How Mobile SEO Works

Google mobile search has been displaying not only websites but also applications in SERP results for several years. This solution allows you to get a large number of installs outside the App Store and Google Play, which means that search engine optimization for mobile applications should not be ignored. In the article, we will analyze in detail how and why this should be done.

Why should app SEO be in your marketing strategy?

Recently, search on mobile devices has been used more often than on computers, and Google confirms this. The appearance of a mobile application in search results will allow you not only to get new users, but also to attract the attention of existing ones. It may happen that your users are looking for something that is in the application.

If you think that the majority of users come from searching for mobile app stores - Google Play or App Store - you are wrong. Google partnered with Ipsos MediaCT to conduct a study showing that only 40% of apps are installed this way. The remaining 60% come from different sources: on the recommendation of loved ones, through search engines, the company's website, and even TV ads. 27% of those 60 (or one in four users) find and install apps from search results. Without mobile app SEO, you're losing 27% of potential users.

Targeted ads and contextual advertising are no less effective. Of all the types of ads used to promote and install applications, 50% of downloads come from search ads, 50% from all other ads combined.

 As you can see, search is an important source of user traffic, so don't ignore SEO for mobile apps.

SEO ranking factors for apps

An app's position in search results is influenced by keywords, reviews and ratings, and high-quality backlinks.

Keywords help your app rank higher in search results. You can use Yandex Wordstat, Google Keyword Planner, or a third-party tool (for example, App Radar) to find the right keywords. Use the most popular "keys" in the title and description of the application, but remember that they should look natural in the text. First of all, you write for users, not for search engines.

Reviews and ratings are important for both a mobile app store and SEO. For example, on Google, search rank is highly dependent on how users think of your product, so having good reviews and reviews is essential.

Backlinks are the backbone of any SEO. The more quality backlinks your app gets, the better. First, add button links to the download page on your site, then try to get as many mentions of your application as possible (of course, with links) on other thematic resources. The more high-quality backlinks (domain age, user behavior on the site, etc.) your app gets, the better Google will rank it in search results. High-quality backlinks will never harm the application, they are reliable and will not entail search engine sanctions. To check the authority of the resource on which you plan to post a link, you can use various services, such as Website Authority Checker.

You can also create a separate website to promote the application. We have already described why the application needs a website and how exactly it will help in promotion.

How users find apps in mobile search

Now let's talk about what other options are there for displaying an application in search.

The most common option is application packages. Statistics show that 1 in 10 mobile searches have an app bundle.

An app bundle is a group of suggested apps that appear in search results for a specific query. For example, if you search for "food tracking application", you will be presented with an application package that includes several suitable products. The package contains a minimum of information for each application: name, icon, rating, number of installations.

Depending on the user's request, the package proposed by the search engine may contain from 30 to 100 applications. But by default, only 3-6 apps are displayed. The full list will open when you click the "more applications" button.

If someone searches for your app for a specific request (via title or key phrase), the search may immediately display a link to the product page in the app store. In this case, the search results show the application name, icon, rating, number of installations, part of the description and the install button. By clicking the button, the user will immediately go to the store to install the application.

Application indexing is useful for engaging existing users and attracting old ones. Google ranks not only entire apps, but internal app screens as well. This means that once users have installed your app, they can search for specific content for it and open the content directly in the app. If searches that match your app are sent by people who haven't installed it yet, a product installation card will appear in the search results.

App indexing allows you to make sure that Google has indexed your app and it will show up in searches. To set up app indexing, you need to integrate Firebase App Indexing into the product, this will not only allow you to be in the search, but also direct users to the appropriate screens in the application.

App Store Optimization

As useful as SEO(Affordable seo agency in manchester, uk) is, keep in mind that App Store and Google Play searches are still the main channel for app discovery. Therefore, take the time to optimize this as well, otherwise the app's visibility in the store will be low.

To appear in the search results of the app store, your product must be considered relevant for the user's search phrase. You can influence how the store's algorithm indexes an app by placing keywords in the app title, subtitle, keywords field, short description, and description.

An app can take a high place in the overall rating if it receives the required number of downloads, user reviews and a good average rating. Several metrics for app performance and usage (such as crashes, storage, and user engagement) allow app stores to indicate app quality.

There are a lot of things to consider during the development process, so you can discuss plans for promotion at the initial stage of work. Continuous product support, periodic updates, taking into account user opinions will not go unnoticed. All this can significantly affect the position of the application both in the search results and in the top charts, which in turn will bring more loyal customers and stable income.

As you can see, promoting an application takes time, effort and some knowledge. You can try to do it yourself or entrust it to specialists. But you can't do without optimization, because it is one of the keys to the success of your application.