ASO Google Play: Google Play Keyword Optimization

Not sure how to affect your Android app's Google Play SEO keyword rankings?

The first lesson is that Google Play ASO is referred to as Google Play ASO (however, there actually is also a field between Google Play ASO and Google Play SEO – check out this post on Google App Packs to learn more about that).

The second lesson is thankfully a pretty easy one. You can improve your Google Play ASO keyword ranks with this easy tactic, which consists of four steps:

1. Pick a handful of keywords you want to rank for.
2. Insert them (naturally) into your full description and update your app.
3. Measure how your app's rank for those keywords changes.
4. Based on the data, determine whether you want to continue optimizing for those keyword(s) or move on.

As with iOS, your keyword ranks will update as soon as your update is accepted, so you can do a live search the same day or the day after at the latest to identify the impact of your optimization. For best accuracy, use your ASO tool to measure your app's ranking change.

Be aware that your keyword ranks will fluctuate over time (getting better, worse, not ranking or changing and then remaining the same). Watch your ranks in the 1-7 days after your update and make your step 4 determination after observing the trend of your keyword rank(s).

Note: Be aware that the Google Play Store ranking algorithm is very complex and engineered to resist manipulation, so this tactic will produce different results for each keyword you try it with (sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes no effect). The success of your app in ranking for the keyword(s) you select will depend on a whole host of additional factors such as your app's historic performance and the overall relevance of your metadata for that keyword, user behavior (i.e. are users tapping on your app? Are they downloading your app? Are they remaining active users? Are they rating your app? Etc.), the competition (what is each other relevant app's rank score for that keyword?) and the Google Play store ranking algorithm itself.

Watch the video here for an example of putting this tactic into play and some tangential comments on the above caveat.

Learn more about the Google Play store ranking algorithm, and ASO Google Play tips & tricks with these other posts.

That's all for now, folks! Be sure to bookmark our blog, sign up to our email newsletter for new post updates and reach out if you're interested in working with us.

Incipia is a mobile app development and marketing agency that builds and markets apps for companies, with a specialty in high-quality, stable app development and keyword-based marketing strategy, such as App Store Optimization and Apple Search Ads. For post topics, feedback or business inquiries please contact us, or send an inquiry to hello@incipia.co.