Keywords have always been a tricky thing for most people because there’s not one “right way” to pick your keywords. If you read my newsletter yesterday on “3 Things You Need to Know About ASO,” you know how fickle Apple’s algorithm can be, but also how important ASO is to your app’s success. You need to always try new ways to implement keywords that push your app up the charts. Even if something doesn’t work one month, it could the next because of the way the App Store constantly changes.
There are a lot of ways to find great keyword ideas to test in your app, but here are three ways to consider:
1. The Manual Search
One trick I like to use is searching keywords directly on my phone. Remember that over 60% of app searches are through search on a mobile device.
This is how I use my phone to search possible keywords:
1. Make a list of possible keywords you think you want to use. This method is great for out-of-the-box keywords as well.
2. Go to your phone’s App Store search.
3. Type in each keyword one at a time into the search bar.
4. What apps come up? Are they related? Are they popular? Are they gaining traction?
This gives you an exact idea of what apps are ranking for those keywords, and the demand for similar apps. I especially like to use this method for random keywords I’m trying to use because it will give me more information on if it’s a waste of time, or potentially hold some weight.
For example, say I’m making a monster truck racing game. I like to think outside-the-box for a couple of my keywords as well. (Sidenote: play it say with keywords when first submitting you’re app to make sure your app won’t be rejected, then try playing around with your keywords to see what out-of-the-box or unrelated keywords might work.) I think of all things related to monster trucks and racings with particular consideration of the demographic that will be looking for this. Monster trucks – I think of a demographic who like heavy metal and roaring engines and the manliest of manly things! One keyword that comes to mind is “skulls.”
So I type “skulls” into the search bar. What do you know? The first app that pops up is “Trucks and Skulls NITRO” – a supercharged monster truck game.
Funny thing is – I gave this same example to a client awhile ago and nothing had turned up related to racing at all. But since the App Store is constantly changing, you never know when a new keyword can work. Now does that mean putting “skulls” into my monster truck racing game will boost downloads? I wouldn’t know until I tried it, but it’s definitely possible.
Keep trying new keywords all the time! This is just another example of why some apps won’t catch traction until a couple months after release because trends, keyword searches, and traffic all change.
The App Store has a wealth of information for ASO. From titles to IAPs to just sparking ideas, looking at the top charts (overall and in each category) is a great tool for picking keywords.
This is the fastest way to look for keywords because unlike mobile search, the App Store shows a full page of apps instead of just one by one. This “bird-eye” view helps if you’re just trying to get an app in the store fast.
You want to watch the top apps on the chart to see what they’re doing.
3. Keywords & ASO Software
The great thing about the expanding app market is the growing number of resources available to make your life easier. When I first started, keywords were completely a guessing game. Now however, there are tools that will actually show you what keywords popular apps are using, recent changes, and probability of ranking for keywords. I wouldn’t say these are 100% accurate every time due to the nature of how Apple keeps it’s information, but they’re good tools for your arsenal. Some of my favorite:
These are just some of the ways I like to look for keywords. As you’ve probably seen, more software and technologies are being created every month for ASO, app development, and app marketing. We’re in the hottest industry right now, and the best part is that it’s still extremely young. This means Apple, as well as indie developers, are constantly coming out with new ways to be successful with apps.
However…
The Most Important Part of ASO is Not in Searching
The most important thing you can do for your ASO is to understand your demographic. I’m not talking about just age and gender. I mean really understand who is your demographic. What do they like to do on the weekends? What do they do during the weekdays? When do they use apps most? What kind of language appeals to them? What type of search words would they use to find apps? Where are they looking for apps most? What types of functionalities or graphics do they like in apps? What colors do they respond to most?
There is a lot that goes into understanding demographics. Think about it – companies have entire marketing departments dedicated to this element alone. This isn’t something that you can just brainstorm once and get right. You need to do constant and continual research!
Here are two ways to get started with demographic research right now:
1. Give a name to your demographic.
Make this person a living, breathing thing that you think about every time you develop or market your apps and you’ll start noticing the difference. Draw a picture of him/her. Write out their life story. Create a visual reminder of who will be downloading your apps. And develop this character based off research! Look into who’s using similar apps. Look at their reviews. Look at blogs and market surveys. There’s a lot of free information available on the internet.
2. Insert analytics into your app.
You need to setup every app with analytics. This will provide you with the intel you need to improve your market research and essentially improve monetization. This is non-negotiable. You need analytics in your apps.