Case Study / App Store Optimization
Improving conversion rate with a new screenshot design and keyword optimization (Part 2)
Keyword Optimization:
Keyword optimization (KWO) is a process of improving the ranking positions of an app for a limited set of keywords. This process starts with keyword research, e.g. finding all potential keywords an app could rank for, and ends with a selection of the best keyword candidates to include in specific text-based App Store/Play Store assets, such as the Title or Description. Once you’re happy with a set of keywords, you can proceed to write the copies (phrases and sentences) with them. This allows an app (or more precisely, its app store presence) to carry keywords and, as a result, rank for them in the app stores. It’s also important to make sure the app ranks for the right keywords, relevant to what users are looking for, because it’ll increase the likelihood of being downloaded by these users.
The problem:
While we were producing the new screenshots, with an AB testing plan in mind, we found an opportunity for keyword optimization (KWO). For one, 30% of all installs come as a direct result of ranking for the right keywords, relevant to what users are looking for. For another, our attempts to improve CVR need greater traffic to generate installs. Also, our client’s app hadn’t iterated on their keyword strategy for a year now. It’s time for another refresher!
The solution:
The app’s main markets include the DACH region, so we focus on German localization for the keywords & metadata. What’s more, the client is planning for a market expansion by releasing the app in the UK as well. This means the scope of keyword optimization would include German and English (UK).
With this in mind, we conducted thorough keyword research in both languages with our in-house capacity, then wrote metadata (copywriting texts) with them, and finally uploaded them to the console by the release date.
The results:
- We saw that the app had gained more high-ranking keywords than lower or unranked ones
- CodeCheck’s food-related keywords (1 of the 2 top priorities) are 100% in the top 10
- The second top priority, cosmetics, became 100% in top 10
But even keyword ranking is supporting metrics – it’s the installs that matter in the end. So, how can we measure installs from keywords? By using the global organic search report on Google Play Console, we compare the before and after of installs from organic search.
Considering the rather limited brand awareness, this 15,000 installs (approx.) increase (a 58% month-over-month growth) could almost be attributed all to generic keywords – the idea behind keyword optimization.
Conclusion:
After a one-month project, we managed to help our client CodeCheck improve both keyword ranking improvement and conversion rate growth. In shorts, our results include:
