What is App Store Keywords Research?
App Store keywords research is the process of gathering insightful information that will help a developer or marketer decide which keywords to add to an app listing’s metadata, in order to achieve optimum App Store search success.
Think of it as laying the groundwork prior to the app launch. For a retailer who is opening a new shop, it would be imperative to scope out the location, area, conditions, and locale prior to opening and the same can be said for an app.
By only getting one chance at launch, the keywords need to be as optimized as they can be. Some practices of keywords research include brainstorming words/terms/phrases, understanding the competition by looking at how similar apps are ranking by keyword and reading reviews to understand what users want.
Why App Store Keywords Research is Important
The biggest organic contribution to users locating an app in the App Store and installing it is the keywords that Apple’s algorithm pulls in from an app’s product page, as 70% of installs occur after a search in the App Store. This means that it’s imperative to conduct solid, reliable research prior to launch. Effective research will result in healthy impression figures, organic traffic, conversion rates and growth.
There are important factors to balance when conducting App Store keywords research. Search volume (assessing the potential traffic of users keywords may have) regardless of relevance, intent (you wouldn’t expect to use keywords for music for a travel app) and competition. Attempting to rank for a particular keyword should be strategic: a competitive keyword is harder to successfully rank for. Instead, it might be worth looking at keywords that may bring less traffic but an app listing stands a good chance of ranking for a high spot in these search results.
