App Store Optimization

Bryson MeunierAssociate Director, Content Solutions

Resolution MediaDecember 8, 2009

Agenda

• Indexing: Getting apps Catalogued

• Content: Making apps relevant for user searches

• Marketing: Making relevant users aware of app

Who is Resolution Media?• Founded in 2003

– 4 Employees

• Joined the Omnicom Media Group in 2005– 20 Employees

• Ranked Top 20 Search Firm by AdAge in 2006, 2007, 2008– 90 Employees

– $150MM in annual search billings

• Headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in:– New York

– San Francisco

– Los Angeles

Successful collaboration with partner agencies and clients• Agencies • Clients

Crowded App Marketplace

• Apple’s App Store has over 100,000 apps

• 2 billion apps have been downloaded in App Store alone

• What can marketers do to increase the visibility of their apps organically?

INDEXINGApp Store Optimization

Get App Approved

• Visit AppRejections.com for examples of what not to do.

• Read app store guidelines and tips and follow to the tee: http://developer.apple.com/iphone/news/appstoretips/

• Apple recently removed 1000 + Apps (More than 1%) for scamming ratings system

Don’t Keyword Stuff Description

• Apple: “Improper use of keywords is the fourth most common reason for App Store rejections. ”

• Focus on relevance and provide real value

CONTENTApp Store Optimization

Use Keywords in App Name and Developer Name

Use App Store Suggest to find app search keywords:

• Popular apps of the moment e.g. the top 100 charts

• All time popular apps - the all time most popular and big iphone app brands

• Major PC-based online brands such as myspace, facebook, youtube and so on

• Generic keywords like "fun" or "sex“

• iPhone specific keywords such as "lite"

Use Keyword Field and Increase Keyword Density

• App search engines have primitive ranking algorithms

• Irrelevant in web search, not in App Search

• Keywords imited to 255 characters in Apple’s App Store

• More than 20% density likely not human-readable

Follow the Leader

• Top Grossing Apps in App Store and Top 50 paid and free apps provide models for your future success

Integrate Facebook or Twitter Connect

• Facebook and Twitter are two of the most popular keywords in the app store

• Facebook’s mobile site had 2.3 M unique visitors in Oct 2009 (Ad Planner)

• Integrating connect makes app interactive while giving app developers legitimate claim to popular keyword

Offer a Lite or Free Version

• Free is the most frequently used keyword in app store suggest, followed by lite

MARKETINGApp Store Optimization

Encourage Users to Write Reviews

• Use Appirater App script to encourage loyal users to review app

• Trade apps for reviews at sites like Fuel My App

Promote the App on Mobile/Desktop Site

• Promote your brand where your users are

• Use text to be found in desktop and mobile engines

Increase Downloads with AdMob App Exchange

• Free way to enable app discovery and downloads:

http://www.admob.com/exchange/

Alert Relevant Communities

Community Type URL

Directories http://mjelly.com/apps, http://www.apple.com/webapps/

Blogs http://www.appleiphoneschool.com/

Review sites http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/

Tech Blogs http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9134636/Review_5_free_apps_that_make_project_management_easier_

Twitter http://twitter.com/search/users?q=mobile+app&category=people&source=find_on_twitter

Optimize with Mobile App Analytics

Further Reading

How to SEO for Apple’s App Store

http://searchengineland.com/how-to-seo-for-apples-app-store-18063

12 Ways to Improve Your iPhone App Ranking

http://blog.mjelly.com/2009/10/iphone-appstore-seo.html

Apple: Designing Content

http://developer.apple.com/webapps/designingcontent.php

THANK YOU!BrysonMeunier.com/SES