How To Do App Keyword Research for ASO | App Snacks #42

Hey mobile marketers,

In this edition, we will explore the concept of keyword research for app store optimization more.

What are app keywords anyway?

App keywords are specific words or phrases developers use to describe their apps in app store listings. These keywords help users discover apps through search queries, similar to how we Google things. However, in the world of ASO, we need to think about keyword relevance, placement, search popularity, etc.

App keyword research is important on all levels. Keywords are the foundation of efficient ASO strategy, impact visibility, and search traffic, and improve conversion rates. And the research never stops—we as marketers always have to consider market trends, competition, and our audience.

So, how do we do comprehensive keyword research for apps?

Let's outline the most important steps.

Step 1: Primary research and keywords brainstorming - our goal is to generate a list of potential keywords describing app features, functionalities, and target audience.

Step 2: Research your main app store and language - here, we need to have a good understanding of our primary locales (markets and languages we want to target) while considering cultural and regional differences.

Step 3: Check your current search visibility - if you already have an app, you should definitely check how it is performing in terms of search volume, difficulty, and rank dynamic. Based on that, we can decide whether to focus on low-medium competitiveness keywords, long-tail keywords, and semantic variations and which keywords we will potentially prioritize.

Step 4: Analyze competitor keywords - there is no better way of doing keyword research than looking at your competitors. This is where tools like App Radar are really useful - the tool helps to study keywords used by competing apps and gain insights into the market landscape and high-performing keywords while saving research time.

Step 5: Explore user feedback - the feedback your app receives is full of gold nuggets. You should definitely check what users say about your app because this will help you align keywords with user language and terminology. One great tool for doing this is App Radar's AI review summaries.

Step 6: Utilize AI and other keyword sources - some potential tools to explore include app stores' autofill/autosuggestion features, Google Keyword Planner for keyword ideas, the Google Play Console Installs-Per-Keyword report for Android apps, and even new tools that leverage AI.

After completing these six steps, you should have a good understanding of your market and which keywords you should prioritize.

What to do when the keyword list is ready?

Keyword research is only the first step of the keyword optimization process, but you should be ready to work on the following activities after that:

1. Prioritize keywords based on relevance, search volume, and potential impact
2. Implement keywords strategically in app metadata
3. Monitor performance and iterate keyword strategy
4. Conduct A/B testing to optimize keyword combinations
5. Engage in ongoing keyword optimization
6. Integrate keyword strategy with other ASO elements

Make sure to check the full article to app keyword research. See you soon!