brands they interact
with, and we often find that the best way
to deliver that experience is through apps.”
According to Apple, 65% of app downloads come through organic searches on the
iOS App Store. A highly valuable strategy to increase long-term exposure is App Store
Optimization. App Store Optimization, or ASO, can be defined as the ongoing process
of testing and measuring updates to app store marketing assets, with the goal of
increasing visibility and driving more downloads. ASO is the product of two distinct
goals: 1) discoverability — increasing search traffic to your app and 2) conversion —
convincing users to download your app.
For many app publishers, the first thing that comes to mind when they think about ASO
is building out a keyword strategy. While certainly an important component, optimizing
your app for organic discoverability goes well beyond keywords.

ASO is much more robust and strategic than many may think, comprising research,
testing and a lot of creativity. In this playbook, we’ll equip you with best practices for
improving app discoverability and downloads among quality users. In addition to App
Annie’s expertise, we’ll share insights from the industry’s best and brightest, and offer
actionable advice and tips you can apply to your own ASO efforts.
Making a First Impression:

App Icons & More
Someone in your life has probably told you at some point “You only have one chance
to make a first impression.” The same applies to introducing your app to potential users.
The way you merchandise your app in the app store — choosing the words, images
and videos to include — makes all the difference when it comes to convincing users
to give your app a shot. ASO isn’t just about getting your name and keywords right —
it’s about using both visual and written elements to tell a story about your app and let
users know what they should expect post-install.
In this chapter we’ll look at the various assets you can use in your app store preview,
including your:
• App icon
• App name and description
• Screenshots
• Video
We’ll also cover best practices in testing to make sure you know what your highest-
performing assets are. Let’s start with what’s arguably your most important creative asset:
your app icon.

App Icons
Despite containing only a few thousand pixels, your app icon wields immense influence
over whether or not a user will download your app.
This is the first visual element people see when they view an app store listing. All those
pixels have to come together to convey what your app is about, in the simplest manner
possible. But what makes an ideal app icon? We turned to Michael Flarup of app icon
design agency PixelResort, who’s well known for his app icon templates, for best practices.
“We’ve found that the best app icon tests come from
trying out completely unique variants from the original.
Once we identify a winning image, we then test minor
modifications until we arrive at what we consider an
optimized winner. We often back-test the new designs
against the original control icon to validate results.”
– Jeff Gurian, Senior Director of Marketing at Kongregate
Tips for Designing the Optimal App Icon
Keep It Simple: Complex icons can be difficult to distinguish on smaller devices (or when
nested in folders on a smartphone or tablet) and should be avoided.
Design for Scalability: One of the most important aspects of an icon is scalability. Because
the icon is going to be shown in several places throughout the platform — and at several
sizes — it’s important your creation maintains its legibility and uniqueness. Overly
complicated icons often fall victim to poor scalability.
Be Recognizable: Your icon will be vying for attention among thousands of

other icons with the same 1,024-pixel canvas. While scalability is a huge
part of recognizability, so is novelty. Try out several variations on your
design. Line them up in a grid and glance over them, seeing what
design aspects catch your eye.

Check the Competition: Make sure you’re up to speed on what your direct competitors —
plus top apps — are doing. Having an icon that’s too similar to another app can cost you
valuable brand awareness.
Stand Out From the Crowd: This almost goes without saying, but try to make something
unique. Mimicking a style or a trend is perfectly fine, but make it your own. Your app icon
is constantly competing with other icons for the users’ attention, and standing out can
be a perfectly valid argument for a design.
Test, Test, Test: The quickest way to find the app icon that will perform best is through
sequential A/B testing; however, note that the way you can execute on this will vary by
app store. Android developers have it a bit easier, as Google Experiments allows you to
easily set up tests and collect results. iOS developers will have to use a third-party option.
Of course, sometimes you need to balance science and intuition in order to create
an iconic app icon.
Spotlight on a Great App Icon: Tinder
Mobile dating app Tinder is an excellent example

of an effective app icon that excels in nearly all areas:
It’s simple, scalable, and recognizable.
In this instance, simplicity and scalability are

connected. Tinder’s simple design allows it to look
good at any size on any device.
The icon is tied to key elements of the app, making it

immediately and meaningfully recognizable. It
cleverly tells users what they’re about to experience
before they open the app.
App Screenshots
While your app icon may pique attention, the screenshots drive home the core features
and benefits. Each screenshot should highlight a specific benefit and use supplemental
text, whenever possible, to help explain key features to the user.
Get the Most Bang for Your Buck With Screenshots
Use All Available Spaces: You can use up to 10 screenshots in the iOS App Store
and eight in the Google Play Store to promote your app. Use them all to maximize
visibility and sell your app’s value.

Prioritize Key Messages: The first three screenshots are the most visible; in fact, they
show up in search results for the iOS App Store. Make sure your more important selling
points are featured in these screenshots.
Tell a Story: Screenshots are your opportunity to tell an engaging story to your target
audience before they interact with your app. Make sure your screenshots address
their needs.
Spotlight on Screenshots: Airbnb
In just six images, Airbnb is able to communicate four key features and illustrate why
the app is efficient and useful to a prospective traveller. The first two screenshots can
also stand alone to entice prospective users to install with key verbs that relate to actions
a user would either be directly taking or ideologically embodying when in the mindset
for travel.
The next four screenshots illustrate the key value propositions that communicate why
Airbnb is a strategic companion for an on-the-go traveller, including the ability to find and
book accommodation, message your host — an action native and streamlined to mobile —
and find new experiences in your destination area.

Since Airbnb is generally used in portrait mode, it’s a natural fit to display screenshots
in portrait mode, which could also be confirmed through A/B testing. However, this
choice often differs based on the app or game. For instance, we’ve seen game publisher
Supercell make a deliberate choice in terms of the image orientation of screenshots
for Boombeach. Because the game is played in landscape mode, the screenshots
are all in landscape orientation.
Airbnb uses compelling visuals and text to succinctly communicate the core features
of the app to prospective users. As of 2019, many apps, like Airbnb, feature a larger image
that spans across multiple screenshots as well as key value propositions called out in
each subsequent screenshot. View live app icon, screenshots, videos and details.
Video
Both Google Play and iOS App Store permit the use of a short video to highlight the
key features of an app. This is your chance to give users a sneak peek into the in-app
experience. Videos are no small investment, so make sure you take a few tips into
consideration before committing to video. We turned to Apptamin, well-known for its
app videos and trailers, for pointers on how to create an eye-catching — and effective
— app marketing video.

Pacing & Structure
1. The first five seconds are critical. You want to compel the viewer to watch the next
few seconds, then the next few, and so on.
2. In a similar vein, be mindful of length. Currently 15 to 25 seconds is the industry

standard, with a maximum length of 30 seconds. Use those seconds wisely.
3. Keep the pace brisk, but not too fast. Just enough speed to keep the viewer
interested without losing them.
4. Focus on the best features first. Be selective, since it may not be feasible to mention
all core features in your video.
5. Tell viewers what to do next. Whenever possible include a direct call to action.
Production
1. If you’re going the in-house route, keep your video simple. As tempting as it may
be to use lots of effects and transitions, they may look cheap.
2. Music is an important element in setting the tone. Find something that evokes the
right emotion; avoid overused music.
3. Since some users are watching with the sound off, use text and motion graphics
to explain key points that may be covered by audio.
Fine Print
1. It should go without saying, but be sure not to violate copyrights with your images,
music or words.
2. Follow all app store guidelines for app preview videos.

Spotlight on Video: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
The preview video for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the augmented reality (AR) mobile
game by Niantic, quickly highlights the overall on-boarding and general gameplay.
The video assumes a basic knowledge of the Harry Potter storyline. For games without
a strong IP or apps not attached to a large well-known brand, more explicit communication
of key value propositions may be necessary. The video introduces the brand right off the
bat, leads into a brief illustration of the AR map and takes the user through a condensed
on-boarding process of being ‘sorted’ into your Hogwarts house and creation of your
wizard avatar.
The remainder of the video focuses on examples of action-oriented gameplay. Each frame
showcases value and key features. A strong ending frame closes the video with an eye-
catching repetition of the game’s name: “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite”. Harry Potter Wizards
Unite’s preview video succinctly communicates its value proposition to prospective
gamers.

Testing Your Creative Assets
Chances are, your first asset designs won’t be the final ones. It’s crucial to continuously
test new designs to identify the ones that attract high-quality users and convince them
to download your app. We asked StoreMaven, an app store creative testing and mobile
growth technology platform, to share tips and best practices for testing creative assets
to improve ASO.
App Store Design: Providing Content Users Crave
On-boarding doesn’t begin when users open your app for the first time — it begins
at the app store. Providing the right mix of app metadata (e.g., your name, description,
and creative assets) helps to reduce friction during discovery, download and first use.
Finding the right assets, driving the most relevant messages and matching user
expectations are crucial. According to data from StoreMaven, testing app store elements
can increase your conversion rates and prevent conversion decrease over time.
Two Types of Users
The most fundamental thing to understand when you begin working on app store design
is that the majority of users will not interact with your full content. StoreMaven has found
a correlation between those who interact and quality, but still recommend on focusing
on both those that do not interact with your content.

There are two distinct groups of users to any store page:
Decisive Users: They will view only the Explorers: They will interact with your
most visible elements and decide whether content before deciding to download
or not to download based on their first (Explore and Install) or leave the page
impression. Decisive users either click the (Explore and Drop). Explorers will watch
install button (Instant Install), or leave the the video, scroll through the gallery, and
page (Instant Drop) — no other action is interact with the description and reviews.
taken. According to StoreMaven, 65% They make a more informed decision
of users won’t swipe past your first two than Decisive users, who may have a false
images. impression of your app which could lead
to disappointment and uninstalls.
For that reason, an Explore and Install user is of higher quality than an Instant Install user.
They have higher long-term potential to be a strong user and are significantly less likely
to bounce after initial download.
The decision of whether to Instant Install, Instant Drop, or Explore (as well as the quality
of that exploration) is based on the user’s first impression of your store pages, making
those visible elements the most important. 
Different Views for Different Stores
The first view of your app makes Google Play and iOS App Store users fundamentally
different. Developers are often confused to find that their best performing Google Play
creatives perform drastically lower on the iOS App Store.
On Google Play, users see the screenshot gallery and video poster frame upon page
load with a short description text on the bottom. On iOS, users could see a prominent
featured graphic at the top of the page, an app icon and — depending on the presence
of a feature graphic — either the full view of the first screenshot and a partial view
of the second or a partial view of both.

Tips for Creative Testing Based on App Store
Based on the app store you use, your testing focus may change — and your creative
assets will likely change as well. Keep these tips in mind.
Google Play iOS App Store

Video: If there is a video then the poster Feature Graphic: The feature graphic
frame is extremely important as only is new to iOS. For some apps, this will be
6%-10% of users ever click to watch the the first image users see — appearing at
video. 100% of them will be exposed to the the top of the app store page and visually
poster frame. Keep videos short (about occupying approximately one-third of
10% of users will drop off every five the screen. On Google Play, StoreMaven
seconds!) and show your strongest found feature graphics could lead to
messages first. Video — but only when a 31% lift in conversion rates.
done well — can impact conversions by
24%. First Two Screenshots: On average,
31% of users scroll through your gallery
Screenshot Gallery: Within the screenshot and only 8% see your full gallery, so your
gallery, the focus should be more on the first two images by far have the most
first screenshots that appear in the first impact and can improve your conversion
impression (which also depend on the rate by 18%.
orientation and the chosen screenshots
resolution). 37% of users who scrolled Poster Frame/Video Presence: When you
through the gallery installed the app. This add a video to iOS, it takes the place of
is up nearly 40% from the previous Google your first image, fundamentally impacting
Play Store design where screenshots were the way users engage with the page. On
below the fold. iOS, the poster frame (the image beneath
the video) must be a frame from your
Icon: Your icon is crucial for a good video. You absolutely must be aware of
conversion rate. Plus it’s the one element this when designing your video. While only
that stays relevant after a user downloads. 7% of users will actually watch your video
Testing icons can increase conversions by on iOS, 100% will see your poster frame.
11%. Testing poster frames and videos can
increase conversions by 40%.
Short Description: 100% of your users
will see the short description text (the 80 Icon: On iOS, your icon has more
characters before the “read more” button), prominence than on Google Play,
and only an average of 5% will expand increasing your conversion potential
your full description. Changing this text by 18%. 
can increase conversions by 13%.

AS O CHEAT SHEET:
Making a First Impression
App Icons
• Keep it simple, scalable, recognizable and unique
• Keep testing until you find the most effective variation
Screenshots
Maximize visibility: That means five screenshots in the iOS App Store and eight
in the Google Play Store.
Tell a story, but start with the close: Your screenshots should have an engaging
narrative, but make sure to show your two best screenshots first.
Video
• Keep them short, sweet and punchy
• Choose simplicity over flash
• Sound and text are equally important
Testing
It’s important to continuously test new designs to optimize for the highest performing
creative assets. Keep the potential of each asset in mind — and the app store you’re
focusing on — and prioritize accordingly.
How App Annie Can Help

Use App Annie Intelligence, to inform your asset optimization strategy by researching
your competitor’s icons and screenshots within the app store.
Dig deeper into the performance of your own app by connecting to App Annie Connect
and check to see if your latest screenshot update impacted downloads and usage.
Other Resources
• StoreMaven
• Store Listing Experiments (Google Play only)
• SplitMetrics
Next Steps
Grow conversion from page views to downloads by leveraging competitive research
for apps across countries, and see how your own asset updates impact usage with  
App Annie Connect.

Improving Discoverability:
The Power of Search
There are many ways a user may stumble across your app; one of the most common
is search. While most resources emphasize a keyword strategy for ASO, it’s better to think
of it as one tool in your arsenal.
In this chapter we’ll look at the ways you can boost your app’s visibility in the app
stores including:
• Choosing keywords
• Categorizing your app
• Keeping tabs on competitors
• Improving ratings and reviews
Choosing Keywords
With millions of apps available between the app stores, choosing keywords that
will move the needle for your business is no easy feat. Your keyword strategy should
neither exist in a vacuum or be static — it must be fluid and continuous, taking into
account competitor and cultural changes plus the impact on your app’s ranking,
downloads, engagement and revenue.

On Google Play in the US, Spotify has optimized for the keyword “podcasts” — a key part
of its demonstrated strategy to branch out to other types of content from music streaming.
View ASO Keywords Tool.
So how can you select the right keywords to start with? Let’s dive into the most effective
methodologies.
Categorize Yourself for Discoverability: In addition to keywords, you’ll want to consider

the categories where you want to compete. Your category strategy should take into
account where you’ll be most competitive as well as where you can organically attract
the most relevant users.
Pay Attention to Competitors: Finding the best keywords means closely tracking and
monitoring competitors. By analyzing how a competitor ranks for a specific keyword,
or determining which other apps rank for your app’s keyword, you can strategically select
keywords to help your app rank higher.

Dosh, a cash-back app, saw phenomenal growth in iPhone downloads in November
2018 in the US. At the beginning of November 2018, Dosh incorporated the keyword
“coupon” into its keyword strategy and jumped 15 ranks. Throughout the lead-up to
Black Friday 2018, Dosh broke into the top 10 for the keyword, beating other shopping
apps in the top 5 by iPhone downloads.
Monitoring competitor’s keyword strategy can give you invaluable insight into how
to optimize your own keyword strategy to leverage high search volume keywords
during pivotal times for your industry. Keep tabs on competitors’ keyword strategies
with ASO Keyword.

Leverage User Reviews: One of the best ways to describe your app uses language from
user reviews — their words may resonate better with prospective users than the ones you
had in mind. Additionally, reviews can provide new cultural and geographic insights into
certain user segments.
Diversify Branded vs. Generic Keywords Strategically: A complete keyword strategy

is comprised of generic keywords like ‘shopping’ and complemented by branded terms
‘Target’, which may be a prominent label your app partners with or carries, or a close
competitor. While you may not want to openly list your competitors in your app name or
description, it is good to be aware of which branded competitor keywords you rank highly
for, and vice versa. A healthy mix of branded and generic keywords should be considered
within the context of your market.
Stay on Top of Your Ranking: Once you’ve selected a group of keywords, it’s important to
review how these keywords will impact your ranking. In addition to monitoring keyword
impact on key performance indicators (KPIs), you should also pay attention to other factors
that will affect ranking, such as:
• Download levels
• Download velocity
• Paid vs. organic downloads mix
In the example above, App 2 saw a dramatic increase in organic downloads tied to an
exclusive content release. App 3 appears to have timed ASO updates to piggyback on this
success and also see a sizable increase in organic downloads, and notably, maintain that
increase in the weeks to come. Use this insight to find the optimal time to launch your ASO
updates and reach the most users. View Paid and Organic Downloads of competitive set.

Create Optimal Visibility and Driving Traffic: Choosing a keyword is part art and part
science. Luckily, we are here to help with the science. Ranking, search volume, difficulty
to rank, traffic share and downloads and revenue estimates help you make informed
decisions on your keyword strategy.
It is important to assess how competitive certain keywords are for you and your
competitive set. In this instance, “stream” is being used by several apps across a variety
of categories, indicating that perhaps it is not the best search term to focus on to maximize
discoverability. To back up this intuition, look at the Search Volume and Difficulty scores
associated with this keyword.
While “stream” has decent Search Volume (meaning a good amount of users are search-
ing for this term), it has an extremely high Difficulty to rank (meaning a lot of other
publishers are prioritizing this keyword in their — possibly quite established — app’s ASO
strategy, making it competitive to rank highly), which in turn resulted in a lower Search
Volume / Difficulty ratio and indicates the keyword may not be optimal for increasing
discoverability.  

The sweet-spot is to find a keyword with a high Search Volume / Difficulty ratio, indicating
strong consumer demand and relatively low competition to rank highly. View Keyword
Search to identify optimal keywords.
Furthermore, monitoring the percent of Traffic Share that a particular keyword is driving
for an app can give you a window into how much an app is relying on this keyword in its
overall ASO strategy. The download and revenue estimates give you an indication of the
overall success of the app ranking highly for that keyword.
Take this a step further by seeing if the keyword is in the title. This helps you quickly
ascertain the importance of the keyword to the app’s strategy (inclusion in the name
generally connotes high importance) as well as provides insight into the location of this
keyword — whether in the app description or keyword bank on iOS. You can view its app
summary page to see if the keyword is used in its description as well as its frequency of
use. If the keyword is not in the description or the title, you can relatively safely assume
the publisher has included the keyword in its keyword bank, which is powerful competitive
knowledge you are normally not privy to — more on this in the next section. View Keyword
Search to uncover your competitors’ keyword strategies.

There are other elements that may factor into app store ranking (e.g., uninstall rates,
keyword density). While it’s important to take into consideration the many micro-signals
that could impact your ranking and work to optimize them, it’s difficult to say with certainty
that they will positively or negatively impact your rankings in the iOS App Store or Google
Play Store. We’ll focus on the afore-mentioned method-ologies in the next sections. 
Monitoring the Competitive Landscape
ASO is a swift and constantly changing environment. It’s critical to be on top of what your
competitors are prioritizing and analyzing if these keywords are paying off for them. This
will help you discover opportunities to take advantage of, keywords to avoid and
keywords where organic tradition is not enough to sustain steady traffic. Ultimately, this
helps you decide where to allocate budget to paid search ads and where you should
double down with organic keyword optimization.
In the competitive food delivery industry, apps like Grubhub should regularly analyze their
performance against competitors to maximize their search traffic and app store visibility.
View Competitive Keyword Analysis to keep tabs on the players that impact your top line.

Discovering Keyword Opportunities
With the competitive landscape in mind, it’s important to generate new keywords to
expand your audience reach. View keyword suggestions in Discover Keywords.
Now that you have a list of new keywords to consider, factor in the Search Volume and
Difficulty to rank of each keyword to determine viable new opportunities.

PUBG Mobile can leverage Keyword Opportunities to see that “cod mobile” is in the
optimal (top left) quadrant — meaning it has a strong search volume to difficulty ratio and
could present the strong keyword to include in their strategy. This visualization also
highlights keywords to avoid (bottom right), popular keywords that are difficult to rank for
— but may be good candidates for paid search ads — (top right) and those that attract
niche audiences (bottom left). Discover keyword opportunities to up-level your ASO
strategy.
Where to Place Your Keywords
Now that you’ve chosen your optimal keywords, it’s important to choose the best location
based on their intended use and app store. You can place your keywords strategically
in your keyword bank, app name and app description.
1. Keyword Bank: On iTunes Connect, 2. App Name: Across both iOS and
you are equipped with a keyword bank Google Play, you can incorporate a
of up to 100 characters. The keyword keyword in your app name in hopes
bank operates as a signal to Apple and of ranking higher for that keyword.
its ranking algorithm that these words We’ve seen this pan out with YouTube.
are important and relevant to your app.
The keyword bank is only visible to
you and Apple, making it a great place
to trial new keyword strategies without
competitors being able to emulate
them. Google Play does not have a
keyword bank.
On October 16, 2017 YouTube added “Watch”, “Listen” and “Stream” to its iOS app’s name.
Uncover ASO updates with Timeline.

As a result, on October 17, 2017 YouTube ranked #2 for “listen” and #3 for “stream” — up
from previously not ranking for either keyword. View ASO Keywords tool to view how
competitor’s have ranked for a strategic keyword.
3. App Description: Same as with your app name, you can include your keyword
throughout your app description in hopes of signaling to Google and Apple’s algorithm
that this is a relevant function or otherwise important feature of your app.
YouTube Music ranks highly — specifically 7th — for the keyword “stream” on iPhone

in the US on June 23, 2019, one rank above YouTube: Watch, Listen Stream. YouTube
Music includes “Stream” as the first word in its subtitle and in its description — two key
signals to Apple that this is an important keyword describing the functionality of this app.
Given its high rank, it is also possible that YouTube Music also includes “stream” in its
keyword bank. View App Summary to uncover keywords in app descriptions.
Categorizing Your App
There are two ways to be ranked in the app stores: by category and overall. Every
app publisher is responsible for choosing how to categorize their own app; it’s important
to choose a category that is relevant to your app, but also one where you stand to best
the competition.
On the iOS App Store, you can choose a primary and a secondary category. The primary
is most important as it’s where your app will be displayed in search results and the
top charts.
Photo Credit: Apple Developer Site

So how should you choose your primary category? Things to keep in mind:
• Where you believe your app naturally fits

• How target users will search for your app
• How competitor or similar apps are categorizing themselves
To improve discoverability, some publishers recategorize their apps to move into

less-cluttered territory.
In 2016, Twitter changed its iOS categorization from Social Networking to News, an
ASO tactic that enabled them to largely occupy the #1 daily downloads rank for News
apps compared to being in the top 10 Social Networking apps in the US. Explore App
Store Rankings.
For iOS, publishers can select up to two categories for apps, and three categories for
games. Remember that you’ll want to select categories that will be relevant for your app,
but not overly saturated. For Google Play Store, publishers can only choose one category
for their app, so it is even more critical to choose carefully.

Keeping Tabs on Competitors

Before you dive into selecting the categories for your app, you should first research what
your closest competitors are doing. This will help you determine the competition in that
category and show how users are searching for similar apps. Choosing a less competitive
category could improve discoverability for your app.
Creating a User Feedback Loop: The Influence of Ratings

& Reviews
Now that we’ve gotten the more well known ASO tactics out of the way, let’s focus on
lesser-known tips. You probably know that positive ratings and reviews affect your app’s
performance in the app stores, but did you know you have more control over them than
you think? Optimizing for higher ratings and reviews can improve your app’s ranking as
well as the amount of organic traffic it receives.
Users of the Calm app, refer to “meditation” nearly 2.5x more than “mindfulness”.
However, reviews citing “mindfulness” see a 10% lift in overall rating score. These nuances
can help inform Calm’s keyword optimization strategy for attracting certain target
personas. Explore Ratings and Reviews.
Beyond traffic, positive rating and reviews influence your download conversions. They
offer a signal to prospective users on the value of your app and can be a major influencer
on whether a user downloads your app or not. En masse, this can be the difference
between thousands of prospective customers.

Encourage Optimal Reviews Prompt Users for Direct App

& Ratings Feedback
An app’s initial debut rarely goes off You can prompt a user if they are enjoying
without a hitch. There may be persistent the app experience, which is often most
bugs, performance issues on different timely after great moments in the app.
devices, or features that don’t yet exist Leveraging Intelligent Ratings Prompts
that users would like to see. This can lead enables you to ask a user after they have
to some very low ratings and reviews in completed something satisfying, like their
the beginning. Don’t get discouraged — first rideshare, if they are enjoying the app.
even unfavorable reviews may be rife with If the user responds yes, then they are
information on how to update your app. sent to leave a review on the app store.
As long as you’re swift and take user If the user responds no, they are sent to
feedback seriously, changing public a separate internal form for submitting
opinion can go smoothly. feedback. This can help you take care
of issues upstream and limit the impact
Reactively updating is not the only way to of future negative reviews before they
improve ratings. Great moments in an app happen.
can also spark positive reviews. For
example, on a dating app you could ask Another tool in your ASO tool kit is to
for a rating after a successful match or first respond to reviews across the app stores.
reply message. In a game, it may make
sense to prompt users after they complete “Responding to users on Google
a hard level or unlock a power. The quality
of your app’s first ratings and reviews can Play is one of our favorite ways
vary, but it’s very important to get honest to improve store ratings. With
reviews early. one-to-one customer service,
we typically find the underlying
reason for 1-star and 2-star
reviews, resolve it with the user,
and ask them to revise their
rating. The result is a higher
rating, and more importantly,
an active and happy user.”
— Alex Mackenzie-Torres, CMO, Moovit

Gain Honest & Trusted Reviews Diligently Improve Ratings

& Reviews
Reviews show potential users the pros
Turning negative ratings and reviews into
and cons of downloading and using your
positive ones will take time and consistent
app. What can be more troubling than bad
action. The faster you respond to user
reviews are no reviews at all, and when
feedback and update your app, the
an app goes live the review section on
happier users will be. In the end, more
your app page will be barren. Rather than
and higher reviews will result in better
waiting for an unknown user’s first
ranks and more downloads. Knowing just
impression, ask your trusted network
how and when to gain ratings and reviews
to submit reviews documenting their
is also important: key interactions are a
honest thoughts.
great time to gain 4 and 5-star ratings.
If your app has beta testers who

Depending on the platform you develop
know the ins and outs of the app, ask
on, the way you address user reviews may
if they’re willing to submit a review. Their
be slightly different. For instance, both
experience will be more credible than
Google Play and iOS allow developers to
a new user’s, whether or not the feedback
respond to user reviews. Having a visible
is positive or critical. Another good avenue
record of positive developer-user inter-
is to approach professional peers whose
actions may factor into a prospective
opinions you trust — people who have
user’s decision to download an app. One
made similar apps or are experts on the
of the best ways to collect user feedback
app’s content — to see if they’ll download
is through custom forums. For teams that
and review your app.
don’t have a dedicated engineer for that
(or the additional budget), third-party
software development kits like UserVoice
are a good alternative.
To uncover how ASO and User Acquisition

(UA) work together to drive app down-
loads and drive revenue, download
The Ultimate Mobile Marketing Playbook. 

Influence of Search Ads on Discoverability

While Search Ads are technically paid User Acquisition (UA) and not covered in
depth in this playbook, it’s important we discuss their impact on organic discoverability.
Offered by both iOS and Google Play, Search Ads effectively give your app the ‘top’
ranked spot — or one of two top spots in the case of Google Play — for the chosen
keyword. How does this affect organic ranking? The #1 organically ranked app now
visually ranks “2nd” beneath the iOS Search Ad and shares the page with Google Play
Search Ads, albeit still appearing “1st” in the case of the latter. When dealing with
milliseconds of actions, this placement can mean the difference between users
downloading your app and downloading your competitor’s.
Search Ads are used both defensively and offensively, meaning app publishers often
bid on their own branded keyword as a defensive measure to prevent a competitor
ranking above them for their branded word as well as offensively bidding for other
generic and branded keywords.

Monitor the Competition’s Keyword Bidding Strategy
Using App Annie’s Paid Search feature, you can uncover who is bidding on what
keywords, how that translates into share of voice, keyword ranking and traffic share and
where you stack against the competition. This gives you a window into your competitors’
paid search strategies and empowers you to act both on clear market opportunities and if
you are being outbid and losing out on potential audience share.
Expedia can track who else is bidding on keywords, monitor their resulting share of voice
and uncover competitors’ strategies — giving them a unique view into the paid search
tactics of their peer group. Uncover app store keyword bidding strategies with Paid
Search.

Keep Tabs on Branded & Generic Keywords
A robust organic keyword strategy should include being aware of your competitors’
priorities, particularly for your branded keywords and prioritized keywords within your
strategy. This window into the competition empowers you to act defensively by bidding on
both your and your competition’s branded keyword.
Grubhub retained its #1 ranking for share of voice on its branded keyword “Grubhub”
on iPhones in the US. However, competitor DoorDash is not far behind. This is critical
knowledge for Grubhub — alerting them of potential encroachment on its audience.
Uncover the paid share of voice on keywords that matter.
For a deep dive on paid UA, download User Acquisition: The Definitive Playbook.
Using Mobile Web to Increase App Store Traffic
A holistic and successful mobile strategy is comprised of mobile web and app. Mobile Web
provides a unique view into the customer journey. By casting a large net, mobile web can
be used strategically as a marketing funnel for potential customers.Mobile web’s role in
your UA strategy:
• Marketing Funnel - convert web traffic to app users

• Brand Awareness - measure customer intent
• SEO / Discovery - garner traffic, brand awareness
• Location-Based Searches - visit in-store or download the app through a timely prompt
• Referral Traffic - identify key partnerships to optimize marketing spend
• Exit Traffic from Your Site - understand why users disengage with your site (e.g., go
to a competitor, end their browsing session) and implement changes to steer user
behavior towards the goal

Understand Your Current Mobile App & Mobile Web User Base
The first step in leveraging mobile web to drive traffic to your mobile app, is to take stock
of your current mobile app and web user bases, how they compare to competitors and
how they are evolving over time. This will show you where you need to focus your
marketing, product and investment efforts and how you should prompt users along the
way to move them closer to actions that impact your bottom line — purchasing a pair of
shoes, placing a food delivery order, purchasing a plane ticket, applying to rent a house
or subscribing to a news provider — and encourage the customer to return: signing up
for a loyalty or rewards program.

Uncover which users are unique to mobile web and app and how much time they are
spending across each platform to identify areas of opportunity to convert mobile web
visitors to mobile app users. View mobile web and app overlap.
Drive Traffic With Mobile Web

Consider leveraging mobile web as a wide net for leads — a top-of-funnel (TOFU)
introduction to your brand. It allows consumers to acquaint themselves with your products
and services and, and then be funneled to your app — which can offer a richer, more
streamlined customer experience.
Approximately 10% of all time spent on mobile is spent in mobile web; 90% of time spent
is in apps. This speaks to their inherent benefits — web is great for research and driving
widespread interest, and mobile apps reign supreme for forming habits among consumers
to act on that research and engage with your brand. Mobile web is a critical component
of driving traffic to your app store page, with users generating frequent, short duration
sessions that answer critical questions for the consumer and provide them with the timely
information they seek. After all, 10% of all time on mobile being spent in mobile web
is significant. This is equivalent to the amount of time Americans spent in gaming apps
in 2018.

Uncover Strategic Partnerships
Leverage mobile website traffic to inform your marketing strategies and partnerships
based on cross-usage and likelihood of engagement.
premierleague.com is a vital component of Premier League’s overall mobile strategy.

Leveraging cross-usage and affinity data can give insight into potential marketing
partnerships. View Cross-App/Web Usage.
Convert Web to Mobile App Users
Ultimately, when mobile web and mobile app work together, they can create greater
gains for a company than in isolation. For example, food delivery companies can leverage
mobile web as a marketing channel — porting organic searches for local restaurants into
the mobile app for a better user experience. News companies can leverage signals —
such as users who read 5 articles or view 3 pages — on mobile web to drive highly
engaged users to their mobile app, which has a more streamlined experience and can
foster subscription signups.
The bottom line is, a mobile strategy is only complete with both mobile web and app
working together. Jane Butler of Google, said it best,
“We often hear that either an app or mobile

web is most important, but we’ve found it’s
not either-or, it’s “and.””
For more on how to craft a holistic mobile strategy with mobile web and app, download
The Definitive Guide to a Winning Mobile Strategy.

AS O CHEAT SHEET:
Improving Discoverability
Selecting a Category
It’s about fit, user behavior and your competitors. Before selecting an app category, consider
your app’s most natural fit as well as how your target users are most likely to find you. For additional
inspiration, look at what competitors and similar apps are doing. Remember: you only get one
category on Google Play and two in the iOS App Store.
Monitoring Keyword Changes

Maximize visibility: Keep tabs on competitor activity. Track key changes to competitor keyword
rankings and monitor lifts in downloads and downloads rankings.
Monitor organic download lift and paid search ads share of voice. Following strategic ASO updates,
monitor for changes to your app’s organic and paid download volume and velocity. Watch competitors’
organic and paid downloads to understand how ASO fits into their overall mobile marketing strategy and
where competitive opportunities exist.
Generating Organic Reviews

Pay attention to what your users are saying. Track your rankings and reviews to see how users
respond to new updates and features. Not only do these impact your performance in the app stores,
they’re often filled with usable insights.
Be responsive. In addition to addressing user feedback behind the scenes, take the time to show
that you’re listening. This can be done through your blog and release notes. On both iOS and Google Play,
you can respond directly to user feedback.
Prompting User Feedback

Target high points. Improve the likelihood of receiving a positive review by asking for feedback
when a user is having a great moment with your app — for instance, when they’ve just completed
a challenge or key action, or have leveled up.
Approach trusted reviewers. Consider asking beta users and professional peers to provide
honest reviews.
Leveraging Mobile Web Traffic

Drive awareness with mobile web. Utilize mobile web’s ability to cast a wide net, especially for
location-based searches, and consider funneling that interest to your app store page.
Convert mobile web users to app users. Measure signals of mobile web users to gauge their
level of intent and convert those users to app users, where the experience is often richer, better
optimized and more efficient for the user.

How App Annie Can Help Other Resources

• Determine the best category for your app by researching • Google Play Developer Console
your competitors’ categorization using App Details • iTunes Connect
• Leverage Keyword Search to improve your presence • Instabug
in the app stores by identifying optimal keywords to add • doorbell.io
to your strategy
• Boost your app’s rank by keeping tabs on user feedback

Next Steps
within Rating and Reviews
Analyze the impact of ratings
• Measure success of your ASO initiatives and keep tabs
and reviews for competitor apps to
on the success of competitors’ strategies through Paid
vs. Organic Downloads build a more informed user
engagement strategy and improve
• Uncover your true unique mobile audience between web conversion rates. Sign up for
and app and identify how to use mobile web to drive app
App Annie to get started.
store traffic and convert to app users using Mobile Web
and App Data
• Use Paid Search to see who is bidding on keywords and

how it is affecting your audience growth
• Leverage Keyword Discovery, Competitor Analysis and

Keyword Opportunities to understand the lay of the land
and identify new keywords to incorporate into your
strategy.

Going Global: How ASO Factors

into Market Expansion
Part of developing an app expansion strategy is successfully moving into other markets.
Just because your ASO strategy works in one market doesn’t mean it will extend well
to others.
This is where localization comes in. Localization is the process of adapting your app,
content, creative assets and marketing tactics to new locations or markets. In addition
to language differences, localization takes into account cultural differences.
Global ASO supports two primary goals:

1. Improving discoverability for your app in a market where you already have a presence.
2. Developing a strategy and tactical plan for launching your app in a new market.
Improving Discoverability in an Existing Market
Your global ASO strategy, which includes Why? Because consumers didn’t gravitate
the same core components as your overall to predetermined topics that related more
strategy, should be tailored to play to to Latin America and Spain, such as
cultural nuances within the major regions “soccer.”
where you have a presence.
Once Etermax realized this, they allowed
While it may seem like you don’t need to users to submit their own questions to the
localize beyond language — for instance, app — and Trivia Crack shot up in
don’t all under-25s love social media? — rankings, especially in the US. The team
cultural norms and references can affect also brought on localization managers to
how users respond to your app. make sure all questions and answers were
both culturally relevant and accurate.
This is another area where diligently
paying attention to user reviews can play We turned to app localization experts
to your advantage. For example, in the at OneSky for their best practices and tips
international sensation Trivia Crack from to keep in mind when expanding into
Etermax, many user reviews were positive new markets.
in Spanish-speaking countries, but
negative in other markets.

It Starts With Translation
Even if people in your target country use an English-language app, they may not use
English-language search. Localization starts with app store optimization (ASO) in foreign
languages. First, translate the title, description and keywords to help users find your app
easily. Next, translate the text within your app for a better overall experience.
Depending on the country, the iOS App Store may index for more than one language.
Apple provides a list so developers can see which languages are indexed for each store.
For example, Japan’s iOS App Store indexes in both English (US) and Japanese — which
means that you actually have 100 characters for the keyword field for each language. And
this is true for both app stores: If you use multiple languages, you end up with more than
100 total characters for keywords. Utilize this double-up opportunity wisely.
Start by translating to the official language of the country. When you’ve completed that,
and monitored download and rating progress, add other languages. Many countries have
smaller international bases that speak specific dialects and unofficial languages.

Optimizing for Conversion
Once you’ve localized your keywords and app title, you’ll want to consider localizing
other elements of your app to appeal to specific regions. To do this, think about ways to
customize your screen-shots, videos and app icon to relate more to regional culture.
Localizing assets like screenshots make it immediately clear to users that they’ll be able
to use your app in their local language. That giant Empire State Building on your app store
page? Consider replacing it with the Eiffel Tower when your expansion strategy takes you
to France.
Amazon’s localization strategy includes multiple apps dedicated to specific countries.

Its ASO strategy differs for each country. For instance, the images used, the layout and
the localized text in those screenshots all differ among Amazon’s primarily English app,
Amazon’s app for France, Amazon FR, and Amazon’s Japanese app.

You can monitor changes to competitor’s screenshots and ASO strategies across both
iOS and Google Play with our timeline feature including changes to: Descriptions, Icons,
Names, Price, Screenshots, and Versions. In the example below, you can gain insight
into BURGER KING App’s evolving ASO strategy.
BURGER KING App underwent a major mobile app update in April 2018, followed by subtle
updates in May 2019. Monitor how these updates have changed over time to gain insights
into a business’s evolving strategy.

Researching New Markets for Launch

If you’re considering launching your app in a new market, the best place to start is with
research. Get an understanding of regional competition, categories your competitors are
listed in, and the strength of the local active user base. Viewing top performing apps by
country across app stores is a great place to start with your market research. View Top
Charts Matrix.

You can also explore deeper with custom comparison groups, top charts by monthly active
users (MAU) and market sizing. This initial round of research will inform updates you make
to keywords, descriptions and assets for your app and help you grow exposure and
convert prospects into downloads.
If you want to see which keywords will resonate more in a new market, scan for keywords
and phrases that competitors are using, and see how their apps are ranking for these
keywords. Additionally, you can use your own reviews to quickly see which keywords
people are already using to describe your app by filtering by country.

Gaming publisher King released a special version of Candy Crush Saga for China built
specifically for the WeChat messaging platform. This special effort in localization paid off in
spades.
After Candy Crush Saga relaunched in China with a completely localized app built
specifically for WeChat, downloads spiked and remained at an elevated level. To monitor
localization strategies of top publishers, view Unified App Analysis.
It can’t be emphasized enough: Just as ASO is more than keywords, localization is more
than translation. The culture and attitudes of a given international market may mean
a change in features, naming or even approach.

AS O CHEAT SHEET:
Going Global
Translation Other Resources
Translate key text to improve discoverability: Keep in mind that • OneSky
even if users understand English, they may still search in their • Smartling
native language. Translating the title, description, keywords, etc. • Transifex
will allow users to find your app easily.
Capitalize on markets that index multiple languages: The iOS Next Steps
App Store may index multiple languages, depending on the
Optimize your localization strategy
country. Use that valuable real estate wisely.
by using App Annie Intelligence to
identify competitive insights and
Creative Assets market trends to improve your
Make assets locally relevant: Adjust your screenshots, videos and app’s discoverability around the
app icons to make them as relevant and impactful as possible in world. Sign up for free now.
the regions you’re targeting.
New Markets
Start with research: See what competitors are doing as well as
the apps your target audience gravitates toward. Be sure to check
keywords, descriptions, reviews and the creative assets being
used in market.
How App Annie Can Help

• Easily search keywords among dozens of countries on iOS
and Google Play to identify the best keywords to target for
your localization strategy and improve visibility with App Annie
Intelligence
• Identify local competitors and add their brand names to your

keyword fields to enhance your app’s discoverability
• Track keywords at the country and category level to develop
a tailored presence in the app store using App Annie
Intelligence
• Develop an expansion strategy using competitor activity as

a benchmark with App Annie Intelligence

Optimizing & Measuring Success:

Why ASO Is a Living Process
So you’ve updated your creative assets, improved your ratings and reviews and
successfully boosted your app’s downloads and rankings. All done, right?
Not exactly.
ASO is an ongoing process, something that requires nurturing and attention

and, you guessed it, optimization. This means:
• Monitoring your keyword rankings • Localizing your app’s metadata

(and your competitors’) to increase discoverability and
• Spotlighting new features and UI conversion across regions
enhancements • Optimizing your mobile web presence
• Updating and testing creative assets to drive traffic to your app store page
to highlight app updates and convert to app users
• Analyzing reviews and rankings and • Tracking your paid vs. organic
leveraging feedback downloads mix to uncover efficacy
• Adjusting the marketing levers that of your ASO efforts
drive downloads and spark reviews • Monitoring competitors’ keyword
bidding 
Implementing a holistic and iterative ASO program will not only improve organic
discoverability, it will increase your chances of convincing users to download your app.
In an increasingly cluttered app store, it’s no longer enough to choose the right keywords.
You also need to think through how you’re telling a story to target users around the world.
And the only way to improve over time is to stay on top of your rankings, reviews and
ratings — as well as your competitors’.
As the industry standard for mobile intelligence, App Annie was ranked the #1 ASO
company in 2019 by Business of Apps and can make monitoring your ASO performance
easier than ever. You’ll be able to see the impact of key changes to keywords,
categorization and creative assets, and uncover new avenues to success.
ASO is a critical part of your overall mobile marketing strategy. To complete your mobile
marketing strategy, download The Ultimate Mobile Marketing Playbook and User
Acquisition: The Definitive Playbook.
New to ASO? Sign up and get started today. Ready to take your program to the next level?
Request a demo for App Annie Intelligence.

About App Annie

App Annie is the industry’s most trusted mobile data and analytics platform.
The company created the mobile app data market and has been fueling world-class,
mobile-first businesses since 2010. App Annie’s mission is to power B2C companies’
mobile transformation and enable clients to deliver winning consumer experiences.
More than 1,100 enterprise clients and 1 million registered users across the globe and
spanning all industries rely on App Annie as the gold standard to revolutionize their
mobile business. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with twelve
offices worldwide.

App Annie Intelligence

Optimize your app store presence and gain visibility into your
competitors’ user acquisition campaigns
Boost your app’s discoverability and continually improve Robust ASO tools to help you assess keyword search
your app store presence with the help of our ASO tools volume and rank difficulty
Leverage mobile web and app data together in one Creative gallery that helps you get insight into your
holistic platform to inform your total mobile strategy competitors’ advertising initiatives
Monitor key competitors across critical user lifecycle Identify new business opportunities by uncovering the
metrics, including downloads, engagement, revenue, networks where advertisers are running user acquisition
retention, paid and organic downloads, demographics campaigns
and average user engagement
Gain transparency into your campaign to find out exactly
Access a breakdown of paid and organic advertising where your ads are running at the publisher level
spend to determine how many paid downloads, and
indirectly how much ad spend, you need to support a Detailed view of top advertisers and publishers to better
successful campaign or product launch inform your user acquisition strategy
Uncover who is bidding on critical keywords, how that Metrics to help shape your advertising strategy by
translates into share of voice, keyword ranking and analyzing the percentage of impressions running across
traffic share and where you stack up against the an advertiser, publisher or ad platform
competition
Surface deeper, meaningful insights, fast with Insights
Get a window into your competitors’ paid search ads Generator
strategies
Access robust ratings and reviews data including ratings
Keep tabs on competitor advertising activity by tracking overtime and sentiment analysis
when and where ads are running
Take your app marketing strategy to the next level.

Request a demo today.

The Definitive Playbook: App Store Optimization

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Definitive Playbook: App Store Optimization

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

T H E D E F I N I T I V E A S O P L AY B O O K

1 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

4 Making a First Impression

37 Going Global: How ASO Factors into Market Expansion

45 Optimizing & Measuring Success: Why ASO Is a Living Process

46 About App Annie

2 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Jane Butler, Managing Director, App Promotion, Americas at Google explained,

“People expect fast, reliable, personalized

3 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Making a First Impression:

4 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

– Jeﬀ Gurian, Senior Director of Marketing at Kongregate

Tips for Designing the Optimal App Icon

Be Recognizable: Your icon will be vying for attention among thousands of

5 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Spotlight on a Great App Icon: Tinder

Mobile dating app Tinder is an excellent example

In this instance, simplicity and scalability are

The icon is tied to key elements of the app, making it

Get the Most Bang for Your Buck With Screenshots

6 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Spotlight on Screenshots: Airbnb

7 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

8 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Pacing & Structure

2. In a similar vein, be mindful of length. Currently 15 to 25 seconds is the industry

2. Follow all app store guidelines for app preview videos.

9 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Spotlight on Video: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

10 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Testing Your Creative Assets

App Store Design: Providing Content Users Crave

Two Types of Users

11 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

There are two distinct groups of users to any store page:

Diﬀerent Views for Diﬀerent Stores

12 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Tips for Creative Testing Based on App Store

Google Play iOS App Store

13 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

How App Annie Can Help

14 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

15 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Categorize Yourself for Discoverability: In addition to keywords, you’ll want to consider

keywords to help your app rank higher.

16 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Diversify Branded vs. Generic Keywords Strategically: A complete keyword strategy

17 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

18 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

19 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Monitoring the Competitive Landscape

20 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Discovering Keyword Opportunities

21 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Where to Place Your Keywords

22 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

23 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

Categorizing Your App

Photo Credit: Apple Developer Site

24 COPYRIGHT | APP ANNIE 2019

• Where you believe your app naturally fits

To improve discoverability, some publishers recategorize their apps to move into