Excerpt from free eBook: How to be an App Store Superstar!
QikServe and Waracle take a look at how app store optimization (ASO) can help your mobile ordering app stand out amongst the millions of apps in the store making sure you have top billing for the long term. Waracle explains what top 3 things Hospitality operators could do to make sure their app ranks well in the app store charts:
- Keyword (search term) analysis over time and competitor app analysis
To understand how your app ranks, you need to identify which search terms people will use to find your app and then track these words over time. By gathering data, you can show how your app ranks in search results for the key terms prospective users are likely to use when searching for your app. And, just like any product, you need to have an understanding of competitor apps and see how they rank for your search terms, over time. We would suggest setting up keyword tracking on competitor apps and collecting data over 120 days.
Apple App Store’s algorithm uses primarily keywords from the app’s title when it ranks apps for specific search queries. It also considers keywords from the iTunes Connect Keyword Field to index apps so make sure both of these are keyword optimized. Tools that can help you include:
- App store listing analysis including title, description, release notes, screenshots – compared to competitors
The description that prospective app users see will affect their tendency to download the app. The first step to improving your listing is to analyse your title, app description, release notes (and more) compared to your competitor apps. Your app description should continually evolve and change with each new app update. Therefore, each time you submit an update to the stores, make sure you reflect the changes in your app description and screenshots.
How to find your competitors’ best App Store keywordsCompanies such as MobileAction have online tools that allow you to see what keywords your competitors are using. Their Keyword Research Module also allows you to see the top 190 apps that are currently ranking for that keyword.
- Ratings & Reviews analysis to measure the sentiment of users
Ratings matter when it comes to app store ranking. So it’s important to analyze existing reviews and ratings and have a strategy to encourage more. It’s been proven that apps with a number of positive ratings dominate the charts and there’s a strong correlation between ratings and ranks. You should keep a summary of all recent reviews and most helpful reviews. Act upon these to improve your app and app store listing. You should also have a strategy to get as many reviews and ratings as possible.
Here are our top 4 tips to encourage reviews of your app:
- Use an app review plugin such as Appirater that prompts users to review your app after they have used it a certain number of times.
- Offer an incentive to review your app such as additional loyalty rewards or a discount coupon to use next time they order through your app.
- Time the prompt. Rather than asking guests to rate the app after launching it (which makes for a poor experience), ask them to review the app after certain conditions have been met. For example, they have been using it for a set period of time or have undergone a certain user journey.
- Run a content. Some blog forums allow app developers to offer giveaways to other members in exchange for reviews of their app
Is there anything different Hospitality operators should be doing with ASO vs. apps from other sectors?
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:
“ASO techniques are pretty much the same regardless of sector. However, for hospitality operators, they should be thinking specifically about what their users will search for in the app stores. Also, due to the nature of hospitality, we would recommend that extra emphasis is placed on obtaining reviews and ratings for the app.”
– Caroline McClelland, Marketing Manager, Waracle
