Effective Ways to Make your App Stand Out in the App Store

Presently, Apple and Google’s App Stores have more than 3 million apps available for its users. The number is growing every day. This vouches for the fact that app developers are confronted with unparallel challenges every day. They have to make constant efforts to win users from their rivals. However, it is not that easy.

With millions of apps out there in the App Store, it is quite challenging to stand out in the app market. Hence, here App Store Optimization can come as a major rescue. Mobile app developers must be efficient enough to persuade users to download their app. So, here in this post, we present a few tips that developers can follow to get their app stand out in the app store.

These are the simple and easy ways to make it easier for users to find you. You just have to take advantage of the best practices presented in this post for making your app ahead amongst the several that are out there:

Create a quality app

Often developers make the mistake of building a low-quality app. So, what is meant by a high-quality app? Well, a high-quality app boasts of a great user interface, high performance, fast loading time, fulfills user requirements and offers great customer support. These are the qualities that must be on top of the mind before you start planning for the app development.

Only a quality app can attract or retain users. Hence, before you launch your app in App Store, it is necessary that you preoccupy yourself in creating a good app. A good quality app conveys a developer’s core idea, benefit its users, possess attractive designs and is user-friendly on the grounds of functionality and operability.

Know how App Store works

If you are keen on marketing your app successfully, you first need to understand how App Store works and ensure that your app is not violating any rules. Like, App Store has its own ranking algorithm, but it keeps on changing the proportion of each parameter now and then. Even though you can never entirely know the algorithm, but you must know how it works.

Know your target audience

Market research is crucial as a new app is launched. The target audience can be chosen within the specific niche to know the market in a better way. You can look at the current app trends to realize the likes and dislikes of the users. Also, you can develop a prototype of the app to attract new customers, before launching the app.

It is vital for mobile app developers to understand the geographical differences. So, know your audience well before you start building the app. Like, ensure that you tweak the app for specific countries, as there can be a lot of cultural differences. Developers must also look into the functional differences, as different countries have different privacy protection laws.

App Store Optimization

Same as websites have SEO, mobile apps also have SEO. As you employ ASO techniques, it helps your mobile apps rank higher in search results and increases your app’s visibility among potential customers. When ASO is used effectively, it helps in knowing your target audience and accurately predict the keywords that the users will use to look out for your app. Some of the essential aspects of App Store Optimization are – title, keywords, and description.

It is better to have an app icon that easily conveys the message to the users relevant to your app, as that helps in driving huge traffic but at the same time do not just solely depend on the keywords.

You should be able to convince the users to download the app, once they get to your page. Get the help of a professional app store optimization company, in case you are not proficient at this task.

Use Traditional Search Engines

The algorithms used by major search engines such as Google or Bing are way superior to the ones used by the app stores. So, you can take advantage of that by creating a full-featured web page that is dedicated to your app and is embedded with direct links for downloading and installing your app.

Using this approach, you can add in any relevant details – communicating keywords and essential concepts as well as provide detailed descriptions and videos that will work together to ensure that you are found when users initiate a search.

Check out your competition and try doing something different

Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing and try to offer something unique. Users usually get attracted to creatively designed app icons. Like you can pick a color that is not used by any of your competitors. To make your app perform well, think about the best visual metaphor.

Testing the icon forms a crucial part of the mobile app development lifecycle. To ensure that you check on iPads, iPhones and Android devices (whichever is compatible). Randomly put the icon on the screen filled with other apps and check if your app is easily identified. More of innovative and creative app icon gets higher exposure on App Store.

App Distribution Platforms

Lately, we saw the emergence of more and more distribution platforms for mobile apps, with most of them specializing in a particular genre of app or type of target audience. Mega-portals like Facebook and LinkedIn are also there that isolate apps by the community.

Not only distribution platform can be very effective, but they can also come with aggressive revenue-sharing splits. So by using them if you can have a profit worth dividing, then it is hard to ignore the method.

Add appealing visuals

Adding graphics and visuals is crucial for your app’s success and never underestimate their significance. Consider an attractive user interface. It has the same standing as your app’s title. You can use unique templates and themes to design a good UI. Besides, simple and vibrant coloring along with relevant videos and screenshots can be used as well. Begin with interesting videos on your mobile app and then proceed to screenshots to help users in knowing about your app.

Try to make everything a visual treat. All in all, the visuals should show the essence of your product.

Get app store reviews and feedback

App store reviews and feedback are crucial in attracting new users. Every time a new user visits your app page, s/he will look for user reviews. Encourage users to review your mobile app as it will help new users in knowing about the pros and cons of your app. It is also easier for you to understand what part of the app is causing issues or is attracting users.

Never go with paid or fake reviews. Real users are good enough to recognize fake reviews and complain about them to the app store. However, the endorsement from real users is always valuable and highly effective. Make efforts to find genuine professionals, bloggers, and journalists who can express their opinion regarding your app.

Many such strategies can be of great help to make your app stand out to app-store customers. Even though no particular method offers guaranteed results but these tips are certain to improve the chances for your success.

Author Bio:

Arun Goyal, Managing Director at Octal IT Solution, a Leading Web & Mobile App Development company offering a platform to hire a dedicated developer for your development project. His recent work on mobile app development is a must-read for all of us. Get in touch with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn and give an exalted touch to your opinion.