A Friendly Guide to Perfecting Your Store Listing
With over 3.5 million apps on Google Play and more than 1.8 million on the Apple App Store, getting your mobile game noticed can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Standing out in such packed marketplaces is no small feat, but Amin Bakht, Head of User Acquisition at Phoenix Games, is here to share some insights on how to boost your game’s visibility, attract more organic traffic, and improve conversion rates through smart App Store Optimization (ASO). Let’s dive into some key strategies that can help your game climb the store rankings.
ASO 101: The Basics
When we optimize a mobile game from our studios, we focus on two big areas: the game itself and the user traffic it pulls in. Traffic comes in two flavors: paid user acquisition and organic traffic. A strong ASO strategy makes your game easier to find, which means more downloads. So, optimizing isn’t just about making your game fun to play—it’s also about how you present it in the app stores.
Here’s how ASO works on Google Play and the Apple App Store, and how we use it to keep our games front and center. ASO isn’t just about getting eyeballs; it’s also key to converting those views into downloads. By tweaking things like the app’s name, descriptions, and visuals, we make sure our games are as appealing as possible once people find them.
Both Google Play and the App Store look at a bunch of factors when ranking apps. Users often search with specific keywords, so picking the right ones—whether they’re in the name, subtitle, or description—is essential for making the game more accessible to a wider audience. Here’s what can influence your game’s ranking:
- Number of Downloads and Installations
- User Engagement
- In-App Purchases
- Ratings and Reviews
- Frequency of Update
So, how do you best optimize a mobile game’s store page?
Boosting Visibility and Conversion Rates
Naming: Nailing the First Impression
Your game’s name is a big deal—it’s one of the first things potential players see, and it’s a major ranking factor. It should be catchy and give players a hint of what to expect. Think about names that reflect the game’s mechanics or genre, using keywords like “Idle,” “Tycoon,” “Builder,” “Puzzle,” or “Match 3.” Striking a balance between memorable and keyword-rich takes some finesse. For new releases, we test different names to see which ones resonate best.
Example of effective naming:
Take “EMERGENCY HQ: firefighter game” for example. The name instantly tells you what it’s about—firefighting and rescue missions. Both Google Play and the App Store allow up to 30 characters for the name—just enough to capture the game’s essence and hook potential players. The App Store’s subtitle feature lets you emphasize key aspects of the game that might not fit in the main title, like “rescue strategy” or “firefighter simulation.” By optimizing both the name and subtitle, you make sure the most important features are clear from the get-go, attracting players who are specifically looking for a firefighter simulation game. Another great example is “Peak – Brain Training,” which nails it with a memorable, genre-specific name and a punchy subtitle.
Tip: Don’t just repeat the game’s name in the subtitle. Use that space to highlight what makes your game unique and exciting.
Custom Store Pages: Personalization for Better Results
Custom store pages are getting a lot of love in ASO these days. Testing custom store pages on Google Play and the Apple App Store lets you tailor your game’s presentation for different audience segments, making it feel more relevant and engaging. Personalizing content and visuals for specific users can really bump up those conversion rates.
Google Play allows up to 50 custom store pages, while the Apple App Store supports up to 35. By tweaking things like the app’s assets, and description, you can create targeted pages for specific audiences, including different regions. This lets you highlight features that will resonate most with your audience. Plus, both platforms provide analytics so you can see how these custom pages are performing and tweak them as needed.
Custom store pages are especially handy for special events, promotions, or targeting specific demographics, offering a more personalized experience for users.
Keywords and Descriptions: Your Path to Success
On Google Play, keywords are a big deal, especially in the description text. The App Store, on the other hand, lets you enter keywords separately. Popular keywords are super competitive, so sometimes picking less common but still relevant ones can give you an edge. Keyword tools and competitive analysis are your friends here.
The App Store has a promotional text section with up to 170 characters, perfect for highlighting updates or special offers. App developers can take advantage of the 100 character keyword field in the App Store, what’s a key element for effective ASO. By carefully selecting the right keywords, they can significantly boost their app’s visibility in search results, ensuring it appears for the most relevant and widely-searched terms related to its functionality.
Google Play’s short description allows for 80 characters to make a quick pitch, followed by a detailed description of up to 4,000 characters where you can really dive into what makes your game awesome.
Choosing the right language and phrasing that clicks with your target audience is key. While it might seem easier to just stick with English, localizing content for specific markets can have a big impact on your downloads. A tried-and-true strategy for both stores: start with an eye-catching intro, then go into the details. Grabbing your audience’s attention right away is crucial.
Make the most of custom store pages to showcase specific features for select audiences or highlight ongoing events and promotions in targeted markets. This approach helps you connect better with your audience and can significantly boost conversion rates during key campaigns.
Categorization: Finding the Right Spot for Your Game
Getting your game’s categorization right involves thinking like your target audience—what keywords are they using to find games like yours? We look at games in similar genres to gain insights. Listing your game under multiple categories can help broaden its appeal.
Important: Regularly review and adjust categories to keep up with shifting user behaviors and market trends.
Visual Elements: Catching the Player’s Eye
Visuals like icons, screenshots, and videos are major attention-grabbers. Just like with naming, we use A/B testing to figure out which visuals click best with users.
Visual Tips:
- Your icon should clearly represent the game’s genre or theme with a simple but striking design.
- Teaser videos, which are especially important on Google Play, make your store entry more lively and engaging.
- Screenshots are often make-or-break for downloads—they should honestly represent the gameplay. We like to highlight main characters prominently to enhance player connection.
Free Extra Tip: For mobile games, region-specific visuals can make a huge difference. For example, with EMERGENCY HQ, using graphics that reflect local emergency vehicles—like U.S. police and fire trucks instead of German ones—can be a game-changer for appealing to U.S. players.
ASO: Just the Starting Point
While nailing ASO is crucial, it’s only the beginning. As downloads and user engagement grow, other factors become just as important. Our studios excel in live operations, keeping players engaged through regular updates and responsive feedback—key for ongoing success and better rankings.
But our goal isn’t just to rack up install numbers. We’re focused on reaching the right audience. Monetization matters, so attracting a smaller, highly engaged group is way more valuable than drawing in a ton of uninterested users. That’s why we measure the impact of our ASO efforts on revenue, not just installs.
Both Google Play and the Apple App Store favor apps that keep users active. Keeping players engaged after they download the app is critical for maintaining high rankings and improving retention rates. This involves close collaboration with the game team, sharing insights on market trends, and learning from what we see.
Managing reviews and ratings is also key. Good reviews and high ratings not only boost visibility but also attract more engaged users, which leads to higher conversion rates. This area relies a lot on teamwork with the game teams.
And let’s not forget localization. Optimizing app store listings for different languages and cultures—with an emphasis on the local nuances—can significantly impact downloads and engagement in various regions. This applies to graphics too, like icons and screenshots tailored for different audiences.
By focusing on these areas, we make sure our ASO strategy is solid, flexible, and aligned with our overall business goals. Stick with us as we dive deeper into these topics in future blog posts!