Staffing agencies are constantly trying to find top talent. To do so, they need to stand out from the competition and provide their candidates with the best experience possible. Apps are a new way that staffing firms can achieve this goal, and proper app store optimization is key.
Promoting your app and building up the user base can prove challenging at times, and app store optimization (ASO) is something that is often overlooked. So if you’re looking for help to make your staffing app rank higher in the search results and stand out, here are a couple of measures you can take!
What is app store optimization (ASO)
To get you started, let’s break down app store optimization. Just like search engines rely on search engine optimization (SEO) to provide users with the most relevant and helpful content, app stores rely on something called app store optimization to provide users with relevant and useful apps. Similar to how ranking higher on the search engine results page (SERP) means more clicks and conversions, focusing on ASO means higher exposure and download rates.
Think about it this way: people can’t know what is out there if they haven’t been told about it or seen it for themselves. When your app has been optimized for the app store, the app is more likely to be seen and downloaded. The more downloads the app is getting, the more organic traffic it will receive because the interest is raising the app higher in the search results.
Know your audience and cater to them
We’re putting this one first because if this isn’t done correctly, it doesn’t really matter what else happens next. As mentioned above, the more visible the app is, the higher the number of downloads. This only holds true if the app is visible to the right audience.
Relevancy is the foundation of click-through rates (CTR) (the number of views vs. the number of conversions.) If the staffing app is being viewed by a whole bunch of people who are not the right audience, they are less likely to download it and the app will plummet in rankings in the app store as a result. The goal is to make sure that the app is visible to a very specific target audience.
Ask for ratings and reviews
Ask your candidates to pop into the app store to drop a quick rating and review of your staffing app. Ratings and commentary are the lifeblood of app optimization in the Google Play Store (Android) and Apple App Store (iOS). A high number of consistent, positive reviews is key to keeping the app high up in the search rankings and building trust with the audience to download it. Plus, it increases the likelihood of engagement by candidates once they actually download the program.
Keywords
Just like search engine optimization, app store optimization requires intense focus on keywords. The trending keywords pick up the most traffic and most users. Use tools (check out this list of ASO tools) to understand what terms are being searched so that you can get in front of them and acquire more downloads. This means understanding what your target audience will input into the search bar when looking for a staffing app in your vertical.
Make sure to take the time to learn the differences between keyword searches in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. For example, to rank in the Play Store, it’s best to use the keyword 3-5 times across all input fields. For the Apple App Store, it’s best not to do that since they provide a specific input field for your keywords.
Pro tip:
The existence of gig work apps has led to an interesting trend in worker behaviour. People have started to go to the app store to search for jobs by title and type, so keep this in mind when selecting your keywords.
ActivateStaff’s healthcare clients, for example, rank for terms like “RN jobs”, “nursing shifts”, “LPN jobs”, “travel nursing jobs” etc.
Description
Make sure to be concise yet complete when describing the app. That will help the algorithm place the app in the right search results and also communicate to candidates the purpose of the tool. Make sure to incorporate your keywords organically. Just like SEO, keyword stuffing (overusing/cramming keywords irrelevantly into a page) is considered misconduct and can lead to your app being suspended from the app store. Besides, it’s unnecessary, looks unprofessional, and leads to poor user experience. So use your keyword, just don’t overuse it.
Category
App stores use the category distinction to help them sort and produce the apps in response to any search. Being in the right category or categories helps more people find the app. If you are targeting a relatively niche industry or category like Scala programmers, this will be especially helpful.
Pick the right name
Lastly, the name of the app is extremely important to get it up the rankings and increase download rates. And, as the first thing that a potential candidate will see, it’s also a great opportunity to reinforce your brand. Some companies will go with something professional and simple, others will choose something creative and unique. Both can be successful as long as it is relevant to your brand and your goals. And remember that currently in both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, you are limited to a name with 30 characters.
Want to learn more about why candidates are looking for on-demand staffing apps? Check out our blog on the features and benefits of staffing platforms or book a meeting with a member of our team.
