Are You Ready for App Store Optimization 2.0?

Are You Ready for ASO 2.0? What You Need to Know

Whether you're a new app entering the market or you’re established within the space already, mobile user acquisition is an essential element of your app marketing and App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy.

However, mobile marketers can often be misled about what strategies work most effectively for them. For enterprise apps, acquiring users helps drive up app store ranking. As for new apps, having the right ASO tools, ?technology and data are imperative to their success in the early stages.

In mobile user acquisition, increasing downloads is obviously the end goal, but what strategies best set you up for success?

Unlike other forms of marketing, relevance, merchandising and iteration are all fundamental in completing the acquisition funnel and there are processes inherent in ASO that help us achieve that.

New developments in the stores, however, are indicating to mobile marketers a clear shift in the direction of ASO. It's no longer just about discoverability.

As it turns out, with new ad placements, PPO, CPP, and the newest introduction of LiveOps (beta), marketers now have better, and more cohesive ways of strategizing discoverability with new users, re-engaging with current users, and retaining long-time users directly within the app stores.

To Find, Re-Engage, or to Retain - The Choice is Yours.

Developers have had a new option to update their listing with the release of In-App Events in 2021, and new ad placements for the 2022 holiday season. These paid mobile user acquisition opportunities paved the way to one of the most highly personalized store experiences on the App Store to date. As Google rolls out LiveOps still in its beta stages, it’s clear that the new direction of the app stores is on delivering high-value and engaging user experiences.

With the release of PPO, CPP and the development of external A/B testing platforms, it's clear both the Google Play and Apple App Store are making shifts towards helping brands not only be more discoverable on the stores but also providing them with better ways to re-engage current users.

App Store Optimization is taking a vast new turn for 2023. Some of the biggest developments our ASO company has seen revolves around changing store experiences and their repositioning toward a more re-engagement and retention-friendly marketing experience for developers.?

"The future of app growth within the app stores looks like a more user-investing space. The introduction of In-App Events, and now, LiveOps Beta shows us that the stores are making it easier for users to discover and for developers to reach their audiences (both new and existing) in new, and meaningful ways."

Think of users who have tens, hundreds, and if not thousands of apps on their phones. If an app gets stuck in the muck and essentially forgets your app exists within their space, how can you re-engage their value? This is the new direction of ASO and paid UA opportunities: optimizing for meaningful action and re-engaging the valuable user.

Luckily for us,?App Store Optimization ?(ASO) and paid UA go hand-in-hand to help marketers better define, target, and derive value from users. In-App Events are just one of the many ways to reach your more lucrative audiences. However, their use for mobile user retention and engagement cannot be understated.

VIDEO: How Store Experiences Are Shaping The Future of ASO

Gummicube VP of Strategy and Partnerships, David Quinn took to the AGS stage to shed light on these new opportunities. In conjunction with helpful ASO tools and technologies, harnessing the power of store experiences relies on a deeper understanding of how users navigate the stores and interact with the apps they already have on their phones.?

Check out the full video below:

In-App Events, new Apple ad placements, the Today tab, and LiveOps – these new additions to the store help developers and mobile marketers create and harness better, more meaningful interactions with new and existing users. Mobile app marketing in the axiom of discoverability is just scratching the surface of ASO marketing in 2023.

How to Prepare Your ASO Strategy for 2023

Regarding new developments in ASO, it’s best not to stand by opportunity when it arises. Preparation should touch on all cornerstones of your strategy, and defining your objectives for organic and paid mobile user acquisition is just the start. There are a few things to keep in mind when prepping for 2023 - here are some things to consider:?

1. Market Research Your Users & The External Environment

It’s not enough to simply look at your user's search behaviors. It’s also important to factor in marketing conditions that may affect your user's behaviors in an aggregate sense. Just last week, Apple announces massive revenue drops due to impending inflation and recession concerns. Understanding how external factors affect your ASO strategy is imperative this year. Make sure you have a plan of action on how to combat it within your means.?

2. Before Running Paid Campaigns, Make Sure Conversion is There

Laying an organic backbone for paid mobile user acquisition is imperative to success, regardless of what point you are in your app lifecycle. App Store Optimization and paid UA go hand-in-hand to help marketers better define, target, and derive value from users. In-App Events are just one of the many ways to reach your more lucrative audiences. However, their use for mobile user retention and engagement cannot be understated. The value of data in the development of a paid UA plan is essential to success.

3 Evergreen Best Practices For ASO - Success Starts Here

1. Seasonality - Seasonal App Marketing

“Seasonality is the process in which app developers make adjustments to their app assets to account for changing user-facing, external, and competitive forces. Seasonality, among other ASO activities, is just one of the many ways app developers should continually optimize their apps.

By nature, optimizing for seasonality is a temporary adjustment of metadata and creative assets. The duration of a “season” may depend on the length of time an app developer may want to market a particular feature or event of their app to maintain relevancy. It may also depend on the ‘season’s’ length, which can sometimes be indeterminable. “

Read this ASO Academy for Seasonal App Marketing Strategies for more information.

2. Localization - Localize App Listings for Different Country Segments

“Cultural associations, language nuances, and search behaviors often hold mobile markets back from gaining traction in foreign territories simply because of assumptions of similarity. Even countries that share languages, for example, The United States and Australia have different search patterns and cultural influences that may impact a keyword or creative strategy.

It’s crucial to localize app listings for optimal conversion and visibility on the app stores. This isn’t just a simple translation but involves a deeper understanding of what leaves an impact on your users abroad. This includes translating idioms, symbols, intent, and more. ASO technology can help you determine what search patterns and queries look like abroad.”

Read the Beginner’s Guide to App Localization for more information.

3. Iteration - Updating App Metadata & Creatives Frequently

“Iteration is the process in which app developers take the initiative to optimize their app performance thoroughly and continuously to adapt to changing trends. Changes in user search trends and app store developments are inevitable, so keeping up with these trends is vital in maintaining conversion rate growth and keyword ranking.

Through iteration, app developers can harness these changes and optimize their metadata and creative assets to work in their favor.”

Read ASO Academy: Importance of Iteration for more information.

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Be sure to check out these other helpful links to learn more about ASO best practices:

• How App Store Optimization works on iOS App Store
• How App Store Optimization works on Google Play Store
• *FREE* Gummicube 2022 ASO White Paper