One of your worst nightmares as an app developer or app owner is to see that app downloads are declining. Just when you think better days are on the horizon, you suddenly see that your charts are going downhill.
Your immediate question is, "Why?" Why are my downloads going down? What could be the cause? What should I do?
In this article, we will share with you some of the most likely reasons for the decrease in app downloads. Not only that, we'll also share with you some effective solutions to get your app back in contention again!
Reasons why your app downloads dropping
- app store ranking algorithm changes
- ASO performance condition
- keyword coverage
- competition condition
- your app quality and user experience
Google play store and app store ranking algorithm changes
This is the most obvious reason why you may experience a drop. In most cases, a drop due to a change in the ranking algorithm of the Google Play Store or Apple App Store is out of your control. However, adapting quickly to the changes and possibly updating your keywords will help you mitigate the damage.
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Poor ASO performance
Another important possibility that can cause your app downloads to drop is neglected
app store optimization(ASO). Be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking of ASO as a setup and leave process.
Quite the opposite. You must continue to track your
mobile app's competitors. Check the keywords you rank for, where they rank, etc. The initial ASO requires daily maintenance and upkeep and should be updated every two weeks.
App stores can be confusing by nature and rankings change daily. The higher your app ranks in its category, the more visible it will be in the popular charts. However, it is important to note that not many users visit the charts; therefore, the charts are not the main source of store traffic. However, if your app ranks in the top 10 of its category and then suddenly starts ranking outside the top 10, this drop may also result in a slight drop in visibility.
App Reviews and ratings can have a big impact on your conversion rate, as new users may consider your app's ratings before downloading it. Therefore, a significant drop in ratings could be the reason for your drop in conversions.
The impact of app reviews and ratings on conversions is stronger on Google Play than on the App Store. This is because Google forces store visitors to download the app through the app's product page, while users on the App Store can skip viewing your product page.
Keyword shift
Another more subtle reason for your app downloads to drop may be changes in user behavior and search trends.
People may have started searching for your app using different keywords. This will result in a drop in rankings and cause your app downloads to drop dramatically.
Therefore, it is important that you monitor the keywords that you and your competitors rank for or are likely to rank for to ensure that you do not miss out on valuable traffic.
If you optimize your app's metadata by targeting generic keywords, you may lose visibility in stores due to one of the following reasons.
Your brand keywords
Sometimes, apps or games lose search traffic to their brand due to declining brand visibility in the marketplace/store. If your app is losing search volume for your brand, you may want to alert your marketing and branding team to the decline in brand visibility. Implementing different marketing strategies (such as placing social media ads) can help increase your app's brand awareness on different platforms.
Keywords loss of volume
If you notice a loss of popularity for generic keywords in your metadata, it means that your app is getting less search traffic. This can be due to market trends and seasonal changes. For example, a keyword like "boots" may lose popularity in the summer as the weather warms up; meanwhile, a keyword like "swimsuit" may become popular. Therefore, you should consider replacing your existing keywords with better keywords.
Declining app rankings
Your app may lose rankings for a large number of keywords because you either stop targeting these terms in your metadata or because the keywords become more competitive. This may be due to emerging competitors or algorithm updates released by Apple or Google.
Advertising and conversion rates can also affect your app's ranking for specific keywords. Therefore, try to determine if your competitors are targeting these keywords with ads and converting users better than your app.
For example, if you find that your competitors have added one of your popular keywords to their metadata and improved their ranking for that term, you might also consider giving more weight to that keyword (for example, by adding it to your title instead of your description) to gain a stronger competitive advantage.
New competitors
Thousands of apps are released to the app store every day. Your competitors are constantly growing and it's important to keep a close eye on them. Even if your app fills a niche, there will be competition.
As mentioned above, constantly adjusting your store position and staying ahead of your competitors is one of the best ways to ensure you maintain momentum.
Another way competitors can do damage to your app downloads is if they execute effective and aggressive paid advertising.
Paid ads in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store can quickly and easily increase the visibility of an app. When this happens, people will go to your competitors - and if it's not for paid ads, they'll usually land on your app page.
Quality of app
You put all this effort into building your app. While you're happy to get it out there, you'll need to address any issues that arise. Maybe it's just a matter of trying to launch your application in order to get it out there. That said, you need to make sure that the users who find and install your app enjoy their experience.
If you want to maintain downloads and rankings, the quality of your app should meet the expectations of your users. Unfortunately, this is one of the main reasons why app publishers experience a drop in in-app downloads. This is most noticeable in newly launched apps. When you launch a new app, Apple or Google will briefly boost your ranking, which will result in some downloads.
Effective solutions to improve your app growth
New strategies may help you win app growth in the app store ranking algorithm changes
The best way to prevent a drop in app downloads is to check the forums and communities to see if other app developers are seeing the same drop in download rates.
Since in most cases the app store does not announce updates, it is best for you to consult with other app developers. If you are experiencing the same problem as others, then it should reinforce your suspicions that an app algorithm update may be the problem. Ask other ASO experts and always keep an eye out for any official statements from Apple or Google to see what might be going on. You can also contact the app store. In most cases, app stores are responsive and more than willing to help.
Make sure you don't simply assume it's the algorithm and continue as usual. If it is due to an algorithm, you will need to find a way to back up your downloads. It's good to do your due diligence to make sure this is the real source of your problem.
To learn more about app store algorithm, you can check
ranking algorithm series of our previous articles.
Pay attention to the key app ranking factors during your basic ASO progress
The solution is simple. You need to get your ASO efforts back on track. If ASO got you to #1, then ASO is the same thing that brought you back to #1.
The app store landscape is constantly changing. That's why ASO becomes a critical part of your app's success.
Now, this is a huge topic. So be sure to read our definitive guide to
app store optimization. It will guide you through the different aspects of ASO, how to execute it, and the elements of a successful ASO campaign.
Keyword research is helpful for your app searching visibility
If the reason for your declining downloads is a change in your keyword rankings, then the solution is to improve your keyword research.
The question is, "How?"
You must keep track of the keywords you rank high for and the keywords you aim to rank higher for. You must have the right list of keywords to target and the tools to measure success.
You can't control the season or time of year and avoid a drop in app downloads during the off-season.
What you can do, however, is compare the performance of your app for the same months of the year. If you see a sudden spike in your app downloads in December, then you can expect a sudden drop at the end of that month as well.
Be sure to take advantage of these popular seasons, as this is the best time for you to attract as many new users to your app as possible.
To learn more about keyword research, you can check
keyword research series of our previous articles.
A smart app promotion plan will be effective for your app growth during the fierce competition
You need to study your competitors. In this case, your "enemy" is your competition. By understanding what they are doing, what has led to their increased popularity, and their best practices, you will have a better chance of dominating the competition.
There are a few steps you can take to prevent app downloads from dropping. First, you can also run your own paid advertising campaigns. Hopefully, this will be enough for you to offset your competitors' ads.
Another thing you can do is simply improve your app, its metadata, and the other elements that make it successful to the point that no matter what paid ads your competitors are doing, you still stay ahead.
To learn more about app promotion strategy, you can check
app promotion category of our previous articles.
User experience increasingly affects the conversion of your app
To avoid a drop in app downloads, keep an eye on how your app is being received. Try to make updates and adjustments to maintain good usability.
If your app has been active for a long time, it's easy to think that your current success should just carry over. However, you should remain vigilant. You need to update your UI to keep your users happy. They should have a positive experience compared to your competitors.
This doesn't mean you need to catch every trend in app development. However, you should provide your audience with the features that users expect. If your app is similar to a game, you may want to add new levels or features to capture the interest of your users. If you like photo editing apps, maybe you want to add new filters and GIFs on a regular basis. these things can put you ahead of the competition.
More importantly, be quick to update and fix any bugs you see users complaining about. Make sure your app is running smoothly. Trust me, the impact of negative reviews can be quite significant.
To learn more about user retention, you can check
user retention series of our previous articles.
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