App Store Optimization in 2022: Key iOS Changes

What is up app nation? It is Steve P young founder of Appmasters.com. The place you go when you want action packed content related to helping you grow your up downloads and your revenues. And today we're going to do, we're going to break down all the new features for ASO. In 2022, we have a YouTube playlist where we really break down ASO. Not a lot has changed. From the fundamentals, but there have been some new features on both flat platforms that we're going to cover today.

And joining me today is Rita from ASO mobile to really talk about some of the big impacts on ASO, Rita. Welcome to the show Hey. All right, Rita. I know one of the biggest features that I'm most excited about is apples in app events. Now for those, and I'm going to read straight off of Apple's thing. In-app events are timely events within apps and games, such as competitions. You got movie premiers, you've got live stream events or more.

You can do anything really. Challenges, you can so read more about it. We're going to go through some of the documentation of it. But what I really want to talk about here is how it's going to really impact ASO. So Rita, what are your thoughts on in-app events and how its impact on ASO? Okay. So, you know, I see that the in-app events. They specifically, they are going to increase the app visibility that's for sure. So that could give you more search results or, um, more options for turning users.

When they searched for an app, they can see the, uh, they will not see the screen short, but they will see this popup with the event and. I think that, um, Zale appear in editorials as well. Collections like today games, taps. So everybody will definitely see them, you know? And so I get that. It will be a great thing to. Yeah. And I, I completely agree with that. I think it's such a new thing. And I think Rita, let me know if you think so, too, but when apple comes out with a new thing, like back in the day when apple first launched the apple search ads, there was a huge impact on AI.

So if you're running, if you're bidding on a certain keyword, you would see an increase in ranking for that particular keyword. And that's why I feel about an app events is if you have a good title, Again, look at the details on Apple's website, about how big you can make your title. But if you have a good title, you have a good short description within this in-app event type of feature, then that's going to actually help your ASO.

And we did a small case study with a developer friend of mine. I'll link that into the YouTube description, but he talked about how he was able to get, he was able to rank for like Thanksgiving stickers or something like that because of his. Yeah, I definitely see that, um, in this situation you need to be sure in good ASO, you know, uh, because whatever that like short description, a long description, and if you have these, um, very well-made ASO, that will definitely help you.

And, um, that's how you will kind of boost, you know? Yeah. At least. Yeah. And like you mentioned Rita, it's all about that editorial too. So apple wants to feature some of their own new features as well as a feature size, but they want to showcase some of their new features. And so if you have an in-app event, a friend of mine got a, a feature just because he incorporated in app event. Now you didn't see too much of an impact Rita on downloads, but I think why not?

Right? It is a new feature. I'm actually pushing a lot of my clients on my end to really start incorporating in app events. Anything else you want to cover on NF event? Oh, I would also like to add that, um, you know, um, maybe just to highlight that, um, it also help to more options for 20 users, you know, when users search for an app and the event card replaces queen shorts. So it provides developers with, um, a new opportunity to do, to increase the engagement with the current users.

Okay. Ulcer, uh, really important for the other. Yeah. That's so true. I love that point too. Yeah, I completely agree, because you're starting to see that when you search for, let's say meditation, all that stuff. If you have, uh, an app event about meditation, like a seven day challenge, you actually see that versus your screenshots. And then that's a great way to re-engage your users too. I love that point. All right.

Uh, the next thing that we want to move on. Is the long awaited it's finally arrived. Rita it's AB testing on iOS. Now I broke down a video on how to do it right now, but just go over, let's go over some of the critical things on AB testing on ISO. So the first thing that you can do is let's just break down the AB testing feature, read it, and then we'll talk about custom product pages and the difference between the two, but the AB testing feature allows you to test, I think eventually app icon, but I couldn't see that on there, but the first thing that you should definitely be testing is.

Oh sure. Ever is said everything is about the visuals, you know, especially for talk about the customers. Uh, but yeah. Um, you can customize your product productivity. And promotional text and a preview for any page localization. So, um, I, but Destin is definitely Samsung lawn rated and, um, it'll help on all of the stages, you know, uh, to check the data, to gather the data about the, the base of that. And, um, also.

Hmm. I think that apple search has, will, uh, support custom product pages. So you can use them to create tailored ad options and variants, which is also nice. Yeah. Yeah. And I think with AB testing, one of the long thing, one of the most questions I get about is should I use video? Should I use stack in images? And so. I actually did an AB test video versus non video, and he saw an increase in downloads conversion.

So impressions over. Downloads over impressions by not having a video. And so that's one of the biggest things I think you should be testing is video versus non video. And then definitely start testing the order of your screenshots, which messaging is actually more important. I always am pushing to have social proof in one of the first three screenshots. So I think that's pretty important. But I think with the screenshots, anything you want to add on the screenshot side of things, read it.

Like what I would say that, you know, I went to the test and he's a must, so that's why it was such a long awaited scene. Yeah. But so yeah, destined, tested and tested for that things about testing. And then Rita kind of mentioned this, but with custom product pages of what apple is allowing you to do is create up to 35, right? Rita 35 customer. Yeah. 35 custom product pages that you can use or apple search ads. And these are like, you can have, I believe different titles.

What are, what are the things that we can customize screenshots, promotional texts, and app previews for each thing. And within that, and Rita kind of mentioned this with the search ads. Yeah, sure though. I think that that would be something really cool for, um, you know, early in your app. So, uh, testing to see how everything works and that's why eat for sure. Can give you lots more downloads, completely agree. And with these custom product pages, so what you can do is create a brand new custom product page, meaning you can have different screenshots different messaging.

So what I would be suggesting to do is cause different ad networks are starting to support these custom product pages. If you're, let's say a meditation app and I'm targeting, let's just throw something out. I grew up Buddhist, but I'm targeting Buddhism Buddhists right on Facebook. And so, or I'm targeting that keyword on apple search ads, and then I can show different screenshots, create a whole new custom product page, an app store, listing page for that community to really speak on that.

And so that really, that relevancy score goes up. And that's where these custom product pages I feel like are really going to start helping. App developers, because you can create an apple search ads campaign for a specific audience and use your screenshots to talk to that specific. Yeah. And again, we're coming to the point that, uh, Dustin is really serious and that the screen shows like visuals, you know, the customers want to download it when something, uh, they match with them, probably something like, ah, yeah.

Okay. I'll get it. Yeah, exactly. Right. I think it's all about relevancy. And if you can talk to the end user, really speak their language reader. Like you got them. Sure. All right, Rita, when it comes down to AB testing, what are some really important things that we should remember when we're trying to run these AB tests? Oh, I see. Um, you know, I think that one of the most important thing is like, uh, don't test more than one hypothesis simultaneously.

So then, um, we need to task fees, variations that significantly differ. That is also a must and needs to be sure because two small details might be truly to look to give you a precise reason. Yeah. If we're thinking of something like not very serious and, uh, you know, it, isn't only about adding or editing elements sometimes it's also about removing them. Maybe you still so check that maybe something is really extra on the, let me see.

Um, if you have a tiny number of visitors, your result won't be accurate enough. So we need to bear that in. Yeah. And what apple does. So I love those points too. I think what that's the biggest mistake I've seen people do is they try to test too many things at once. I'm like one thing at a time I'm usually good about that and then change it dramatically, right? Like sometimes it's a dramatic look, not just like juggle with the green button or.

Okay. It's like make it dramatic, right? Like make it really, really different. Make a different button. Let's use triangle buttons. Let's do, let's get rid of these. Try these try rectangle rounded corner. One last thing I want to mention is Apple's actually telling you, hello. It's going to take. So how much do you want to improve for this AB test and, uh, how long that would take depending on the organic downloads or the download that you've been getting?

So apple has been really good about that. I'm like Google, they were just kind of like up in the air. What the hell, how long it's gonna take. We don't know apple actually tell you this will take, if you want to improve about 20%, this is going to take. Four weeks because you don't get that many downloads. And so apple is really good about that. So the D the data part, we don't have to worry about that as much, but you might just have to wait a longer time period.

If you're not getting that many downloads. So drive some downloads in there, run some ads. If you really want to get a true AB test. Rita. Anything else on the new stuff on iOS for 2020, they, you want to mention that I might've missed. Um, I would like to add, uh, something about, you know, AB testing for different locals because you're testing results. Um, for Spain, uh, wanted to be the same as for the United States.

You need to consider these tasks local in order to optimize and increase the conversion for the different locals. And, um, I think in, um, about the Google play in the iOS, um, you know, besides some, don't use your mobile AB testing results from the, um, apple app store in Google play store. Use the behavior, um, user behavior is different in each store. That's why they are separate actually. So we need to consider them separately and the layout of what stores is different.

So if you want it to have accurate results, you should test for each platform separately. Great point Rita. And one thing I want to add on is one client. We were AB testing screenshots on Google play, and we noticed that. There was no difference between portrait versus landscape. Now I'm a big fan of, I think it's portrait where I can show three verticals on iOS, but on Google play, the thing is the screenshots are not shown in the search results.

So on iOS, they are. So you might want to have three different screenshots for the Google play, where you only see the icon. So to your point, Don't take some of the data you got on iOS and bring it into Google play. Now you can AB test on both platforms. Is it go ahead. Each platform is different. If you test on both platforms and the results will be different for each different platform. That was so amazing. Anything that you, that we may say you want to make sure that.

No, I think, um, we've made it really detailed. I think that every testing in every event and then re really broke down the best practices for AB testing. All right, guys, join us for part two, where we really break down Google play is so in some of the big changes, I feel like there's real fundamental changes with is so that have a big dramatic impact on downloads. So join us, Rita and I will be back for part two, really breaking down all the new ASO for 2022.

And the last thing I'll say, guys, go check out. ASO. Mobile is a mobile.net. If you're looking for a great ASO tool, they'll give you all the data, all the competitive analysis that you need to grow your organic downloads Rita until next time, I'll see you on part two.