ASO: 3-Step Process to Optimize the Textual App Metadata

Optimizing the textual app metadata becomes more and more critical each year. If you’ve wondered why you need to level up your textual metadata process, we are here to help!

With more than 148.2 billion apps downloaded in 2023, it is no wonder that the mobile market is growing fast. Among the many roles created by this growth, the App Store Optimization specialist is a key one.

Competition in the mobile market is tough. Moreover, 82% of users perform searches to find new apps, and 70% of installs occur immediately after an app title search. In this context, the main objectives of App Store Optimization (ASO) are to increase organic app visibility and conversion rates for both organic and paid visits. To do this, the ASO specialist work is focused on optimizing visual and textual app metadata.

As we have already analyzed ways to optimize the visual metadata of a Store Listing, in this article, we will focus on the textual app metadata. But what exactly is this metadata?

What is Textual Metadata of an App?

Textual app metadata refers to a set of text-based information about a mobile application. These elements differ depending on the reference storefront but are all visible to potential users. The only exception is the keywords field on the iOS Store Page. 

Search engine algorithms analyze text metadata in the Stores to provide relevant results (i.e., mobile app) for any search performed by users organically. Although marketers unfamiliar with mobile app marketing might think that all textual metadata is indexed by search algorithms (similar to SEO), there are differences to be aware of depending on the storefront.

Here below is an overview of which metadata is indexed by the two leading Stores and the value they have from an App Store Optimization perspective:

Why Should Textual Metadata Be Optimized?

Let’s be honest—no matter how great or good-looking your mobile app might be, people won’t download it if they don’t find it among the first results of a search.

We have already stated that search results mainly depend on textual metadata optimization. ASO specialists can work on the above-mentioned elements to improve the mobile app’s ranking. When thinking about textual metadata optimization, mobile marketers need to keep in mind the following process, which consists of three steps.

3 Steps to Follow to Optimize Textual App Metadata

Gain new insights for textual app metadata by following the three steps below.

1) Understand the Search Algorithms

To improve a mobile app search ranking, mobile marketers must first understand how it works. By now, we know that the App Store and Play Store give different weights to different elements, specifically:

• Apple App Store: Title and Subtitle are the most important ones, followed by the keyword field, developer name, and in-app events.
• Google Play Store: Here again, the title is the most important, followed by the short description, the long description (which is not indexed on iOS), and then the publisher’s name, package name, and user experience reviews.

After that, other elements influence a mobile application ranking that is not directly linked to the store page:

• App Downloads: these can have an influence on an app’s search ranking and be the best indicator in terms of textual performance. 
• Rating and Reviews: here, both rating and speed of review count matter for ranking. When they are high, they indicate that users have made an effort to spend time on these, making this factor even more impactful.
• App Performance: As stated by Google, the Play Store algorithm also considers the app’s performance (e.g., crashes/stability or consumption of phone battery). Therefore, an app with a bad performance will rank lower.

2) Optimize the Keywords

The keyword optimization process is cyclical and continuous. It is divided into four steps valid for both Stores:

• Research all the keywords ranking to create a backlog of potential ones to be included
• Prioritize the backlog list based on search volume, metrics, competition, and relevance
• Test important keywords by adding them to your app’s metadata
• Measure keyword performance and track your ASO progress through the main KPIs.

Extra step: Repeat!

3) Improve Other Elements

Textual app metadata is the element that ASO specialists have the most significant leeway to work on. Now that we know how ranking works, we must not forget the other elements that can give us an advantage.

When naming our app, we have to balance branding and textual optimization. The title should include relevant keywords while remaining legible, so avoid keyword stuffing. Moreover, ensure it doesn’t contain punctuation, grammatical, or spelling mistakes.

Even if the developer’s name is not included in the title, it is still indexed on both stores, and the app will rank for those keywords. Removing the brand name from the title creates space for keyword optimization. However, the brand should be at least recognizable by the icon.

In saying that, we have to remember that in the App Store, the developer’s name is not visible in the search results, and its absence could negatively affect the conversion rate.

Conclusion

App Store Optimization is a balance between performance and branding, and we are talking to users in the end. Now, more than ever, mobile marketers need to identify the best-performing keywords when it comes to textual optimization and look to continuously test also visuals to improve the overall conversion rate of the Store Pages.

Are you looking to improve your Store Listing positioning and conversion rate? Get in touch with us, and let us improve your app performance!

Originally published on June 8, 2022. Updated on December 31, 2024.