Advanced App Store Optimization Tips and Tactics.

About Us

Matthew Ho

● Love TV series, movies & sports● Digital Producer background● Worked online for 7 years● Next Digital, Deloitte, Airbnb● Twitter: @inspiredworlds

Head of Product Development at Tapmint

About Us

Tapmint● Innovation, rapid experimentation,

complete solutions● Native Tongue - First winning team in

Startup Weekend in Australia ● 4 language game apps● 400,000 downloads● Twitter: @tapmint

Rule No.1

● There are no tricks● Just blood, sweat, and tears● Three years of learning, testing,

experimenting

A Question for You

Why did you download your last app?

Content

1. App icon2. Screenshots3. Reviews & ratings4. App store assets5. App store optimisation6. Analytics7. Translations8. PR

A sea of products

Many products competing for attention. Why will your product stand out?

1. App Icon Design

1. App Icon Design

Instantly recognisable

1. App Icon Design

App Categories

● Icon is first thing that a consumer sees

● Displays icon, ratings, name, price

● Consumers are attracted to visually appealing icons

Wunderlist

● Design - texture, colours, red banner, star, 3D effect

● Stands out visually and can be recognised

1. App Icon Design

Look at icons on Dribble

1. App Icon Design

iOS Icons

● iOS automatically:○ round corners○ add gloss○ can opt for no gloss and add your own

● See Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines

1. App Icon Design

Tips● Stand out visually in a sea of apps● Don’t need words● App icon template ● We do app icons last, screens first

then icons ● A/B test app icons

1. App Icon Design

Tips● Study app icons on:

○ app store○ dribble.com ○ scoutzie.com○ How does it stand out?○ Consider the overall design of the app ○ See appendix for more resources

1. App Icon Design

2. App Store Screenshots

Uber

2. App Store Screenshots

Candy Crush

2. App Store Screenshots

Cut the Rope

2. App Store Screenshots

Epoch2. Made in NSW, Australia!

iOS search results display

2. App Store Screenshots

2. App Store Screenshots

iOS search results display

search result

priceicon

ratings

1st screenshot

search term

2. App Store Screenshots

iOS7 Mobile App Store

● iOS7 app store search results presentation● Previously: stacking the apps up, vertical scroll ● Visual card style, horizontal scroll● First screenshot is even more important● Consumers can decide based on image

2. App Store Screenshots

Tips

● Study what works for the top apps● Communicate unique value proposition visually● Tell a story with screenshots● 1st image is very important● Use all the screenshots available● iTunes - 5 images for iphone and 5 for ipad. ● Google Play - 8 images for phone, 8 for 7 inch tablet,

8 for 10 inch tablet

2. App Store Screenshots

Tips

● Use text annotation to communicate feature/benefits

● Consumers look at images first before app description

● A/B test images● iTunes images can be updated

with a version update● Process of constant

improvement

3. Ratings & Reviews

What influences you when you buy from a vendor on ebay?

3. Ratings & Reviews

Need to be 4 or 5 star app

3. Ratings & Reviews

3.5 stars doesn’t cut it

3. Ratings & Reviews

3. Ratings & Reviews

3. Ratings & Reviews

Request Ratings

● Typically bell curve distribution: 1 or 5 star ratings● Request ratings from users● Could be 5 plays or 50 plays● Get more 5 star ratings from people that love your app● Use Appirator ● Encourage users to leave app reviews

3. Ratings & Reviews

Customer Feedback

● Have a way for people to contact you send you their questions/ feedback

● Listen to app store reviews● Post feedback online - facebook, twitter, blog● Post positive AND constructive feedback● Address constructive feedback● Turn negative reviewer into an advocate ● On google play, the app developer can respond

to feedback

4. App Store Assets

4. App Store Assets

● Brief app explainer● Promo video● Spanish Smash video

has 50,000 views

Videos

● Hi-res app icon● Screenshots● Feature Graphic● Promo graphic● Video

4. App Store Assets

Google Play Assets

4. App Store Assets

● Think about scaling on different devices

Feature Graphic

5. App Store Optimisation

5. App Store Optimisation

● App name● Up to approximately 25 characters including spaces

will display on iTunes app store. After that its “....”● Relevant keywords● Do you appear in search results?● “Mandarin Madness” to “Learn Chinese with

Mandarin Madness”

Optimising Name and Description

5. App Store Optimisation

● Elevator sales pitch● First two lines are critical● Keyword density● Length of text - keyword density in relation to the

length of text ● Reviews from articles, prominent people● Separate paragraphs with symbols eg ***● Readable and clearly explain what you do

App Store Description

5. App Store Optimisation

Dropbox vs Google Drive keywords, https://sensortower.com/

5. App Store Optimisation

Top Keywords http://www.appannie.com/

5. App Store Optimisation

http://www.apptamin.com/ASO_Cheat_Sheet.pdf

5. App Store Optimisation

● Related apps from a developer● More apps in your network● Single function apps - better UX for mobile● Keeping them simple ● Facebook app & Facebook messenger ● Google Mobile Apps: Drive, Docs, Sheets, Maps,

Google Plus, Search, Youtube and more (170+ apps in ecosystem)

Network effect for ASO

5. App Store Optimisation

● http://copyhackers.com/2012/06/how-to-write-an-app-store-description-for-itunes/

● http://www.apptamin.com/blog/optimize-play-store-app/ ● http://www.internetmarketingduru.com/app-marketing-how-

to-write-a-killer-mobile-app-description/

More Resources

6. Analytics is Your Friend

● In-app-analytics: Flurry, Google Analytics● Sales analytics: App Annie, Mopapp, App figures● App Annie: iTunes feature listing & daily email report

of sales ● Crash analytics: Flurry, Crashlytics ● UX analytics: AppSee (User recordings, Heatmaps,)

Tools

6. Analytics is Your Friend

Featured apps http://www.appannie.com/

6. Analytics is Your Friend

Top Keywords http://www.appannie.com/

6. Analytics is Your Friend

http://www.appannie.com/

6. Analytics is Your Friend

● Downloads● Retention rate● # of sessions (weekly vs monthly)● Time spent per session

Mobile Metrics

6. Analytics is Your Friend

● Conversion funnel analysis ● Track events (progression, share high score to facebook)● Comparison to industry averages in Flurry● Upsell rate (dropbox 4%, evernote 3%)

Mobile Metrics

7. Translations

● Not all app stores are in English● Your customers might not understand English● Need to translate your app description & in app

text to multiple languages ● Use gengo.com for human powered translations● Consider translating the app name

7. Translations

http://gengo.com/

7. Translations

● Native Tongue is a language learning company● We choose professional translations:

○ Translator passes higher level of language testing and proof read by 2 translators

● API for string text (translate directly from website or app without manual effort)

● Can do 30+ translations from English ● 1 day delivery

How we use Gengo.com

8. How to get PR

● Journalist don’t usually write about one app● Write about segments of apps (e.g. travel,

productivity, finance)● Introduce yourself to journalists ● Targeted and customised approach● Follow up articles about other apps

8. How to get PR

● Media kit can contain:○ Product pics: app icon, screenshots○ Photos of “everyday” people using the app○ Company logo○ FAQ & press release

● Enables journalist to have the info and assets they need for an article

Media Kit

8. How to get PR

Cinderella App Media Kit http://nosycrow.com/media-kit/cinderella-app

Contact Me

● Matthew Ho, Tapmint ● Email: hello@tapmint.com● twitter.com/inspiredworlds ● Personal blog: http://inspiredworlds.com/

Appendix

Slide LinksSlide 11: https://dribbble.com/shots/114537-Wunderlist-Icon

Slide 12: https://dribbble.com/shots/150614-Boxing-Glove-iPhone-Iconhttps://dribbble.com/shots/200993-Boxing-Glove-App-icon

Appendix

Slide 13 - Apple Human Interface Guidelines● https://developer.apple.

com/library/ios/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/index.html

Slide 14 - App Icons● http://appicontemplate.com/● http://iteratingfun.com/post/26646957216/ab-testing-your-app-

icon● http://blog.kissmetrics.com/mobile-app-ab-testing/ ● https://dribbble.com/search?q=app+icons

Additional Resources

Appendix

Slide Links

Slide 30:http://arashpayan.com/blog/2009/09/07/presenting-appirater/

Slide 34: http://xayin.com/thisisatest.htmlhttps://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/1078870?hl=en

Appendix

Slide LinksSlide 35: http://android-developers.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/android-market-featured-image.html

Slide 37: http://blog.sensortower.com/blog/2013/07/10/5-mistakes-to-avoid-when-naming-your-app/

Appendix

Screenshots, Google Play● https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-

developer/answer/1078870?hl=en

App Design● http://www.mobile-patterns.com/ ● http://inspired-ui.com/

Additional Resources

Appendix

App Store Optimisation● https://searchman.com/● http://www.slideshare.net/searchmanseo/top-10-developer-

mistakes-tips-for-mobile-seo-in-google-play-android-infographic-by-search-mancom

● https://sensortower.com/

Books● Nathan Barry, App Design Handbook by Nathan Barry

Additional Resources

Appendix

● http://www.flurry.com/● http://www.appannie.com/● http://www.mopapp.com/● http://appfigures.com/● https://try.crashlytics.com/● http://www.appsee.com/

Analytics Tools

Appendix

Google Mobile Apps Network