Overcast App Store Spotlight

September 26th, 2022

Overcast App Store Spotlight
David Quinn

by David Quinn

VP of Strategy & Partnerships at Gummicube, Inc.

The popularity of audio content, whether audiobooks or podcasts, has given rise to a plethora of creators that cover various topics. From sports commentators and business experts to motivational speakers and dating coaches, the audio space is filled with plenty of options to listen in on your favorite subjects.

While plenty of apps house podcasts, very few dedicate themselves solely to offering them. Podcasts are often sidelined as an additional feature within music-centered apps with the functionalities revolving more around enjoying your favorite songs rather than talk show hosts. Overcast takes a different approach, making the entire user experience podcast-focused, with the developers curating the app to help you find the perfect show or episode.

However, in a hyper-competitive space like audio, does the Overcast team leverage effective App Store Optimization (ASO) strategies to try and position it well in search results? That’s what we’ll take a look at in today’s App Store Spotlight.

App Metadata - Title

When developing a title for an app, developers want to consider not only how identifiable it may be, but also how it can contribute to better discoverability in search results. Title tags do a great job of relating your app to a set of keywords that users may be searching for and act as a powerful visibility driver. This is because Apple uses the title, subtitle and keyword bank for keyword indexation.

Currently, Overcast does not employ any title tags, leaving valuable positioning opportunity on the table. A recommended strategy the developers can adopt is researching hyper-relevant terms and incorporating them into their current title. By treating this 30-character field as a positioning tool –l and not just a name placeholder – developers can further enhance their current app marketing plan.

App Metadata - Description

Accolades and testimonials are great conversion tools and can provide much-needed credibility to new apps. By leveraging App Store Awards, media publications, and positive user reviews, developers can motivate a user to download by reassuring them of a quality app experience.

The developers at Overcast know the effectiveness of these conversion tactics as they currently incorporate several features and media quotes to back the app performance. However, relying on just third-party praise will seldom fulfill your download potential. Users still want to learn more about your app, what makes it unique, and the specific features that help relate to what they are looking for in a podcast app.

The approach developers take when editing their description will vary depending on where their app is published. Whereas the Google Play Store description acts as a conversion driver and indexation tool, the description for your Apple App Store listing does not contribute to higher visibility. This means that your Play Store description can include keywords to help with your app ranking while your App Store description can be centered around increasing downloads.

If the developers want to optimize their description, a good start would be restructuring it to prioritize distinct value propositions with award mentions and testimonials as complementary elements, as well as consideration for which platform the copy is published.

App Creatives - Screenshots

When it comes to accurately illustrating what users can expect, no other app listing elements do a better job than app store screenshots. With 10 image slots in the Google Play Store and 8 in the App Store, developers have a chance to provide a glimpse into what the app offers.

Overcast takes a literal approach to depict an accurate in-app experience with direct screenshots of app pages that highlight the podcast collection, standout features, and even dark/light modes. But in an industry where audio apps all perform similarly, it’s difficult for users to get a sense of how Overcast differs from the competition with its current set of images.

We recommend including clear, visible copy that supports the images and provides information as to how the screenshot relates to a unique feature on the app. By implementing this, developers can increase their chances of users finding their app relevant to their search query and podcast needs.

Summary

Overcast has a unique opportunity to position itself as a major player in the podcast space. Already featured as a top app and with a number of media companies providing positive reviews and testimonials, there is no reason that the developers can’t position their app as a top podcast contender with a quality app store marketing strategy.

An ASO company can help in providing the expertise and guidance needed to propel an app to the top of search results. Take the guesswork out of your app ranking and control your performance with the help of App Store Optimization.

Want to learn more about App Store Optimization? Contact Gummicube and we’ll help get your strategy started.

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