March is here so 2017 still young for App Store Optimization
One of the most difficult and yes, annoying, aspects of App Store Optimisation (ASO) is the constant change. once you learn…. they change the rules, right?
As the app store algorithms are continually enhanced to deliver optimum results, techniques to get your app ranking high in the app listings also never stop evolving.
If you ignore the inevitable trends, your app could well be hit by the latest algorithm update and fall into the uncharted depths of app search results. In short, you should never stop adapting your ASO to exploit the latest trends.
In this article, you’ll learn some important shifts in the ASO landscape, and the opportunities that lie within…
Keyword Rankings Are Still Important (And vital)
Keywords are still the foundation of ASO, but how they are used continues to evolve with available technology. In 2017, be sure to pay close attention to semantic and personalized search.
Search results in the app store now adapt based on the viewer’s search history, and location. For example, someone researching a keyword in the U.S. will often see different results than someone looking up the same topic in the U.K. Results are also becoming more specific based on the searcher’s recent related searches.
Also, specific keywords are now less important than semantic context. App stores interpret queries to show results based on what users mean (which isn’t always the same thing as what they looked for).
While this is great news, the cons here is that tracking the success of an ASO campaign becomes more and more difficult. To accurately analyze the success and failures of your ASO strategy, you’ll now have to account for these overlapping queries.
Opportunity:
This trend is clearly a double-edged sword.
New opportunities to target situational searches catered to a specific user’s needs.
A blockade which makes it more difficult to track keyword rankings.
To avoid inaccurately tracking the impact of your ASO, take these suggestions into your consideration:
Check keyword rankings by using ASO tools.
Proper Competition Analysis
Check geo-specific results by searching for your target location.
This might sound a bit overwhelming considering the number of variables to keep track of, and it very well could be. That’s why ASOtools are invented. Do not track manually… always use Tools. For real
Voice Search Is Rising In Importance
The use of voice search has increased eightfold since 2010, and it will only continue to increase as voice search continues to be directly integrated into interfaces such as Siri, Cortana, and Google Now.
Moreover, voice recognition is becoming more accurate. Compare Google’s 23% error rate way back in 2013 to their 8% error rate in 2015. It also allows for conversational search capabilities, making the user experience a no-brainer. For example, if Siri misinterprets a homonym you can easily correct it without starting your query from scratch.
Voice search is definitely here to stay, so it’s high time we start optimizing our apps for it.
Opportunity:
Voice search depend on context to help with accuracy. As I mentioned earlier, app stores use search history and location to personalize user queries and deliver more accurate results. However, customizing your ASO approach for voice goes beyond just selecting and tracking the right keywords.
Mobile app optimization for voice search is still being explored, but some techniques are already proving more fruitful than others. Here are some strategies to get started with:
Prioritize long-tail phrases
Create FAQs (in the app store description) that answer who, what, when, where, and why.
Research conversational user queries.Explore ASO Beyond Apple and Google Play By Getting Into Amazon (or Chinese App stores)
Believe it or not, Apple and Google Play aren’t the end-all and be-all of mobile searches 😉 Amazon accounts for an important part of the  search engine traffic.
Amazon is a search engine too! It is a big, exciting place for online app business owners to broaden their customer bases and boost their sales.
Simply put, exploring optimization specifically for Amazon results is well worth your time.
Opportunity:
Amazon App Store Optimization isn’t very different from what you’re used to with Google and Apple; if anything, it’s even more straightforward.
Begin by covering your bases. Make sure that your pages are being indexed, and increase Bing’s crawl frequency to keep your indexed content up to date.
The second step is understanding the major differences between Bing and Google optimization. For the most part, the on-page SEO techniques have little variance. However, there are a few subtle differences. For example, Bing’s keyword optimization is simpler:

• Use your keywords in the title.
• Keywords in the description count, take advantage of it.
• Use great visuals
• Submit your App for a Featured Marketing Placement
• Try the Free App of The Day feature
• Localize!

Also, make sure that you consider the importance of social media impact. Social sharing is definitely important to Amazon. So by running a social media promotion after publishing your content, you’ll kill two birds with one stone.
Conclusion
As the rules of ASO continue to shift towards a human-optimized world, it’s becoming harder and harder to game the system. For me, this is a great thing, but it’s still important to remember that quality apps, unique, and more user-friendly interface is only part of the solution
Being up-to-date with imitation aspects like ASO and voice optimization is still and probably will always be the major pieces of the puzzle.
Do any of these ASO opportunities excite you, and why? Weigh in on these ASO trends in the comments section below!