4 Ways to Future-Proof App Store Optimization for 2025

Over half a billion people browse the Apple App Store weekly and over 25 billion apps were downloaded from Google Play in Q1 2024 alone. Mastering App Store Optimization (ASO) has become more critical than ever. In an increasingly competitive app market, where the average Cost Per Install can vary from $1.5 to $5 depending on the platform and region, effective ASO is key to not only standing out, but capturing greater customer value. An under-optimized app store listing drives fewer downloads, which lowers visibility even further. In North America alone, CPI rates for iOS apps can surge as high as $5, highlighting the need to optimize your app’s presence to efficiently attract and effectively convert customers. 

ASO isn’t just about improving visibility; it’s about driving growth. ASO directly impacts your conversion rates, which can improve rankings and improve your app’s market share on both the App Store and Google Play. A well-executed ASO strategy allows you to expand your customer base and reach new customers outside your core audience. As ASO practices evolve in real-time, understanding and acting on these changes is vital to staying ahead of your competitors.

In our recent webinar, ASO expert Dave Bell, GM of Airship’s Gummicube, shared insights into the latest trends shaping ASO for 2025. Here’s a brief overview of Dave’s key strategies: 

Leverage New Apple Features

Apple has introduced new capabilities allowing deep linking from Custom Product Pages (CPPs). This powerful tool enables you to improve engagement by tailoring the top of the funnel to match the specific interests of your audience. 

Custom Product Pages (CPPs) allow you to create 35 different product pages for your store listing, with unique URLs to include in your advertising campaigns. They are crucial for improving conversion rates, especially for brands with significant web traffic. Now, new deep linking features for CPPs allow users to navigate directly to specific sections of an app from the app store product page, driving more targeted customer interactions from the very first touchpoint.CPPs already optimize the initial download process, but deep links for CPPs take it a step further by improving post-download engagement. Users prefer immediate access to the content they’re interested in, and apps that don’t implement deep links may fall behind in user engagement and overall performance. As this practice becomes more prevalent, consumers will likely start to expect to be taken to the section of an app that was featured on the store listing.

Adapt to Focus State and Search Behavior

Apple’s Focus State feature for the App Store may significantly influence search behavior by offering personalized recommendations. As search patterns become more individualized, it’s crucial to adapt your ASO strategy as users’ behaviors evolve.

Focus State personalized recommendations while maintaining standard suggested searches. This feature aims to offer users a more tailored search experience without completely abandoning broad store trends. With recent searches prominently displayed, apps that previously benefited from trending suggested searches might see a traffic decline. However, the strong influence of search suggestions will likely persist, with recent searches gradually incorporating these suggestions. This balance between personalization and broad trends could reshape user search behavior on the App Store.

Optimize Keyword Targeting

Custom Store Listings (CSLs) on Google Play now support targeted keyword optimization, allowing you to hone in on specific keywords. To maintain a competitive edge, develop CSLs that are strategically crafted with targeted keyword strategies tailored to different audiences. When users search those terms your customized pages are presented to them. This means that using CSLs in Google Play could immediately give apps an advantage in organic search ranking due to potentially higher conversion rates.

What CPPs and CSLs do is give brands the ability to have multiple landing pages inside both of the app stores. Customizing app store listings to target important user demographics with seasonal and culturally relevant content or listings relevant to different searches allows marketers to increase conversion rates and lower the cost of user acquisition across all traffic sources — paid, organic, earned and owned. Apple and Google have made it much easier to get started achieving these benefits with CPPs and Custom Store Listings, respectively.

Understand Google Keyword Suggestions

When optimizing your Custom Store Listings (CSLs), Google’s may suggest keywords based on your current market position rather than where you aspire to be. Don’t interpret these suggestions as your most important keywords or stop optimizing your app with ASO.  If you do, you’ll just maintain the current traffic levels you have instead of growing. 

Key ASO Insights for 2025

The webinar also covers: 

• The impact of ASO on different areas of the App Store ecosystem
• How algorithms influence Browse and Explore traffic in app stores
• An in-depth explanation of new Apple and Google features
• Strategies for effectively leveraging Custom Store Listings and Custom Product Pages

As ASO continues to evolve, staying on top of these changes will help you maximize your app’s visibility and downloads.

Don’t miss out on these insights that could transform your ASO strategy for 2025. Watch our on-demand webinar, ASO for 2025: Future-Proof Your App Visibility & Downloads, for all the details and to stay ahead in the competitive app market.