ASO vs SEO

ASO vs SEO: Learning to Use the Right Optimization Strategy

App Store Optimization (ASO) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are two important digital marketing strategies geared toward enhancing your search visibility and boosting organic traffic.

While SEO involves using strategies to optimize sites and make them more discoverable in search engines, ASO involves optimizing mobile apps to help them become visible in app store search results.

You need SEO to guide users to your services, products, or information they seek. And you need ASO to help users find and download your mobile applications. Therefore, they are both essential for digital marketing because they help you reach your target audience in a cost-effective manner.

However, it’s important to understand how ASO and SEO are relevant and where they actually differ from each other. This helps you identify and design the best marketing strategy for your business.

What is SEO?

SEO practitioners work on websites and content to help them rank higher in Google and other search engines. It consists of various practices designed to improve the positioning, appearance, and effectiveness of different types of content in SERPs. The content may be video media, web pages, local business listings, images, or other assets.

For SEO, you can begin with the basics, but you should always keep track of how those strategies perform. And you can achieve this simply by using well-rounded SEO software. Thankfully, many platforms offer reviews and compare features as well as price plans of popular SEO tools and services. Just compare those features, and you will find what fits in your budget.

What is ASO?

Mobile app success can take a lot of time and effort, but you can get better results by developing a better understanding of the different processes involved in mobile app creation and marketing. Measuring how certain metrics perform can help design a better strategy, and that’s when ASO comes into the picture.

Take ASO as SEO for App Store. The correct use of ASO techniques can result in organic growth, better conversion rates, reduced user acquisition costs, and increased downloads. And it all begins by getting more visibility in the App Store, and ASO can help with that and bring more organic traffic with downloads.

How are SEO and ASO Different?

In order to decide between the two strategies, you need to learn about your business model and understand the differences between ASO and SEO. For instance:

A. Platforms

The main difference between ASO and SEO is the platforms. For instance:

1. SEO is for Search Engines.
2. ASO is for App Stores.

What is SEO used for? To index and generate higher rankings of websites in search engines such as Google, Bing, etc. Quality content, value to customers, and backlinking are some parameters of SEO that ensure desired visibility on search engines.

What is ASO used for? To target app stores such as Apple App Store, Samsung Galaxy Store, or Google Play. The end purpose of ASO is to amplify the visibility and downloads of apps.

The purpose of both SEO and ASO is to enhance visibility and ensure conversions; however, they cater to different forums.

B. Elements of Optimization

As mentioned, the basic purpose of ASO and SEO is the same: to attract organic app and web traffic. The execution is different in terms of the elements and parameters because of the difference between websites and apps.

 For instance, the optimization elements for SEO include the following:

• Content: For optimizing rankings in search engines, SEO counts on good website content, posts on blogs and even other digital platforms. Relevant keywords, quality videos, and pictures, and basically content that engages the audience is key.

• Backlinks: Links on other blogs and websites that route back to your page are called backlinks and are very important for SEO. The key is to source those links from quality websites in high frequency, as long as they’re relevant to your niche.

• Technical Structure: Structure refers to the page layout, relevancy of URL, loading speed, page security, optimization for mobile, and other technical factors, which all play an important role in SEO rankings.

Similarly, the app optimization elements include the following:

 Name of App: The first visible thing on the app store, the name of the app should reflect the features of the app and create relevancy with the customer’s needs.

• Keywords: As with SEO, ASO also optimizes keywords that customers frequently use. However, for ASO, the scope of optimizing keywords is somewhat limited.

• Descriptions: Descriptions of apps are very important as they offer a summary of what the app is about. Quality content optimized for keywords can improve App Store Optimization significantly.

• Ratings: User reviews and ratings are also a determining factor of a successful ASO strategy. The more positive organic content, the more the value of the app, leading to more downloads.

C. User Intent

A very important factor differentiating ASO and SEO is the purpose of the user’s search. The purpose of ASO is to ensure app downloads, while for SEO, there could be vast reasons such as awareness, sales, etc.

SEO aims to ensure websites and pages get higher rankings for different purposes, such as:

• Informational queries refer to keywords used when a user is looking for information, such as “how to make an app” or “how to plan my summer vacation 2024”.
• Transactional queries refer to when a user intends to buy something, such as “purchase Samsung S24 Ultra” or “book hotels in New York”.

On the other hand, the focus of ASO is on customers who know what they want to download. These are users who go to Google Play or App Store to download what they want and search with relevant keywords. For example, “documents scanner” or “Word games”.

A study shows that when users visit an app store and search, 65% of the time, they end up downloading the app. This showcases how significant ASO is for getting organic downloads.

D. Ranking Factors

 SEO prioritizes increasing the rankings of a website in Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs). Some of the most important SEO ranking factors include the following:

• Google focuses on content that is relevant and adds value for the customer and uses the right set of keywords.

• Backlinks from authentic websites are encouraged as they enhance visibility and exude confidence to the search engines that your website has the relevant content a user requires.

• Page Load Speed: The faster the page loads, the more satisfied a user is. That is why search engines prefer websites that load faster.

On the contrary, the purpose of ASO is to enhance the visibility of an app when users search for it or similar apps. Key ASO ranking factors are:

• Ratings: Apps that have higher ratings are prioritized by users. Ratings 4.0 or above are considered good for ranking higher.

• Reviews: Reviews by users offer genuine insight and feedback on the app, which affects the ranking of the app in search results.

• Downloads: Another parameter for ASO is the number of downloads of an app. The more the downloads, the better the visibility of the app.

Discover More About the Overlaps Between SEO and ASO

While ASO and SEO are distinct strategies, they both aim at increasing visibility and, therefore, share some similarities and overlaps. For instance:

• Keyword Research

When comparing ASO vs SEO, you will notice that the very foundation of both these marketing strategies lies in keyword research.

Keywords are words and phrases used by people seeking information through search engines or looking for an app through app stores.

While SEO involves placing keywords in website copy, meta tags, and headers, ASO on-page optimization involves placing keywords in the app’s title, description, and metadata.

• Content Quality

The quality of your content matters whether you’re running an SEO or ASO campaign. In SEO, you need to create relevant, informative, and engaging content in the form of articles, blog posts, and product descriptions.

On the other hand, you have to do the same with ASO but focus on the app’s listing page. You should use elements such as app descriptions, videos, and screenshots to clearly convey the real value of the app.

• User Experience

Another overlapping practice in both ASO and SEO is to make user experience your first priority.

For improved user experience on websites, SEO experts focus on having a mobile-friendly website with intuitive navigation and fast page load times. An ASO expert would focus on the app’s design, usability, and overall functionality to increase user experience.

• Analytics and Metrics

Using data, analyzing information, and tracking various metrics is another overlap you find in SEO and ASO.

You can’t refine strategies without continuously monitoring performance metrics in both.

While you need to monitor bounce rate, organic traffic, and keyword rankings in SEO, you have to track KPIs such as download rates, store rankings, and reviews in ASO.

Search Optimization Strategies for Websites and Apps

Your SEO and ASO marketing strategy must be clearly defined in the digital marketing plan to ensure maximum exposure of your brand, website, or application and route organic traffic toward your sites and apps.

 Let’s take a look at some integration strategies for Search Engine Optimization and App Store Optimization. 

1. Keyword Strategy for App Stores and Websites

A combined keyword approach means identifying relevant keywords that would be ideal for both the app store and search engines. Consistent brand messages across digital platforms will ensure a more organic audience.

Carry out detailed research of high-performing relevant keywords that would be best suited for your audience, and try to include a keyword in the title.

2. Promoting Cross Platforms

The best way to target a broader audience and route them back to your assets is to promote your website on your app and your app on your website. This way the user is engaged on both platforms and adds to the authenticity of your site and app.

 For instance:

• Have CTA and links on your website that take your audience to your app. If your app is optimized, this action could very well lead to a download.
• Your app can also have a link to your website, where the customers can get more detailed information about your site/brand.

3. Regular Marketing Across Digital Platforms

Brand logos, colors, symbols, content, and other recognizable visual elements need to be consistent throughout all platforms, especially for web and ASO app marketing.

 When customers recognize the brand from other platforms, they tend to trust it more. Other than visuals, even the communication being done in terms of the product descriptions and messages needs to be consistent on both the website and app.

4. App SEO Optimization

When doing SEO for a website, the same can be used as SEO for apps by routing traffic from your website to your app for downloading. Creating infographics about app navigation, sharing the benefits of using the app, and showing other videos can be used to attract customers.

Conclusion

Both ASO and SEO work amazingly well to increase visibility and traffic to your site or app store. It’s important to determine your business model first and then select the right strategy for growth. You also need to consider search intent, targeted platform, and other factors to decide on your optimization strategy. Be sure to use the right tools as well to keep track of your performance and tweak when needed.