How to Leverage “Similar Apps” to Drive Explosive Traffic?

ASO practitioners generally focus on improving two key metrics: visibility and conversion rate, as visibility x conversion rate = users. There are many things we can do to increase visibility, such as optimizing keywords and adding events (promotional content). Today, however, we’ll explore a possibly overlooked topic – the “Similar Apps” recommendations on the Google Play Store.

In this article, you will learn about the following:

  1. Where do “Similar Apps” appear in the Play Store?
  2. What are the benefits of being recommended in “Similar Apps”?
  3. What criteria does the Google Play Store use to provide similar app recommendations?
  4. What can I do to increase the likelihood of my app or game appearing in “Similar Apps”?
  5. How can I know if my app is being recommended in “Similar Apps”?

1. Where do “Similar Apps” appear in the Play Store?

In the Google Play Store, “Similar Apps” typically appear in the following locations:

  1. App Detail Pages: When you click on an app and enter its detail page, scroll down to find a section labeled “Similar Apps” or “You May Also Like,” showcasing a series of recommended apps related to the one you are viewing.
  2. Search Results: When searching for a specific app or keyword in the Google Play Store, the search results list may include apps similar to the searched keywords or apps.
  3. After App Download or Installation: After downloading or installing an app, the Play Store may recommend similar apps on the installation confirmation page, suggesting apps you might be interested in.
  4. Homepage and Other Special Sections: Although recommendations on the homepage and other sections are based on various factors (such as new arrivals, popular apps, etc.), you may still see similar apps recommended based on your usage habits and preferences.
How to Leverage "Similar Apps" to Drive Explosive Traffic?

2. What are the benefits of being recommended in “Similar Apps”?

Being recommended in the “Similar Apps” section of the Google Play Store can significantly impact an app’s visibility and download volume. Here are some key benefits:

  1. Increased Exposure: Appearing in the “Similar Apps” section can enhance the app’s visibility in the Google Play Store, leading to more users discovering and downloading your app.
  2. High-Quality Traffic: Users viewing or downloading a specific app might also be interested in similar apps. Since these users are already interested in a particular topic or feature, they are more likely to download and use your app for a longer period.
  3. Improved Conversion Rate: Since the “Similar Apps” section recommends apps related to the ones users are currently browsing or have downloaded, these users are more likely to be interested in your app, thereby improving the installation conversion rate.
  4. Higher User Retention: Users obtained from the “Similar Apps” section often already have an understanding of the app’s features or theme, making them more likely to become long-term, loyal users.
  5. Discover New Competitors: By observing which apps are frequently recommended alongside yours, you can gain valuable insights into market trends and competitors, enabling you to formulate more effective marketing strategies. This feature can help identify the most suitable competitors in various countries/regions.

3. What criteria does the Google Play Store use to provide similar app recommendations?

The Google Play Store uses various data and algorithms to provide “Similar Apps” recommendations. Although Google does not disclose the specific details of its recommendation algorithms, here are some educated guesses based on external observations and common practices in recommendation systems:

  1. App Metadata: Metadata such as category, tags, description, and permissions might be used to determine app similarity. Google could analyze the app descriptions and related information for similar keywords and themes to infer app similarities.
  2. Developer Information: Apps from the same developer or development team might sometimes be considered similar.
  3. User Behavior Analysis: Google might recommend similar apps based on user interactions with specific apps, including download, installation, usage habits, and uninstallation behavior. For example, if many users download both App A and App B, these two apps might be considered similar.
  4. Collaborative Filtering: This common technique in recommendation systems examines the behaviors and choices of a large number of users to recommend items. For instance, if Users A, B, and C all like App X and Users A and B also like App Y, then App Y might be recommended to User C when they browse App X.
  5. Installation Base: Popular apps might appear more frequently in similar app recommendations.
  6. User Reviews and Ratings: The similarity might be based on the reviews and ratings apps receive. If two apps are highly rated by the same group of users, they might be considered similar.

4. What can I do to increase the likelihood of my app or game appearing in “Similar Apps”?

To increase the chances of your app or game appearing in the “Similar Apps” section, you can implement a range of ASO strategies. Here are some suggestions to help boost your app’s visibility and relevance in the Google Play Store:

  1. Keyword Optimization: Ensure your app’s title, description, and keywords match those of apps you want to be associated with. Conduct keyword research to find popular keywords related to your app’s features, themes, and characteristics, and use them appropriately.
  2. App Categorization and Tagging: Ensure your app or game is correctly categorized and uses the most relevant tags. This can increase the similarity between your app and other apps in the same category or tags.
  3. High-Quality App: Ensure your app is high-quality, offers a good user experience, and is free of obvious bugs. High ratings and positive user reviews can increase the chances of your app being recommended in “Similar Apps.”
  4. Increase Downloads and Active Users: Promote your app to increase downloads and active users. This can improve your app’s ranking in search results and potentially influence “Similar Apps” recommendations.
  5. User-Oriented Promotion: Target user groups similar to your app’s features or game themes for promotion. If these users frequently download apps similar to yours, it can increase the likelihood of your app being recommended in “Similar Apps.”
  6. Focus on Localization: If your app or game targets multiple countries or regions, ensure all content is appropriately localized, including text, images, and cultural references. This can improve your recommendation rate in “Similar Apps” in different regions.

5. How can I know if my app is being recommended in “Similar Apps”?

The Google Play Console does not directly tell us how many times our app has been recommended in the “Similar Apps” section. However, you can use the following methods and strategies to get indirect clues about this:

  1. Traffic Source Analysis: In the Google Play Console, you can view the acquisition report for your app, which shows traffic from different sources. If you notice an increase in “Google Play Browse” traffic, it may indicate that your app has been recommended in the “Similar Apps” section or other app pages.
  2. Competitor Monitoring: Manually check popular apps similar to yours and see if your app appears in the “Similar Apps” section on their app pages.
  3. Using Third-Party ASO Tools: AppTweak offers a “Similar Apps” data insight feature. To help estimate the impact of appearing in “Similar Apps” or “You May Also Like” recommendations, AppTweak has developed a unique metric called “Browse Volume.” This KPI estimates the number of impressions an app receives from appearing in a competitor’s “Similar Apps” recommendations. However, in my personal opinion, AppTweak can be quite expensive for small or independent developers. Medium to large-scale companies can use it more freely.

Although these three methods may not definitively tell you if your app is in the “Similar Apps” section, they can provide valuable insights into how your app is being discovered.

How to Leverage "Similar Apps" to Drive Explosive Traffic?

Conclusion

Has the “Similar Apps” section of the Google Play Store opened a new avenue for organic traffic growth for you? If so, consider digging into this hidden traffic treasure through the strategies and techniques discussed in this article!

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