Apple's Official Recommendations for ASO

About the App Store ASO skills, many developers and product operations are guessing Apple's algorithm and rules, in fact, many rules have been officially announced by Apple, just that most people do not understand, not to mention in-depth research, this blog will mainly study the official Apple 5 points of advice to developers about ASO optimization.

Choose the relevant and accurate keywords

Keywords should not exceed 100 characters and you should choose words that describe your app in a concise manner. Do not use spaces to separate keywords, nor should you add spaces before or after the commas used to separate keywords. Only use spaces within keywords.

When choosing keywords, consider what words your audience will use when looking for similar apps. The description of app features and functionality should be as clear and specific as possible so that your app will show up in the associated search results through the search algorithm.

The popularity of a keyword is usually inversely proportional to how high the app ranks in search results using that keyword. You should strike a balance between the two.

There may be a lot of people searching for popular and useful terms like "work", "text" or "social", but there are also a lot of apps competing for rankings. Conversely, less popular keywords are searched less frequently, but the competition for rankings is not as fierce.

Unauthorized trademarked terms, celebrity names or other protected words and phrases are not allowed, which is a common reason for the App Store to reject an app. It is also not allowed to use words that are not related to the app or to use the name of a competing app.

Unless your brand identity contains special characters (such as # or @), it is not recommended. This is because special characters will not be counted in the search weight when users search for your app.

While you can mention keywords in the app's content feed, you should avoid repeating them over and over again in the metadata. Also, don't forget that in the App Store for iOS, promoted text is not counted in the search weight.

Compose an app name, subtitle and content feed that draws users’ attention

Your app name and App Store content feed are especially important for app exposure and downloads.

In iOS, app names can be up to 30 characters in length. Choose a simple, easy-to-remember name for your app that is not only easy to spell, but also highlights the app's purpose. Make sure it's distinct and unique: the name should avoid using words that are too common or too similar to existing app names.

On the App Store for iOS, consider using a subtitle for your app. As opposed to the app name, the subtitle is intended to provide more detail about the value of your app. You should avoid vague descriptions such as "the world's best app" and consider using subtitle to highlight the app's features or uses to engage your audience.

Every word in your executive summary is critical, so focus your description on what makes the app stand out and what makes it unique. The executive summary should begin with a concise description of the app's purpose, followed by a compelling introduction that engages the user and a short list of the app's key features.

(Developer name: On the App Store for iOS, users can search for developers directly. When users tap the developer's name in the search results, they will be redirected to the developer's home page. The page will first display the developer's latest app releases and list all of their games and apps.)

Selecting a suitable category

Categories on the App Store help users discover new apps that meet their needs. an app's primary category is especially important for its exposure on the App Store.

It helps users find your app when browsing the App Store or limited scope searches, and it will also determine whether your app is labeled as an app, or a game on the App Store for iOS.

Be sure to select the main categories that are most relevant to your app. Choosing a category that is not relevant to your app is also a common reason for the App Store to reject an app.

Building up positive reviews

Ratings and reviews will sway your app's ranking in search and can also help attract users. You should focus on providing a quality app experience and getting good reviews from users.

It is not advisable to ask users to rate too early. The best time to ask users to rate your app on the App Store is after they have lingered within the app for a few rounds or levels. Make sure the app is running stable and wait for the right time in the app's usage to ask for ratings.

When they have just performed an action, advanced in rank, or completed a task, it's a good time to ask. This is when users are most likely to be satisfied with your app.

Make sure users can easily find contact information for your support team in your app and App Store product pages, making it easy for users to contact you directly with any issues they encounter. This reduces the chances of users leaving a bad review due to a bad experience.

Promote your in-app purchases

In the App Store, your in-app purchase items are also displayed in the search results. When users tap on them, they are taken directly to your product page. There they can not only learn about the app's content summary, view screenshots and app previews, but also tap to purchase in-app purchase items.

In iOS, subscriptions and in-app purchases are displayed in separate sections on the product page; for both types of content, you can display up to 20 items in total. Each item should have its own display name, promotional image and description.

The name of an in-app purchase item should not exceed 30 characters and the description should not exceed 45 characters, so please use words carefully. They should highlight the functionality of your in-app purchase items in a smooth, relevant and concise manner.