Story Based Question
You’ve spent months developing a new meditation app designed to help people reduce stress and improve mindfulness. You’re excited to launch, but when you look at the App Store, you realize there are hundreds of similar apps. You know that to stand out, your app needs to rank high in search results, but you’re not sure where to start. You ask yourself, “How do I choose the right keywords for ASO to make sure my app gets noticed?”
Exact Answer
Choosing the right keywords for ASO involves researching terms that are relevant to your app, have good search volume, and aren’t too competitive. The goal is to find a balance between keywords that describe your app’s core features and keywords that users are actively searching for.
Explanation
Picking the right keywords for your app is one of the most important steps in App Store Optimization (ASO). Just like with traditional SEO, the keywords you choose will directly impact how easily users can find your app when they search. Here’s how you can approach keyword selection for ASO:
- Relevance:
- First, your keywords should be directly related to your app. If your app is a meditation app, then keywords like “meditation,” “stress relief,” “mindfulness,” and “relaxation” are a good starting point.
- Think about what your target users might search for when looking for an app like yours. You can also look at other similar apps to see what keywords they are using.
- Search Volume:
- The next step is checking how often people search for those keywords. Tools like App Annie, Sensor Tower, or even Google Trends can help you gauge search volume. The goal is to find keywords that have a decent amount of searches, but aren’t too competitive.
- High-volume keywords like “meditation” might be too broad and competitive, while more specific terms like “guided meditation for beginners” could have lower competition and still attract a relevant audience.
- Competition:
- Look at how competitive the keywords are. If you try to rank for highly competitive terms, it might be harder to get noticed, especially if your app is new. Instead, focus on a mix of short-tail (broad) and long-tail (more specific) keywords.
- Tools like the App Store itself and keyword research platforms can show you how difficult it will be to rank for certain keywords based on your app’s ratings and download count.
- User Intent:
- Understand the intent behind the keywords. For example, users searching for “relaxation music” may want something different than someone searching for “meditation timer.” Tailor your keywords to match what users are specifically looking for.
- Think about the problem your app solves. If your app helps people meditate at work, keywords like “meditation for work” or “stress relief at work” might resonate more with your target audience.
- Localization:
- If you’re targeting users in different countries or regions, don’t forget to localize your keywords. Different terms may be used in different languages or regions, so research those variations to increase your app’s global visibility.
Example
Let’s go back to your meditation app. Here’s how you could choose the right keywords:
- Relevance:
Since your app helps users meditate to reduce stress, you’d start by selecting keywords like “meditation,” “stress relief,” “mindfulness,” and “calm.” These words clearly describe the app’s core functionality. - Search Volume:
You use a keyword tool to check the volume for terms like “meditation app” or “stress relief app.” You find that “meditation” has very high competition, but “guided meditation for beginners” has a good amount of search volume with lower competition. You opt to target that. - Competition:
“Meditation” is a super competitive keyword, so you decide to focus on “relaxation meditation” and “meditation for stress relief.” These keywords are still popular but aren’t as saturated as broader terms. - User Intent:
You realize that users searching for “guided meditation” are looking for a specific type of meditation, which your app offers. So, you also add “guided meditation” as one of your keywords. - Localization:
Your app is available in multiple languages, so you also localize keywords for Spanish-speaking users, adding terms like “meditación” and “reducción de estrés.”
With the right mix of relevant, high-volume, and low-competition keywords, your app has a much better chance of ranking higher and being discovered by users searching for meditation and stress-relief solutions.