The Impact of SEO and ASO in The Google Play Store

Google Play is the biggest app store in the world, with almost 2.3 million apps available compared to the App Store’s 2 million. It takes a lot to get noticed, so an app store optimization (ASO) strategy is vital for increasing organic traffic. 

ASO works even better when paired with SEO. Since Google owns both the Play Store and its search engine, traditional SEO tactics can amplify your ASO strategy to drive organic traffic from both platforms.

In this article, I’ll show you how you can supercharge your Google Play ASO efforts with traditional SEO tactics to create a comprehensive strategy that drives as much organic traffic as possible to your app. 

Key Takeaways

• Google Play Store optimization is unique because you can combine ASO and SEO strategies to drive organic traffic from both platforms.  
• The Google Play Store algorithm differs from the Apple App Store in several ways. For example, it uses backlinks and your app’s long description as ranking factors.
• Consistently use high-performing keywords across your website and Google Play Store listing to boost visibility and drive traffic from both search engines and the app store.
• Earning backlinks from your website and external sources to your app listing improves its authority and ranking in the Google Play Store.
• Craft engaging, keyword-rich descriptions on both your website and app listing to improve search rankings and attract high-quality users.
• Use Google Search Console and Google Play Console to track user behavior, refine keywords, and continuously optimize both SEO and ASO efforts.

Table of Contents

• Key Takeaways
• What Is SEO?
• What Is ASO?
• How Do SEO and ASO Work Together?
  • Ranking Factors for Google Play Apps
• What Makes Google Play ASO Unique?
• How to Bring SEO and ASO Together on The Google Play Store
  • 1. Optimize Your App Title
  • 2. Write a Compelling App Description
  • 3. Use Tags Wisely
  • 4. Design an Eye-Catching Icon
  • 5. Add High-Quality Screenshots and Videos
  • 6. Encourage Positive Ratings and Reviews
  • 7. Select the Right Category
  • 8. Leverage App Localization
  • 9. Update Your App Regularly
  • 10. Monitor and Optimize Performance
• FAQs
• Conclusion

What Is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO for short) is the process of improving a website’s visibility in search engines to drive organic traffic. By targeting specific keywords and enhancing user experience, SEO helps brands rank higher and attract more visitors.

For example, here’s TechRadar using SEO to rank highly for the popular keyword “best laptops for students”:

SEO uses several tactics to rank higher in search engines, including:

• Creating high-quality content that targets keywords
• Building backlinks from authoritative sites
• Making your website faster and mobile-responsive 

What Is ASO?

App store optimization (ASO) involves optimizing an app’s listing to improve its visibility in app stores like Google Play and the Apple App Store. The goal is to attract organic traffic and increase downloads without paid advertising.

Each app store requires its own optimization techniques to account for each platform’s unique ranking algorithm.

For example, you need both an Apple ASO and a Google Play ASO strategy to account for the differences between the platforms.   These differences include:

• The existence of a dedicated keyword field on the App Store. This doesn’t exist in Google Play
• The greater prominence of screenshots in the App Store compared to Google Play
• Google Play listings can appear in search engine results

How Do SEO and ASO Work Together?

When it comes to Google Play, ASO isn’t just about improving your app store performance; it’s about increasing your app’s organic visibility in search results, too. 

The good news is you can combine your ASO and SEO efforts in the following ways: 

• Earning backlinks from outreach efforts: Google uses backlinks as a Play Store ranking factor, so encourage sites to link to your Google Play listing as well as your website. 
• Share keyword insights: Optimize your Play Store listing using SEO keyword insights. This can help your listing rank in organic Google search results, too. 
• Improve E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness is a framework Google uses to evaluate your brand authority. Enhance these signals to rank higher in organic and app searches. 
• Link to your app from localized landing pages: If you create localized SEO landing pages, make sure you are linking to localized versions of your app from them.

Ranking Factors for Google Play Apps

Google uses a range of factors to rank apps in Google Play. They are different from those used by Apple, which means you’ll need to create a dedicated Google Play ASO strategy. 

Google keeps its app ranking algorithm secret (just like its search algorithm), but ASOs have identified what they suspect to be the most important ones. 

These factors include:

• Keywords in app metadata. Google uses phrases in your app’s title, and short and long descriptions to understand what it’s about. 
• Retention. Google rewards apps with a high retention rate as it suggests users love the experience. 
• App downloads. If more people download your app than a competitor, it suggests your app is the best solution. Google also uses conversion rates to ensure it serves up the most relevant apps.  
• App performance. To give users the best experience, Google will take things like your app’s size, update cycle, crash rate, and other technical metrics into consideration.
• Reviews/ratings. Lots of high-quality reviews and ratings point to a great app. 
• Backlinks. Like with SEO, backlinks signify quality and trust. The more links your app page gets, the more likely Google will consider your app high quality.  

What Makes Google Play ASO Unique?

Google Play and the App Store are both app stores, but that’s about where the similarities end. They are very different ecosystems with different features and ways of ranking apps. 

Here are a few of the ways the two app stores differ:

• The App Store shows more information in search results (including an icon, name, subtitle, and images). Only the icon and title are visible in Google Play.
• The App Store has a dedicated keyword field, whereas Google Play requires you to add keywords to your title, short description, and long description.
• Your app’s long description isn’t a ranking factor in Apple, but it is in Google Play.
• Google Play uses backlinks to rank apps; the App Store doesn’t.

These differences mean you need to approach ASO differently for each platform. 

Below, I’ll show you how to build a dedicated Google Play ASO strategy that aligns with your existing SEO efforts.

How to Bring SEO and ASO Together on The Google Play Store

You know what ASO is, how the Google Play Store ranks apps, and how this differs from the Apple App Store. Now, let’s talk strategy. 

Below, I’ll cover 10 ways you can combine SEO and ASO to rank higher in Google Play. 

1. Optimize Your App Title

Your app’s title is the most important piece of metadata — and one you need to optimize accordingly. 

The app title has a 30-character limit. It should contain the name of your app and a concise description of its function or theme. 

In many cases, it will even be possible to include a keyword like CapCut does:

Remember it’s not just Google that analyzes your title. Try to make it as enticing as possible for users, too. 

2. Write a Compelling App Description

Your app has two different descriptions and you need to optimize both for Google and prospective users:

• The short description has an 80-character limit
• The long description has a 4000-character limit

The short description is visible by default when you click on a listing. You can see it below:

Think of this description as your conversion-focused copy. Use it to summarize your app and its USP. 

Consumers only see your app’s longer description if they click on the arrow. This means you can be more tactical when it comes to your ASO and SEO efforts.  In particular, use relevant keywords to give Google the best chance of understanding your app. 

Your long description should still explain your app well to users. However, fewer users will read the entire section, which is why it’s a good opportunity for keyword optimization. 

Here’s what Threads’ long description looks like:

Spend time formatting your long description like Threads does, with paragraph breaks and bullets to improve readability. If consumers do click through to read it, you want to make the experience as good as possible. 

3. Use Tags Wisely

Developers can further help Google understand their app by adding tags to their listing. Tags also help users learn more about your app because they appear in search results and your listing. 

Here’s how they appear on a listing:

You can add up to five tags to your listing, so choose them carefully. 

Only select ones that are relevant to your app’s content. It will only confuse Google and users if you try to shoehorn in an irrelevant tag for the sake of it.  

4. Design an Eye-Catching Icon

Your app’s icon is one of its most important visual assets. It’s the only graphic users see in search results. 

Make your icon as eye-catching and impactful as possible by:

• Using colors to hint at your app’s category or purpose. Dating apps tend to be red, for example. 
• Highlighting your name or logo
• Using icons or other imagery that hint at what you do. 

Memrise does a great job at hinting that it’s a language-learning app by incorporating flags.

Keep your icon’s design in line with app store trends. These can change quickly and an icon that looked great one year can soon look outdated the next. 

5. Add High-Quality Screenshots and Videos

Screenshots and videos are some of the first assets users will see when they click on your listing. 

Use both visual assets to showcase your app’s features and functionality. It will help users understand what it’s like to use your app without downloading it. 

Trainline, a train-booking app, does a fantastic job at highlighting its features and high review score using images:

Follow these tips to make your screenshots as effective as possible:

• Use high-quality screenshots in the correct ratio. Avoid compressed images at all costs.
• Put your most important messages first. Users will always see the first couple of images, but they may not scroll through more. 
• Convey one idea, feature, or USP per image
• Localize screenshots to reflect local languages and design preferences

Make sure visual assets are a true reflection of your app. Nothing will increase uninstall rates faster than fake imagery that doesn’t align with the app’s experience.

6. Encourage Positive Ratings and Reviews

Like local SEO, getting as many good ratings and reviews can significantly boost your app’s organic visibility. 

• Create in-app prompts that encourage users to leave a review. Display these at opportune moments, like after they complete a level or finish an action.

Here’s a great example of an app prompt from Waze:

• Respond to all negative reviews and try to implement constructive criticism where possible.

In this example, Lidl informs the reviewer they will pass on their feedback to the development team:

Don’t forget about the role reviews play in conversion optimization, either. Consumers will often check reviews before downloading. 

7. Select the Right Category

Your app’s category will determine which chart you appear in. Some are more competitive than others, so choose wisely. 

Always choose the most appropriate category for your app to avoid confusing Google and users. But if your app sits across categories, then it makes sense to choose the least competitive one.  

8. Leverage App Localization

If you have different versions of your app for international users, make sure you are localizing your listing for domestic markets. 

Here’s what you need to do:

• Translate your copy to the relevant local language
• Add the market’s preferred language to screenshots and other visuals
• Localize images by incorporating domestic users

There are over 80 localized languages available in total on Google Play, meaning there are plenty of markets you can target. You can see all of them here. 

9. Update Your App Regularly

Just like adding new content to your website can increase SEO rankings, regularly updating your app can significantly improve your ASO rankings. 

Updates show Google that you actively maintain your app, improve the user experience, and deliver reliable service. 

Use the “What’s new” section of your Google Play Store listing to communicate updates to users. A detailed report shows users that you are constantly improving the app and responding to feedback. 

Here’s an example of concise and informative notes from AliExpress:

These notes may increase your organic visibility, but they will definitely convince users to convert. 

10. Monitor and Optimize Performance

Google Play Console is the Play Store’s reporting platform. It’s a goldmine of first-party data that you can use to monitor your app’s keyword rankings, track downloads, and respond to reviews.

The dashboard is the best place to start analyzing your app’s performance.  You can find it in the left-hand sidebar:

It highlights several key KPIs, including:

New users: great for tracking user growth over time

User loss: Tracks churn rate

Average rating: Your app’s average rating

Crashes and ANRs: Tracks how many times your app has crashed

The dashboard provides information on your store listing performance — which measures and analyzes your app’s acquisition rate — and Android vitals — which monitors issues like crashes.

Check on these KPIs at least once per week. The sooner you spot problems, the more likely you’ll be able to fix them before they hurt your rankings. 

FAQs

What is the difference between SEO and ASO?

SEO and ASO differ in what is being optimized and for what purpose. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the optimization of website content for the purpose of ranking on search engines. App store optimization (ASO), sometimes referred to as app SEO, is the optimization of app store listings for the purpose of ranking on app stores, like Google Play Store.

How do I make my app searchable on the Play Store?

To make your app searchable on the Google Play Store, you will need to optimize your app listing using ASO techniques. These include adding targeted search terms and building equity backlinks to the app listing page.

How do you optimize for Google Play Store? </h3?

There are several elements to an effective Google Play Store optimization strategy. These include:

Adding high-quality graphics

Adding keywords to your app’s metadata

Adding relevant tags

Building backlinks 

Encouraging positive reviews

How does Google Play ranking work?

Google Play’s ranking algorithm is secret. But we suspect it uses the following ranking factors:

• Keywords in app metadata
• Downloads and user retention
• App performance
• Reviews and ratings
• Backlinks

The Play Store’s ranking algorithm is different from the Apple App Store’s algorithm. You’ll need to use different ASO strategies to increase visibility across both app stores.

Conclusion

The Google Play Store is unique in allowing you to combine your ASO and SEO efforts. Use the strategies above to market your mobile app to users searching in the Play Store and Google. But don’t rely on organic visibility alone. Learn how to create a sponsored ad campaign to promote your app across paid channels, too. The more you can get your app in front of users, the higher your downloads will be.