Apple Store Optimization (ASO) is a new term that marketers need to become familiar with.  At the end for 2010,  Apple’s iOS app store grew to over  s 300,000 apps and still counting.  Customers behavior confirms that there is much value in launching apps – if they are relevant, user friendly and make a specific task or process more convenient.

More than 80% of the traffic in the Apple App Store is directed to free apps.  So, if you are planning to sell your app profitably – get in line for an uphill climb.

Don’t decide to create an app on a business whim.  They are neither easy or cheap to build.  The best way to torpedo your success is to rush and launch an under-developed app that delivers a poor user experience.

Before You Jump In Feet First . . .

It pays to do your research.  Apps are neither easy or cheap to build.  Therefore  doing your homework is the most direct approach to success.

It’s all about the customer, remember?  Your app can be brilliant, but if it not user friendly and fulfills the needs of your customer, then it is useless and will not be profitable.

So, study the market and develop a plan.

• What do the top 100 ranking apps in your category have in common?
• What features do the top apps overall have in common
• What features and services are customers searching for that could give your app an edge.
• What are customers willing to pay?  Paid apps should stay under the $4.99 price point, as customers still expect to pay very little, even for high-quality apps.

Development Considerations

• Preview/Lite Versions – more than 80% of the traffic is directed towards free app – so consider offering a free version of the app while outline the benefits of the paid model both in the descriptions and in the app itself.  The “Freemium” will get more exposure for your app and hopefully generate sales from people that try and like “lite/free” version of the app.
• Platform Dependency – Build your app so that it is dependent on a popular platform like Facebook, and then use that name in your copy.

Positioning Considerations

• Naming Convention and Nomenclature – The name of the app must feature a strong keyword.  This will have major impact on your store ranking and it will make it easier for potential customers to find your app via search.
• Copy is King  –
• Image Quality – Make sure to use high quality images to showcase your app and label the images with strong keywords.