Mobile app is continuing to grow, so how can you win in mobile search this year?

The growth of mobile apps has become undeniable. Apple and Google’s app store algorithm update of December 2016 set off a firestorm of activity and app developers struggled at the last minute to ensure that their rankings won’t drop.

In 2017, app developers will need to transition their mindsets from being just user-friendly to being mobile app store metrics optimized.

The mobile app market now represents a huge amount of online traffic. In 2016, it surpassed desktop for Google searches Worldwide. My own research at also indicated that by Q3 of 2015, app purchases had nearly the same average order size as those made on the previous year. People are now using mobile heavily – for their day-to-day internet needs, from browsing to shopping.

As we prepare to head into 2017, this mobile app store optimization trend will only dominate more of the online activity of consumers. For brands to cope with this shift, all their apps must be ASO optimized- seo for apps!

The Importance Of Mobile In Modern Culture

The shift towards mobile will continue to strengthen this 2017.  Mobile phones are expected to reach 90 percent market penetration in the US and the UK by 2017, which means that your customers are going to increasingly use these devices to connect with their friends and learn about new companies and brands with which they are considering doing business.

Not only is the mobile app market itself growing, but the popularity of using these devices to make purchases is also increasing tremendously.

Mobile commerce is increasing 400 times faster than e-commerce and is expected to show growth of 52 percent between 2014 and 2017. Customers are using their devices to make purchases whenever and wherever they might be.

The incredible mobile app optimization revolution has also begun to be reflected in ad spend. Mobile ad spending is projected to top $200 billion in 2017, accounting for more than 60 percent of all digital ads for the first time. Many companies have begun to recognize the importance of mobile when it comes to connecting with customers.

The struggle that many are having, however, is understanding the importance of mobile app launch strategy, Search ads, and optimizing them for what mobile app market consumers want to see and how they behave.

This is why it is worth exploring why Mobile app optimization matters!

App Store Optimization 2017 

The critical foundation for any mobile app is ensuring that the app itself has been optimized properly. One in four apps has not been optimized to reach the mobile audience.

There are lots of  app store optimization agencies online who put out their own guidebook for brands on how to market thier apps. Use those guidelines to make sure that your app is ready for the influx of mobile users that 2017 will likely bring.

Mobile app optimization also requires developing a keen understanding of user behavior. Customers are using their mobile internet activity for different things. For example, online shoppers who use their smartphones before or during a shopping experience in a brick-and-mortar store are actually 35 percent more likely to buy than those who did not use these mobile devices.

These differences in usage also stretch across different companies and industries. According to my research, the engagement rates for some industries, such as retail, were abysmal — around only 7 percent for mobile. This number starts to make sense, however, when you consider that customers are likely to use their smart devices to access a retailer’s page when they are interested in easy access information, such as a phone number, store hours or the location of the nearest online store.

This type of usage might register low user engagement, but it is still critical for your success. A poorly designed app that does not easily offer users this critical information can quickly lose sales as users just move on to the next option that addresses their needs.

Optimizing your app requires taking a careful look at what your mobile users are likely to want to see. You will want to focus on developing task-centered content and ensuring that the app’s user interface is easy for users to interact with even on a small mobile screen.

This means paying attention to small details, like not making buttons too close together. Loading times can also be critical for mobile devices. Almost half of mobile users expect apps to load fast, and the longer an app takes to load, the lower your engagement will be. Up to 40 percent will lose interest in the app that takes time to load. So minimize parts of your app, such as graphics and unnecessary scripts, that slow down loading times.

It is also vital to remember that users on mobile are as much as two times more likely to share content than those on desktop. If your app has missing or hard-to-use social sharing buttons, you could be missing huge opportunities for user engagement and reach. Make sure that the content produced for your mobile app is ready to be shared across the social platforms.

Do Not Neglect Mobile App Optimization also known as App Store Optimization

Almost 50 percent of mobile sales from the leading 500 merchants came through mobile apps. An estimated 70K apps are added on iTunes each month, and 60K are added on Google Play.

To get your mobile app to stand out from this crowd, you need to focus primarily on the user experience. People use apps because they want an easier way to access what your brand has to offer, so the design your mobile app with user in mind.

The app should also be easy to find, meaning that your app store keyword research should be in place – your metadata must contain relevant keywords are important. Just like any other search engine, the search functions in these app stores need to show the most helpful content to users.

To help improve your ASO rankings, watch ratings, correct any problems and use language that users are likely to employ when searching.

Final Thoughts

Mobile has taken the world by storm, and the trend shows that there’s no sign of slowing down. The year 2017 will see even more mobile growth as we recognize the convenience of using these devices to access information online and participate in mobile commerce.

Location-based marketing and mobile payments will be a key feature in mobile app launch strategy  in 2017. Brands that want to remain competitive need to optimize their apps, track performance and make sure their app marketing strategy, is ready today.