As we all know, one of the core of ASO is keyword optimization. With the influence of high cost/risk of listings, iOS and Google Play keyword optimization has naturally become a long-term and stable method to bring in traffic.

Especially the TOP3 keywords can take about 70% or more of the app market traffic, which means that this is the main battlefield for APP operation to compete for exposure.

So whenever the core keywords ranking decline, always pull the heart of developers and operations, after all, this is a real loss of traffic.

The following ASO World on years of ASO optimization experience, analysis of the ASO process of keyword ranking decline, as well as problem-solving strategies to introduce to you.

Click "Learn More" to drive your apps & games business with ASO World app promotion service now.

 

Apple or Google Play adjusts the list or adjusts the app ranking algorithm

Why do we need to separate the list of adjustments from the algorithm? Because these two situations are very different, both in terms of reasons and performance.

A transfer, which may target a keyword, a product or a category of products, is an intervention mechanism. When Apple thinks that the ranking of the keyword is abnormal, it will make a small adjustment, and this is the reason for the transfer.

The specific performance of the list adjustment can be seen visually from the "keyword search result change rate" on the data site. When there is a high change rate of "irregular" keywords, it is very likely that Apple has made a list adjustment.

Adjusting the algorithm will generally cause a greater keyword fluctuation than adjusting the list, and a wider range, most likely including more than 90% of the App.

The specific performance is that the keywords with unchanged long-term TOP10 ranking suddenly appear 2-3 months ago in the list of the App, and the App did not carry out ASO optimization behavior. This is a manifestation of algorithm adjustment or back to the file.

Similarly, when the ranking of one of our keywords suddenly rises/drops to the ranking of a certain time period, and the ranking of other apps under the keyword also appears the same, then it is the change caused by the algorithm adjustment, which belongs to the sudden situation and generally cannot be predicted, and can only protect the ranking of key keywords by long-term optimization and stable ranking.

 

Failure to maintain the app store list

The hotter the keyword, the more regular and long-term maintenance is needed. Sometimes the volume estimation is not accurate, or the optimization of the volume is not effective, which will also lead to ranking decline.

Especially now that Apple has closed the keyword hotness query interface, many times hotness and volume can only be estimated through the experience of the optimizer, which will inevitably encounter the case of inaccurate volume estimation; secondly, is there a problem with the quality of the effect?

This is a test of the optimizer's control of the quality of each channel, not only to identify the quality of each channel's task volume, but also to pull data every day to check the IP, model and activation time of the data, and to consider how to ensure the normal completion of the task from all aspects.

For example, if you run a large number of tasks quickly, but the keyword coverage and ranking decline, then you can consider whether to slow down the task speed.

Or, if the data of a certain model is abnormal recently, then you can block this part of users appropriately when placing, and then come back to observe the effect.

App conversion rate are low

When the product reaches the position, but can not maintain the ranking for a long time ......

Or the same keyword, the cost of the B product's maintenance list is much larger than the A product ......

This is the time to ask yourself a few questions.

How is the new performance of our keywords ranking up?

If the new performance did not meet expectations, is it because the product's conversion guidance is not enough?

Are our titles, sub-titles, promotional text, and screenshots attractive?

Are our keywords and promotional text relevant? Do our keywords and promotional text have a high relevance? Do users feel that they are not matching each other?

Because, in this case, it is likely that the product in the keyword "bad performance" performance, the product in the keyword weight will be reduced!

So, to do optimization should also take into account the product itself, exposure is important, but do not underestimate the impact of metadata.

After all, we once had a product, just replace the screenshot, the natural addition of 50% growth.

Intense competition - your app industry competition

This is also one of the most likely situations, the low and high season of each industry is different, corresponding to the competition is also different.

A 6500 degrees of hot words, off-season may be maintained every other day, a few hundred volume level can maintain the TOP2 position; peak season, this level of volume may not even enter the TOP5, this is the competition is cruel and ruthless ah.

So you need to have a deep understanding of the industry where your own products are located, control the pace of placement, relaxation, in order to get a higher conversion and lower costs Oh. After all, operation is a meticulous work, the details determine success or failure.

How to avoid the situation of App keyword ranking decline?

Increase traffic sources

Since the iTC backend added the data icon of traffic sources, I believe all developers have realized the importance of this area.

Multi-channel traffic will make the App Store have a positive impact on the weight of the product, if possible, the traffic "combination" is a very good way to optimize the product, the following channels are the channels that we think are good for the weight.

Infomercial: Intelligent promotion of user preferences and characteristics based on social group attributes.

Search engine category: this type of channel has large traffic, is more common, and will not be recognized as an abnormal source.

Mobile advertising category: each App source, exchange volume, banner jump are very good sources, but also one of the more common game traffic, will be very helpful to product optimization.

ASM: paid traffic, Apple Store is certainly supported. Especially the recent domestic has opened the placement, you developers and operations can try a small amount.

Web side / website: game strategy website, are very good sources of traffic, and the cost of posting is very low, can be used as an aid to iOS and Google Play ASO optimization.

Optimize metadata

That is, the title, subtitle, promotional text, screenshots and app introduction.

Don't think that people don't see that traffic is everything. app is a product, and a good product must be more impressed. Only when we polish the product continuously and tell the users the shining points, the users will buy it.

Similarly, keyword coverage is not set in stone, and every updated version can make adjustments.

Publicity text, version update content are good copywriting display bit.

Optimize rating and reviews

This is well understood, a bad review can dissuade how many users, think about it and feel terrible.

For different bad reviews we can flexibly take different responses, not necessarily to report all official deletion.

For example, we once had a tool product, the positioning is not accurate enough, was a 3-star user, but this problem has been solved after two iterations, we chose the developer to reply to the user, telling him that your opinion we attach great importance to, has optimized this function.

It wasn't long before we saw the user revise his rating to 5 stars and reply in the content that he thought we were very responsible developers.

This comment, not only reversed the poor rating, but also made the new user feel good about the product and the developer, which is something that money can't change. Sometimes more human warmth in the details of operation and less sweeping abandonment will bring unexpected surprises.

Paid App keyword installs and driving app downloads

With paid ASO services, you can accelerate app installs and keyword associations for your app's ranking. This way you can bring more traffic and thus get more downloads for your app.