There are various factors that determine whether or not an app is a success. The design of the app itself is one thing, but its performance in app stores is equally important, which is why we see so many developers buy app installs and reviews when their product launches.
The ranking of your app in app store charts is a key thing that you need to consider. Just what influences where your app appears in the charts, and how can you improve its position? Let’s find out.
1. Number of Downloads
Modern app stores used advanced computational algorithms to manage and sort the millions of apps hosted on these platforms.
When ranking apps into charts and lists, these algorithms will take a number of different things into account. One of the first things they look at is the number of times an app has been downloaded.
If an app is seeing regular downloads, that means it’s popular, and app stores will push these higher up the charts in an effort to generate more business.
The higher an app goes in the charts, the more downloads it will receive. This can create a snowball effect that can make apps go viral in a very short space of time. Generating downloads is key to getting your app higher in the charts.
2. App Reviews
As well as downloads, app store algorithms will also look at user reviews when deciding where to rank an app. Reviews are left by users and a clear indication of quality and reliability. Positive reviews mean an app is trustworthy, while negative reviews can mean the app is sub-par and possibly unsafe.
If you want to see your app climb the rankings, it is essential you encourage users to leave reviews. This can be done through in-app prompts or by offering incentives for leaving reviews.
Don’t panic if you get a bad review. The best thing to do is to reach out to the user and identify what has gone wrong. This way you can take steps to ensure this never happens again in the future.
3. App Store Optimisation
Much like search engine optimization, app store optimization is the practice of tailoring your app’s product page so that it is picked up and prioritized by the app store algorithms.
The first thing you need to think about is keywords. Keywords are specific words and phrases that people are searching for, so if your product page contains these keywords they will be directed towards your app.
There are keyword tools available that can help you identify what keywords to use, and from there you can start incorporating them into your product page. However, you should avoid the temptation to use as many keywords as possible. This is a practice known as keyword stuffing; it is bad SEO practise and can actually harm your app’s performance in the charts.
Conclusion
Developing a killer new app is just the first stage, you’re then going to have to work to ensure it secures a positive ranking position. Use these three techniques to rank high in the app store charts.
