In this guide, we will be looking at Google Play App Store Optimization and how to adjust your strategy to its own distinctive environment. In its basic sense doing Google Play App Store Optimization is a bit closer to doing SEO. So, before delving into doing Google Play App Store Optimization, let’s have a look at what we have in common with SEO and borrow from SEO to enhance our ASO strategy.

Google Play Store, SEO for Mobile Apps?

Doing ASO in Google Play Store Optimization is quite different from doing ASO for the Apple App Store especially in terms of increasing visibility. Unlike the Apple App Store, there isn’t a Keyword Field to put your keywords in. Instead, you will be ranking for some of the keywords in your Long Description. Thus your Long Description plays a crucial role in your Play Store Optimization strategy as it is directly indexed for keywords. The way that Google ranks you for the keywords in your Long Description is where ASO for the Play Store resembles SEO. As the Long Description can be as long as 4000 characters, there’s no way that Google is going to rank you for every keyword you use in your Long Description. At least not equally. That’s why we will borrow a term that is native to SEO, Keyword Density. Keyword Density is a simple term that refers to the number of times a keyword is repeated in a body of text. When doing Google Play Store ASO, you will encounter this term quite often. When you are going to target some keywords for your ASO strategy, it’s imperative to have a good keyword density for those keywords in your description. Repeating your most important keywords is the best way to show Google which keywords are the most relevant to your app.

Increasing Visibility in the Google Play Store

You probably have heard these dozens of times before but the ranking factors in both app stores are drastically different. Many claim that increasing your visibility in the Play Store is easier than the App Store. We both agree and don’t agree with this statement. Firstly, it’s easier because there are fewer factors that affect your rankings and you are not limited to a 100 character long Keyword List. It’s harder because most of the keywords you target should be spread across your Long Description in a way that it still makes sense to someone who decides to read it. Before delving deeper into how to increase your rankings in the Google Play Store, let’s have a look at what factors have an impact on your rankings.

Ranking Factors in the Play Store

App Title

The App Title just like in the Apple App Store has the biggest impact on your rankings. Unlike the App Store where the app title is limited to 30 characters, Google Play Store allows for up to 50 characters in your app title. As the App Title is your strongest ranking factor, having 20 more characters to use in your app title can be considered an advantage.

Description (Short & Long)

The App Description is your second most important ranking factor and is the only other place where you can put keywords you want to rank for. The first 80 characters of your Description are often referred to as the Short Description. It is important to write an attractive short description where you can convince visitors to download your app. It would not be wrong to assume that most people do not bother with your long description. Thus it is very important to write a catchy short description which will increase conversions. By repeating your focus keywords up to 5 times throughout your entire Description, you will indicate to Google that those keywords are related to your app and people searching for your app will use these keywords.

Download Numbers & Velocity

The same story with the Apple App Store. The more downloads your app has, the more credible it’s considered by Google. Thus ranked higher. In addition to that, the increase in download numbers over a period of time is also quite important for your rankings.

Retention Rates

Google has been trying to combat Black Hat ASO for quite some time. Previously, the download numbers were one of the strongest ranking factors. So, if you bought downloads you would rank high. However, as Google Play ASO evolved, they also started to value the retention rates of those downloads as well. Basically, if someone downloads your app and uninstalls it in a couple of days that won’t be as near as effective as having them use the app for extended periods of time.

Reviews & Ratings

Again, another way to show Google that your app is a credible and renowned one.