Utilizing App Store Optimization (ASO) for More Effective User Acquisition & Combining it with Paid UA
As an app owner, one of the most important steps after creating an app is to make sure you get as many users as possible. An effective and well-designed user acquisition strategy will open your app to a wide range of users who will download and use your app. As a result, your app will grow, downloads will grow and this will translate into revenue generation from your app. Take advantage of the synergies of App Store Optimization and paid acquisition.
As an app owner, one of the most important steps after creating an app is to make sure you get as many users as possible. That's why a mobile app user acquisition strategy is essential to mobile marketing.
An effective and well-designed user acquisition strategy will open your app to a wide range of users who will download and use your app. As a result, your app will grow, downloads will grow and this will translate into revenue generation from your app.
Your UA strategy should bring in the best possible quality users that fit your target audience and guarantee a high enough retention rate, so that acquisition expenses are as low as possible and revenues are high.
In order to achieve such results, we need to take advantage of the synergies of App Store Optimization and paid acquisition. In this article, I will describe what are the benefits of implementing App Store Optimization (ASO) before we tackle paid acquisition, and that ASO should be of interest before the actual app launch.
In this article
Relationship between ASO and user acquisition
How to build your user acquisition strategy with ASO
Use App Store Optimization to Gain a Competitive Advantage - Why combining ASO and Paid UA is a good growth strategy
Develop a long-term acquisition & retention strategy with ASO
Summary
Relationship between ASO and user acquisition
The most challenging part of marketing a mobile app today is generating organic traffic. Paid traffic and downloads are great ways to boost your marketing efforts, but marketers continue to focus on the importance of organic traffic and downloads. To do this, you need to create an integrated marketing plan that lasts long-term and find segments of users with specific needs. ASO (App Store Optimization) has been shown as one of the best methods for improving rankings in searches and driving organic downloads.
How to build your user acquisition strategy with ASO
To build an effective user acquisition strategy based on App Store Optimization (ASO), you should start by analyzing our competitors' categories and apps. You should create an ASO strategy based on this data.
The ASO strategy should consist of 2 segments - KWO (keyword and app metadata optimization) and CRO (conversion optimization based on the creation of graphical assets based on ASO standards and store algorithm to maximize download conversions).
—> More about what is ASO and why it’s important you can read here in a separate blog post. Read here
You can read about how ASO realistically translates into optimizing downloads and user acquisition costs below in this article. Read about what mistakes to avoid when creating an ASO strategy for your app in our e-book.
Use App Store Optimization to Gain a Competitive Advantage - Why Combining ASO and Paid UA is a Good Growth Strategy
Developing a strong organic and paid marketing strategy is essential for building a loyal customer base. Our app will quickly be found in stores by our users, thanks to an organic marketing strategy bolstered by efficient visual communication. Paired with our paid advertising on the store pages, we'll have the opportunity to reach potential users through both channels and increase installs in the long run. By using ASO and Paid UA together, we can combine both activities and maximize our potential user base.
The first step is to take an app growth audit to check the current app situation. Then after the audit, you should optimize your app store listing focusing on maximizing visibility for long-tail keywords as well as other keywords that your competitors were not yet grabbing. You should be focused on an in-depth competitor analysis, identifying users’ pain points and aligning the optimization strategy that would make the app stand out from the competition.
The optimization should lead to an immediate uplift in overall visibility, something that was not available by doing only paid user acquisition. When you look at the chart below you can see that yellow is a time without ASO implemented, then there is an immediate boost after the ASO Implementation (green) and stabilization of visibility after combining ASO and Paid UA (blue).
When we compare the average cost per install before the ASO implementation we can see that the costs was ranging between $1.97 and $2.49. After ASO was implemented the costs decrease by $0.73 which is around 30%. Finally after combining ASO with Paid UA we were able to decrease the cost of installation by 41.3%.
Develop a long-term acquisition & retention strategy with ASO
As you could read in the paragraph above, the combination of ASO and Paid UA gives real gains and benefits to the overall User Acquisition strategy in your application. If you add to this the fact that users coming from ASO have up to 45% higher retention, it means that combining these two user acquisition methods is a guaranteed effective acquisition strategy. If you don't implement these two UA tools your efforts will be much less effective and more expensive than if you combine the two methods.
Organic installs, which come with a lower cost of acquisition and higher retention rates, are advantageous for apps looking to establish themselves. The paid acquisition can work well when used as a tactic or supplement an app's organic strategy. However, because virality cannot come from paid channels, AppDNA believes that organic user acquisition is the most effective way for an app to grow competitively able audiences.
ASO is an important part of the app growth game. When done correctly, it will lead to sustained and long-term revenue for companies and app developers. We were able to show that by combining both organic and paid activities, if done well and with a clear objective in mind, revenue will steadily increase over time.
What do ASO and Paid UA have in common? Neither can be thought of as a stand-alone strategy. For example, well-executed App Store Optimization might help us increase the conversion rate and lower the cost of acquisition. We might not notice the full effects on revenues since organic optimization takes time to work. With Paid user acquisition activities, we can back up our organic optimization process and help with discovery and conversion.
Are you launching or entering a new market with your mobile app? Get in touch with our team of app growth & marketing experts and start scaling today.
In the competitive world of apps, mastering the marketing and growth process is key to success. This blog post dives into our comprehensive framework, covering everything from initial audits to continuous improvement and funnel optimization. Discover how we leverage experimentation, PDCA methodology, and a data-driven approach to refine strategies and maximize user acquisition and retention. Whether you’re looking to reduce costs or attract high-quality users, our guide provides actionable insights and practical steps to elevate your app’s performance. Ready to transform your app’s growth journey? Let’s get started!
Hey there! Struggling to perfect your paywall strategy and boost subscription numbers? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Check out these five must-try tips for optimizing your app’s paywall and maximizing subscription revenue. From effective onboarding to varied paywall strategies, these insights will set you on the path to success.
Discover the truth behind common misconceptions about app growth. In this article, we debunk eight prevalent myths that can hinder your app’s success. From the necessity of a growth strategy to the importance of a data-driven approach, learn how to navigate the complexities of app marketing and ensure your app thrives in a competitive market. This excerpt provides a clear summary of the article’s content, enticing readers to learn more about debunking app growth myths.
.png)
.png)
