⚡️App Store Optimization (ASO) is a growth hacking method growing startups in the US, Asia, and worldwide. It's an organic tactic to acquire new users: ASO increases free app downloads from user searches, browsing, and direct traffic. At True Digital Park's Startup Boost Program, Mentor-in-Residence, Colin Hodge, taught this hacking boot camp for a closed-door crowd. You can get the slides here, which cover some of the in-person content! ➡️ Millions of free users are acquired every day by startups. Find out how! 樂 ⚔️ Add this knowledge to your entrepreneur tool-belt: * What is App Store Optimization (ASO)? * How startups get millions of free downloads & users * The Playbook to Supercharge your own marketing results * How you can get 1000s of new users in 30 days Colin's ASO Playbook is a never-before-released proven process for growing your own startup's downloads on the App Store and Play Store. ⛱ This talk is perfect for anyone who: * Is a CEO, Founder, CMO, or Investor in Startups * Is involved in marketing strategy or execution for a startup * Is developing mobile apps * Is curious about how to gain user traction without spending lots of money

1. "SUCCESS SEEMS TO BE
CONNECTED WITH ACTION.
SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE KEEP MOVING.
THEY MAKE MISTAKES, BUT THEY
DON'T QUIT.”
—CONRAD HILTON
Get Free Users:
ASO Crash Course
www.ColinHodge.com
TDPK TALK: Global Tech Review EP. 22
Mar 9, 2021

2. How many of you
have heard of these
apps?

3. Hungry Hub - Dining Offer
App (240k/yr)
Foodman (140k/yr)
Drizly: Alcohol delivery. Order
Wine Beer & Liquor (1m/yr)
Too Good To Go - fight food waste,
save great food (200k/yr)
Thailand U
SA

4. DOWN Hookup: 18+ Instant Match
~2,000,000 Installs / yr

5. “In 2014, I noticed a small jump in users one
day. After investigating, I found that we were
ranked for a good keyword on App Store
search. That was the spark that led to
optimizing our App Store listing, resulting in
10x free downloads by experimenting with the
next 3 app updates!”

6. The #1
livestreaming app
in Developed Asia,
17 Live, while Chief
Growth Officer and
Head of Marketing
Startup Founder
Executive
Consultant
Mentor

7. Results: While CGO @ 17Live

8. What is
“ASO?”

9. ✅ App Store Optimization is a tactic
for increasing free app downloads
from user searches, browsing, and
direct traffic.
What is
“ASO?”

10. ASO is a form of
growth hacking

11. How can you do
ASO?

12. ASO Playbook: Supercharge your Marketing
● Step 1: Understand the funnel
● Step 2 : [Traffic] Brainstorming a keyword list
● Step 3: [Traffic] Traffic Ranking Score™
● Step 4: [Traffic] Fields to plant seeds
● Step 5: [Interest] Getting tapped (icon, title, subtitle, rating)
● Step 6: [Conversion] Product Page
● Step 7: Boosted by Ratings
● Step 8: Boosted by ARPU, Retention, SEO & Back-linking
● Step 9: Create ASO schedule

13. Meet
Socialgiver
Use "ASOCOURSE" to get 50 THB discount
on Socialgiver app & take part in creating
more social impacts together! 🎁 Shop
deals for charity here >>
https://socialgiver.page.link/mobileapp

14. Step 1: Understand the Funnel ⤵
Traffic
Search Discover: Featured Discover: Charts

15. Step 1: Understand the Funnel ⤵
Interest
App displayed in list App product page
User taps on your app

16. Step 1: Understand the Funnel ⤵
Conversion
App installed!
App product page
User taps Install

17. Sources of Inspiration:
● Psychology of your target users: get into your customers' mindset
● Users’ words used in reviews
● News articles about your app or industry
● Looking at competitors’ listings
More:
● Your category name and similar words
● Google keyword tool
● ASO tools: AppTweak, AppFigures, SensorTower
● Thesaurus
Step 2: [Traffic] Brainstorming a keyword list

18. Let’s brainstorm for Socialgiver!
● thailand
● giftcards
● shop
● social enterprise
● charity
● hotel
● resort
● vacation
● discount
● food
● donate
● ...
Step 2: [Traffic] Brainstorming a keyword list

19. Analyze your keywords:
● Each keyword has a Traffic Volume Score
● and a Difficulty Score
● Traffic Ranking Score™ = Traffic Volume Score - Difficulty Score
● We want to find the sweet spot of keywords that are achievable and
have decent traffic
Step 3: [Traffic] Traffic Ranking Score™

20. Planting your keywords:
● Apple looks at your Title, Subtitle, and Keywords fields to aid
searches (Title > Subtitle > Keywords)
● Google looks at your Title, Subtitle, and Description field to aid
searches (Title > Subtitle > Description)
● Each field has a character limit
● Some other limits apply:
○ no other brand names, for the most part
○ certain vulgarities aren’t allowed
Step 4: [Traffic] Fields to plant seeds

21. Planting Socialgiver’s keywords:
Step 4: [Traffic] Fields to plant seeds

22. Get your app tapped:
● Users may see your app in many places: searches, featured lists,
category rankings, or direct links to your listing
● You want to maximize conversion when they see it
● Your app icon, title, subtitle, and rating all affect conversion rates
● In some entry points, screenshots and promo videos also matter
Step 5: [Interest] Getting tapped

23. Get Socialgiver’s app tapped:
Step 5: [Interest] Getting tapped
● Icon stands out but worth trying some others
● Use a longer name that mentions the
benefits / purpose
● Add a subtitle to further describe the reason a
user would want it
● Good rating!

24. Close the deal:
● Visitors are likely already interested, so make sure to hammer home the
key selling points so they convert to installers
● Your app icon, title, subtitle, screenshots, description, rating, and reviews
from users all affect conversion rates
● Utilize a thorough Description field to explain your product, mission, app
benefits, user testimonials, etc.
● Use the Promotional and Updates fields to keep your listing feeling fresh
& active
● Rough guess at this point: Rating > User Reviews > Title > Screenshots >
Subtitle > Description > Promo & Updates > Icon
Step 6: [Conversion] Product Page

25. Close the deal for Socialgiver:
Step 6: [Conversion] Product Page
● Good rating!
● Add a longer description
● User reviews are mostly positive, but need
more that talk about the unique selling points
● Use a longer name that mentions the
benefits / purpose
● Add a subtitle to further describe the reason a
user would want it
● Add promo & update text mentioning latest
deals

26. The Black Box:
● No one knows for sure how much Apple & Google weigh your app’s
ratings (and the exact time window that matters) for recommending your
app for searches
● But we are sure it has an effect!
● Aim for 4.0 or higher
● Track your rating regularly and try to keep the last 30d positive
● Sudden spikes or dips affect your exposure
Step 7: Boosted by Ratings

27. The Black Box:
● No one knows for sure how much Apple & Google weigh these other
signals of your popularity
● But we have observed a correlation.
● When we improved our conversion of users from free to paid, our ASO
improved.
● When users uninstall your app less often, or open it more often, that’s
another signal.
● Website back-links to your same domain, along with other SEO practices
help.
Step 8: Boosted by ARPU, Retention, SEO & Back-linking

28. Rinse & Repeat:
● Monitor your ASO every 2-4 weeks, using one of the many tools available
● Check which keywords you improved your ranking, which are bringing
you downloads, and cut some of the stubborn losers
● Refresh your brainstorm list
● Try out new keywords in your fields, aiming to maximize your total Traffic
Keyword Score from the keywords you include each time
● Try not to release app updates more often than every 2 weeks
Step 9: Create ASO Schedule

29. How can you get
1000s of new users
in 30 days?

30. Hustle:
● Follow the playbook for 2 app releases, 2 weeks apart
● Focus on your Title, Subtitle, Keywords fields for iOS; Title, Subtitle,
Description fields for Android
● Get your rating above 4.0 and a quick boost
○ Get 25 friends to rate & review it
○ Prompt your users to rate at the right times
○ Other means…
● Try 2-3 other boosts: SEO work, press / blogs, small search ad budget, etc.
How to get 1000s of new users in 30 days

31. "SUCCESS SEEMS TO BE
CONNECTED WITH ACTION.
SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE KEEP MOVING.
THEY MAKE MISTAKES, BUT THEY
DON'T QUIT.”
—CONRAD HILTON
www.ColinHodge.com
Contact info, slides, more info:
Thank you!

32. ASO Tools:
● AppTweak
● SensorTower
● AppFigures
● App Annie
Appendix