ASO Agency UK: App Store Optimization That Actually Works

ASO Agency UK: App Store Optimization That Actually Works

You've developed an app, but the downloads aren't coming? App Store Optimization (ASO) is the key to organic growth. In this guide, you'll learn how ASO works, what makes a good agency, and how to make your app visible.

Table of Contents

1. What is ASO and Why is it Important?
2. The Most Important ASO Factors
3. ASO Strategy for 2026
4. When You Need an ASO Agency
5. Costs and ROI
6. FAQ

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What is ASO and Why is it Important?

Definition

ASO (App Store Optimization) is optimizing your app store presence to:

• Rank higher in search results
• Get more impressions
• Improve conversion rate
• Generate more organic downloads

Why ASO is Important

Organic traffic is sustainable

• 65% of all app downloads come through store search
• Once optimized, it works long-term
• No ongoing ad costs

Paid acquisition is expensive

• CPI (Cost per Install) in UK: £1-5 for iOS, £0.50-2 for Android
• CAC constantly rising
• Without ASO, you're burning money

Compounding Effect

• More downloads → Better ranking
• Better ranking → More downloads
• The effect reinforces itself

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The Most Important ASO Factors

On-Metadata Factors (You control them)

1. App Name / Title

iOS: 30 characters, highest keyword weight Android: 30 characters, important for rankings

Best Practice:

• Brand + main keyword
• Example: "Calm - Sleep, Meditation"
• No keyword stuffing

2. Subtitle (iOS) / Short Description (Android)

iOS Subtitle: 30 characters, second-highest weight Android Short Description: 80 characters

Best Practice:

• Complementary keywords
• Value proposition
• Example: "Reduce Stress & Anxiety"

3. Keywords (iOS only)

100 hidden keyword characters

Best Practice:

• No duplicates from title/subtitle
• Comma-separated, no spaces
• Use long-tail keywords
• Localization for each market

4. Long Description (Android)

4,000 characters, indexed for keywords

Best Practice:

• Incorporate keywords naturally
• Structured content
• Call-to-actions
• Update regularly

5. Visuals

App Icon

• Recognizable even small
• A/B test
• Consistent with brand

Screenshots

• Show core features
• Text overlays for benefits
• First 2 are critical
• Localize per market

Preview Video

• 15-30 seconds
• Autoplay in store
• First 3 seconds decisive

Off-Metadata Factors (Indirectly influenceable)

1. Ratings & Reviews

• Average > 4.0 for good ranking
• Review volume counts
• Recency important

Strategy:

• In-app review prompts (at the right time)
• Respond to negative reviews
• Fix bugs quickly

2. Download Velocity

• How fast are downloads increasing?
• Peaks (launch, features) push ranking
• Constant growth > Spikes

3. Engagement Metrics

• Retention (D1, D7, D30)
• Session length
• Uninstall rate

4. Backlinks & Mentions

• App store links from websites
• Press coverage
• Social media mentions

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ASO Strategy for 2026

Phase 1: Keyword Research (Week 1-2)

1. Collect seed keywords

• Brainstorming
• Analyze competitors
• Understand user language

2. Keyword analysis

• Check search volume
• Estimate difficulty
• Evaluate relevance

3. Keyword mapping

• Title keywords (highest priority)
• Subtitle keywords
• Description keywords

Tools: AppTweak, Sensor Tower, App Radar

Phase 2: Store Listing Optimization (Week 3-4)

1. Optimize title & subtitle

• Prepare A/B test variants
• Localization for UK

2. Keywords (iOS)

• Fully utilize 100 characters
• No waste through duplicates

3. Description (Android)

• Keyword-rich description
• Clear structure

4. Revise visuals

• Screenshots with benefits
• A/B test icon
• Create/optimize video

Phase 3: Launch & Iteration (Ongoing)

1. Measure baseline

• Rankings for target keywords
• Conversion rate (impressions → downloads)
• Organic vs. paid split

2. Run A/B tests

• Google Play: Native A/B testing
• iOS: Product Page Optimization
• One variable per test

3. Iterate monthly

• Adjust keywords
• Monitor new competitors
• Use seasonal trends

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When You Need an ASO Agency

DIY is okay if:

• Your app has < 1,000 downloads/month
• You have time and interest to learn
• Budget is very limited
• You're only targeting one market

Agency makes sense if:

• You want to scale quickly
• Multiple markets (localization)
• Competition is intense
• No internal know-how available
• You want to focus on product

What Makes a Good ASO Agency

Demonstrable expertise

• Case studies with real numbers
• Experience in your category
• Current tool knowledge

Clear process

• Structured onboarding
• Regular reports
• Clear KPIs defined

No black box

• You understand what they do
• Access to tools and data
• Knowledge transfer included

Realistic expectations

• No "1,000% more downloads" promises
• Timeframe clearly communicated
• Dependencies explained

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Costs and ROI

Typical Agency Prices (UK)

Service	One-time	Monthly
Keyword Research	£500-£2,000	-
Store Listing Optimization	£1,000-£3,000	-
Full ASO Management	-	£1,500-£5,000
Localization (per language)	£300-£800	-
A/B Testing Management	-	£500-£1,500

ROI Calculation

Example:

• Currently: 5,000 organic downloads/month
• After ASO: 8,000 organic downloads/month
• Additional downloads: 3,000
• CPI savings (vs. paid): £2 × 3,000 = £6,000/month

Investment: £2,500/month Return: £6,000/month ROI: 140%

Break-Even

Typical: 2-4 months until ASO investment pays off Prerequisite: App already has product-market fit

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Conclusion

ASO is not a one-time project but a continuous process. With the right strategy, you can significantly increase your organic downloads - without paying for every install.

At Balane Tech, we help app developers with ASO and app marketing. From keyword research to ongoing optimization. Contact us for a free ASO analysis of your app.

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FAQ

How long until ASO takes effect?

First ranking improvements after 2-4 weeks. Full effect after 2-3 months.

Does ASO work for new apps?

Yes, but harder. New apps have no history. Combination with paid acquisition recommended at the start.

How does ASO differ for iOS and Android?

iOS: Keyword field (100 characters) very important, title shorter. Android: Long description indexed, more space in title.

Can ASO alone make my app successful?

ASO brings users to the app. Whether they stay depends on the product. Without product-market fit, even the best ASO won't help.

How do I measure ASO success?

Most important metrics: Keyword rankings, impressions, conversion rate, organic downloads. Tools like AppTweak or Sensor Tower help.

Does paid acquisition affect organic ranking?

Yes, indirectly. More downloads (even paid) can improve rankings. But quality of users counts (retention).