App Store Optimization Factors for Effective Mobile App Ranking

Abstract

In recent years, mobile technology has made a great progress, resulting in a transition from conventional to smart mobile devices, the capabilities of which are equal to or surpassing those of computers. With the proliferation of smart mobile devices and the development of technology, applications for these devices have also become widely known. There are millions of free or paid mobile applications available to download and the publishers compete each other for the greatest prevalence in the app stores, since improved rankings in app markets affect highly the sustainability of the mobile apps. This leads to the need for App Store Optimization (ASO) in order to improve or maintain their ranking position. Beyond that, ASO also refers to the processes that convert app views into downloads to users’ mobile devices, procedures defined by the term “Conversion Rate Optimization” (CRO). This paper aims to perform a literature review of criteria that affect the app’s optimization in the stores and to highlight the main factors that contribute to the ranking of an application in the app markets’ search results. In order to achieve this goal, a collection and analysis of academic papers were conducted. Our research identified that ASO can be achieved through the keyword optimization process and through the improvement of the conversion rates. It has been shown that the main traits of an app that affect its ranking are the number of downloads, the reviews and the ratings. Simultaneously, the importance of mobile app advertising is highlighted as it helps to increase users’ reach and app’s popularity which activates better rankings in the app markets.

Full text

App Store Optimization Factors
for Effective Mobile App Ranking
Makrina Karagkiozidou, Christos Ziakis, Maro Vlachopoulou,
and Theodosios Kyrkoudis
Abstract In recent years, mobile technology has made a great progress, resulting in
a transition from conventional to smart mobile devices, the capabilities of which are
equal to or surpassing those of computers. With the proliferation of smart mobile
devices and the development of technology, applications for these devices have also
become widely known. There are millions of free or paid mobile applications
available to download and the publishers compete each other for the greatest
prevalence in the app stores, since improved rankings in app markets affect highly
the sustainability of the mobile apps. This leads to the need for App Store Optimi-
zation (ASO) in order to improve or maintain their ranking position. Beyond that,
ASO also refers to the processes that convert app views into downloads to users’
mobile devices, procedures defined by the term “Conversion Rate Optimization”
(CRO). This paper aims to perform a literature review of criteria that affect the app’s
optimization in the stores and to highlight the main factors that contribute to the
ranking of an application in the app markets’search results. In order to achieve this
goal, a collection and analysis of academic papers were conducted. Our research
identified that ASO can be achieved through the keyword optimization process and
through the improvement of the conversion rates. It has been shown that the main
traits of an app that affect its ranking are the number of downloads, the reviews and
the ratings. Simultaneously, the importance of mobile app advertising is highlighted
as it helps to increase users’reach and app’s popularity which activates better
rankings in the app markets.
Keywords Mobile application ranking · App store optimization · App markets ·
Mobile app sustainability
M. Karagkiozidou (*) · C. Ziakis · M. Vlachopoulou · T. Kyrkoudis
University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece
e-mail: it1414@uom.edu.gr
©Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019
A. Kavoura et al. (eds.), Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism, Springer
Proceedings in Business and Economics,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-12453-3_54
479

1 Introduction
The rapid increase of the internet has been followed by a tendency to use smaller
devices that offer same capabilities as personal computers, resulting in the use of
“smart”mobile phones to exceed the use of personal computers. The widespread use
of such devices by both consumers and companies [1] has led to the development of
new software applications compatible with them, and companies offering mobile
app development and marketing services. Mobile applications that allow the com-
munication with the consumer [2] were made available through online app stores
such as Google Play, App Store and Windows Phone Apps Store, increasing the
competition to appear in the top search results. Thus, mobile marketing evolved and
the development of the App Store Optimization, or ASO, was essential for the
promotion of a brand, a campaign or an application itself. App store optimization
could be achieved by using techniques that aim to short an application into the results
of the store for specific keywords or place it in the section with the top/suggested
applications. Although this science is still in the embryonic stage, its use by both
businesses and developers is expected to increase, due to the continuous evolution of
the web content for mobile devices.
In this paper, a literature review is conducted, which includes the main factors for
the classification of an application in the top search results of a store. Thus,
companies and owners can succeed by adopting better strategies for developing
and promoting their applications.
2 Methodology
To accomplish the study, scientific databases were searched to find articles on the
subject of application store optimization. The keywords that were used in our
research of articles are “ASO”,“App Store Optimization”,“application ranking”,
“app ranking”as well as the combination of the first word with criteria to explore
more targeted results. Successful results from this process have emerged.
More specifically, we applied the PRISMA methodology [3] to scan all similar
academic papers that have been published during 2010–2018, by using the afore-
mentioned keywords in the search section of the digital libraries of (1) Science
Direct, (2) Springer and (3) Google Scholar during February and March of 2018. We
started with 614 citations including duplicates (472 unique) and by following the
PRISMA ruleset we excluded 397 articles after title and abstract screening, thus
retrieving 75 articles for a full-text screening from which we selected nine articles
that we used for the discussion of our results (Fig. 1).
Due to the fact that ASO is quite recent, we did not want to ignore some criteria
that emerge from the application of ASO in companies and are found on whitepapers
or on authorized websites. Therefore, the literature review was enriched with
additional material that resulted from searching the web for the same keywords.
480 M. Karagkiozidou et al.

Subsequently, the articles were carefully studied, the views of the authors were
identified and the relevant information was recorded.
3 Literature Review
In order to correctly record the main factors that affect both the ranking of search
results for a particular keyword in an app store and the top application section, a
literature review was conducted.
Cocco et al. [4] studied, analyzed and modelled the best strategies that could be
implemented for application store optimization. It’s a system that includes devel-
opers and users as they interact in application stores leading to the maximization of
the applications efficiency and profit. Shen et al. [5] attempted to investigate the
appropriate strategy for mobile app upgrades based on the application’s current
condition and how or when they should be performed in order for them to be user-
Science Direct
2010 – 2018
372 Citation(s)
Springer
2010 – 2018
44 Citation(s)
472 Non
-
Duplicate
Citations Screened
Inclusion/Exclusion
Criteria Applied
Inclusion/Exclusion
Criteria Applied
9 Articles Included
397 Articles Excluded
After Title/ Abstract Screen
66 Articles Excluded
After Full Text Screen
75 Articles Retrieved
Google Scholar
2010 – 2018
198 Citation(s)
Fig. 1 Application of PRISMA methodology
App Store Optimization Factors for Effective Mobile App Ranking 481

friendly. In addition the developers must have a more concise view of the changes
that need to be made before releasing a new version. These are features that affect
both the number of downloads and the reviews. Lim and Bentley [6] using the
AppEco Artificial Intelligence Model, explored the best organizational tactics for
Top and New apps in the Apple Store. More specifically, they studied the influence
of the different ranking algorithms and how the upgrading frequency affects the
results. It turns out that the store’s home page depends on these two factors.
Similarly, the same authors Lim and Bentley [7] studied subjects such as what
strategy a developer should follow to succeed in high rankings and if it is preferable
to pioneer or imitate an already successful application. Tian et al. [8] studied
28 factors to understand the difference between high and low rated applications.
Through their survey of 1492 total applications, they noticed that the highest ranked
apps are significantly different from the low rated in 17 out of the 28 criteria, such as
the size of the app and the number of promotional images of the app in the store.
Kadam et al. [9] developed an application to detect spam reviews and help users
have a better overview of each application of their interest. In addition, the applica-
tion contains a security feature for personal data protection and private information.
Ruiz et al. [10] wanted to check if app stores can record the changes in an app’s
reviews for each new version by recording daily the total reviews of more than
10,000 applications for a year. The results showed that even if the reviews are better
and give a more positive feedback through new releases, the app store cannot
differentiate them. Bobade et al. [11] dealt with app store fraud, as some applications
are not working or don’t respond to the user’s needs. In their attempt to detect and
overcome fraud they created a method that combined evidence from ratings, reviews
and rankings. Vaishnav and Varaprasad [12] showed a brief example of incorrect
ranking and described an interface that detects fraud in the results of application
stores. This process is divided into three main segments; identifying fraud in
rankings, identifying spam, and proposing suggestions for other applications.
Ganguly [13] and Sefferman [14] in their articles, present the most basic criteria
and factors that influence and synthesize a good ASO strategy, such as user ratings of
each application. Each author focuses on different features, due to the fact that ASO
techniques have been upgraded through the period between their studies.
4 Findings
We have identified the following criteria that highly impact the position of mobile
applications in the search results of app stores:
482 M. Karagkiozidou et al.

4.1 C1: Installs Volume
A criterion that can be considered particularly important for ranking an application in
an app store is how many times the app has been installed or downloaded by users.
Search engines assume that if an app has multiple downloads means it is popular and
so it has to be ranked higher. However, this is a criterion that cannot be controlled by
the application owner. It is basically a feature that although it strongly represents the
value of the application, is influenced only by the users.
4.2 C2: Ratings
Most users, before downloading an application, tend to read the opinions of other
users. For this reason, there are features where users actually have the ability to rate
the application based on their personal experience. If the overall rating of an
application is good, search engines consider the app more valid and rank it higher
in the results, so that users can find easier an application that has a good score and
can fulfill their needs. This is also a factor determined by the users.
4.3 C3: User Reviews
Beyond ratings, another way for visitors to judge an app before downloading it on
their mobile phone is to read the personal annotations and criticisms of the existing
users. Each user has the ability to accompany his rating with a text in which he states
his honest point of view. Thus, the visitor of a page in an application store can form
an even more comprehensive view of the application. However, the user reviews are
also difficult to be controlled by the application developers as it is a metric that
derives from users.
4.4 C4: Screenshots & Videos
Displaying screenshots and videos may not directly affect the app’s ranking but is an
important part of the broader strategy with the ultimate goal of a visitor to eventually
download the app. This will increase the total downloads of the app which is a
characteristic that is most likely to contribute to its final ranking in the results.
Specifically, App Store allows an application page to include up to 5 screenshots
with the analogous screenshots for Google Play being up to 8. In both cases,
however, only the first 2–3 screenshots are visible on the homepage. Therefore,
the order in which the images are uploaded should be taken into consideration as the
App Store Optimization Factors for Effective Mobile App Ranking 483

ones visible must represent the basic idea and persuade the visitor to download the
application.
4.5 C5: Description
An application description is also important for the ASO. Its goal is to convert
visitors into users. For this reason, keywords targeted by the application should be
included in the description field. In addition the description of the application and
especially the first three rows is a very good way to convince the visitor to download
the application. For even better results, the description should change for each app
version including its newer features.
4.6 C6: App Localization
An indispensable element for attracting visitors to an application is to adapt the
content to the specific features of the target countries. Because of the wide use of the
English language, many can assume that making their application available only in
English is adequate. However, the availability of an application in multiple lan-
guages leads to an increase in users who access foreign language versions of the
store. Additionally, if the application targets a specific country, localization is
considered critical for both visitors and users. App Store and Google Play offer
the ability to localize apps in order to make it easier for the app to be found in the
search results.
4.7 C7: Application Name & Title
One of the most important factors affecting the ASO is the title of the application.
This feature includes the name of the app as well as targeted keywords that represent
its content. Of great importance is the selection of keywords that correspond to
plenty of queries. Usually, up to 255 characters can be used in this field. Only the
first 23 characters in the App Store and 30 on Google Play are visible.
4.8 C8: Application Icon
The first impression of an application is the one that is triggered by its icon. The
optical material, especially when accompanied by appropriate colors, raises the
interest of a potential user. All app stores require a specific size, shape, and geometry
484 M. Karagkiozidou et al.

for the icon. Even when the application is installed on a smaller device, the icon must
remain unallocated and distinct. Each application owner must know that the image
must include details of the main functions in order to stimulate the interest of the
visitors (Table 1).
5 Conclusion
The intense competition between businesses in the field of mobile applications, leads
them to apply new methods of mobile marketing, like App Store Optimization
techniques. The ranking of the mobile applications in the first result pages for
specific keywords is immense, and therefore a multifaceted optimization strategy
is required. A strategy that adopts a holistic approach to the ranking criteria, taking
into account critical factors is needed. Our review revealed that an optimized
application has many users and is highly rated by them. Actions that increase the
visitor-to-user conversion rate are considered as significant elements for a successful
ASO strategy. Although this field is still developing, some factors have been
identified as crucial for the achievement of higher rankings such as the number of
downloads, the application ratings and the user reviews. ASO strategy is expected to
evolve significantly in the next years, meaning that further metrics and criteria will
be taken into account.
This study is an attempt to capture the most important factors as they were
recognized from the bibliography and can act as a trigger for future research that
aims to prioritize them based on their significance.
Table 1 Previous research on ASO factors
Author (year) C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
Cocco et al. (2014) [4]✔
Shen et al. (2017) [5]✔✔
Lim and Bentley (2013) [6]✔
Tian et al. (2015) [8]✔
Kadam et al. (2016) [9]✔✔ ✔
Ruiz et al. (2017) [10]✔
Bobade et al. (2017) [11]✔✔
Lim and Bentley (2012) [7]✔
Vaishnavi and Varaprasad (2016) [12]✔✔
Ganguly (2013) [13]✔✔✔
Sefferman (2016) [14]✔ ✔✔✔✔✔
App Store Optimization Factors for Effective Mobile App Ranking 485

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