Selecting the appropriate app category is crucial for effectively promoting your app or game in the Apple App and Google Play stores. This article serves as a guide to understanding app categories and their impact on App Store Optimization (ASO).
What are App Categories?
App categories are organizational systems in the Apple App and Google Play stores that help users discover new apps. For instance, a user can explore the "Finance" category in the Apple App Store to find financial tools like personal money managers and mobile banking apps.
Apple App Store
- Primary Category: Crucial for discoverability; this is where your app will appear in search results.
- Secondary Category: An additional classification that can enhance discoverability.
Google Play Store
- Application Type: Apps are classified as either an app or a game.
- Single Category: Each app is assigned one category.
- Tags: Developers can add tags to better describe their app’s features, which can influence app placement.
Complete List of Categories (as of August 2020)
Apple App Store (Apps)
- Books
- Business
- Developer Tools
- Education
- Entertainment
- Finance
- Food & Drink
- Games
- Graphics & Design
- Health & Fitness
- Lifestyle
- Magazines & Newspapers
- Medical
- Music
- Navigation
- News
- Photo & Video
- Productivity
- Reference
- Shopping
- Social Networking
- Sports
- Stickers
- Travel
- Utilities
- Weather
Apple App Store (Games)
- Action
- Adventure
- Arcade
- Board
- Card
- Casino
- Casual
- Dice
- Educational
- Family
- Music
- Puzzle
- Racing
- Role Playing
- Simulation
- Sports
- Strategy
- Trivia
- Word
Google Play Store (Apps)
- Art & Design
- Augmented Reality
- Auto & Vehicles
- Beauty
- Books & Reference
- Business
- Comics
- Communication
- Dating
- Daydream
- Education
- Entertainment
- Events
- Finance
- Food & Drink
- Health & Fitness
- House & Home
- Libraries & Demo
- Lifestyle
- Maps & Navigation
- Medical
- Music & Audio
- News & Magazines
- Parenting
- Personalization
- Photography
- Productivity
- Shopping
- Social
- Sports
- Tools
- Travel & Local
- Video Players & Editors
- Wear OS by Google
- Weather
Google Play Store (Games)
- Action
- Adventure
- Arcade
- Board
- Card
- Casino
- Casual
- Educational
- Music
- Puzzle
- Racing
- Role Playing
- Simulation
- Sports
- Strategy
- Trivia
- Word
How Do App Categories Affect ASO?
App Store Optimization (ASO) involves enhancing an app's visibility in search results and increasing its conversion rate. The category you select influences how users find your app, impacting both relevancy and competition.
Relevancy
- Importance: The chosen category must be relevant to your app to comply with app store guidelines and meet user expectations.
- Benefits: Apps in relevant categories are more likely to attract downloads from users browsing those categories.
Competition
- Strategy: If your app fits multiple categories, opt for the one with less competition to improve your chances of ranking higher.
- Considerations: Competing with top developers who spend heavily on user acquisition can be challenging. Choosing a less competitive but relevant category can yield better organic reach.
Choosing the Perfect App Category
Follow this three-step process to select the ideal category for your app:
- Prioritize Relevancy: Ensure the category aligns with your app’s core functionality.
- Run a Competitive Analysis: Research top apps in potential categories to understand common traits and investment levels.
- Make Your Choice: Balance relevancy and competition insights to choose the best category.
Experimenting with Different App Categories
Only consider changing your app category if it’s underperforming or no longer relevant. Keep these points in mind:
- Analyze the Competition: Study competitors before and after changing categories to gauge effectiveness.
- Adjust Your Entire App Strategy: Tailor your app’s icon, title, screenshots, and copy to appeal to the new target audience.
- Be Prepared to Change Back: Set specific performance thresholds to determine if reverting to the previous category is necessary.
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