How to Shorten Your App Title on the Play Store

How to Shorten Your App Title on the Play Store

In April 2021, Google introduced upcoming coverage modifications for app metadata and new pointers for artistic property. One of the notable modifications is the shortening of the app title from 50 to solely 30 characters. With these coverage updates efficient from September 29, 2021, it is vitally vital that Android builders perceive methods to implement such modifications whereas limiting a potential lower in key phrase visibility.

 

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So, how do you shorten your app title from 50 to solely 30 characters with out shedding key phrase rankings? We’ve created a step-by-step information that will help you make an knowledgeable resolution.

For instance our methodology, we’ll audit the app title for the app Lyft within the US Google Play retailer.

 

Step 1: Analyze your app title key phrases

With fairly a protracted app title, Lyft is at the moment benefiting from the utmost 50 character size capability. Other than the sprint, commas, and “&”, there aren’t any filler phrases that stand out to be eliminated. To be sure you don’t take away any key phrases which may harm your app’s visibility, you could perceive which key phrases (and key phrase combos) drive probably the most downloads to your app.

Analyze metadata efficiency

We begin by making a key phrase record containing all of the key phrases in Lyft’s app title and the potential key phrase combos.

At the moment, the branded key phrase “Lyft”, “Lyft bikes” and “Lyft scooter” generate probably the most month-to-month installs, adopted by the key phrase “rideshare”.

The key phrase “transit” neither generates month-to-month installs nor pushes Lyft to the highest of the rankings, and is a possible candidate for elimination.

Perceive key phrase relevancy

The Google Play algorithm takes relevancy under consideration when deciding which apps to rank. Taking a look at rating apps with AppTweak’s Stay Search Outcomes helps you perceive whether or not a key phrase is related to your app. In the event you see unrelated apps within the search outcomes, it could point out Google considers the key phrase as not probably the most related to your app. Chances are you’ll think about eradicating key phrases exhibiting unrelated apps within the search outcomes.

When checking the Stay Search Outcomes for every generic key phrase, “bikes” largely shows video games or bike racing apps. ”Rideshare” and “scooters” present apps which might be fairly comparable. Regardless that “transit” doesn’t show taxi reservation apps, itinerary planner apps are nonetheless linked to Lyft’s app class.

Regardless that “bikes” present outcomes that aren’t associated to Lyft, the mix “Lyft bikes” has a excessive quantity and is the second most vital key phrase when it comes to natural installs.

Due to this fact, “transit” stays the key phrase that makes probably the most sense to be eliminated.

 

Step 2: Anticipate which key phrases opponents will lose rankings on

For people who put together effectively, the Google coverage change may current a chance to realize an edge on the competitors. By rigorously analyzing your opponents’ metadata, you may guess which key phrases they may lose rankings on as Google shortens the title from 50 to 30 characters. These key phrases may current a new rating alternative in your app.

Nearly all of Lyft’s opponents have already got a 30-character app title. We are able to assume they won’t change their app title in anticipation of Google’s coverage modifications. eScootObi, and Careem are the one three which have been benefiting from the 50 character size on the Play Retailer. We are going to analyze their key phrase efficiency to attempt to discover new alternatives for Lyft.

Analyze your opponents’ key phrases efficiency

Since eScootObi and Careem might want to replace their app title to adjust to Google’s new coverage, we added the key phrases and combos used of their app title to the desk beneath.

eScoot targets the key phrases “scooters” and “electrical scooters”. The app ranks within the prime 6 for “electrical scooters” however this key phrase has a low search quantity and thus drives few installs.

Obi targets the key phrases “taxi”, “automobile” and “rideshare”. The app receives most natural installs from its model title and the high-volume key phrase “rideshare(s)”. The app doesn’t rank effectively on “automobile(s)” or “taxi(s)” and it might be a good suggestion for Obi to take away these key phrases from its app title.

Careem targets quite a lot of key phrases together with “rides”, “meals”, “retailers”, “supply” and “funds” however neither of those drive downloads to the app. For every of those key phrases, Google is probably going rating extra related apps.

Whereas we are able to assume eScoot would hold “electrical scooters” and Obi “rideshares” of their app title, it’s tougher to guess what Careem would do.

Obi will probably need to take away the key phrases “taxis” and “vehicles” from its app title, presenting new alternatives for Lyft. Nevertheless, earlier than we soar to conclusions, you will need to analyze the key phrase quantity, potential combos, and relevancy. Within the desk beneath, we listed the key phrases and key phrase combos with a quantity greater than 6.

The plural key phrase “vehicles” has a really excessive search quantity however, since it’s a generic key phrase with excessive competitors, it is vitally troublesome to rank within the prime 10. When checking the Stay Search Outcomes for “vehicles” and “automobile”, the vast majority of the apps are video games.

Lyft ranks #1 on the key phrase mixture “automobile journey” that generates a excessive variety of installs. “automobile journey” and “automobile sharing” are extra related to Lyft as we see a majority of the apps listed within the Stay Search Outcomes are comparable apps. Their search volumes are smaller than for “vehicles” however Lyft has a better likelihood of rating within the prime 10 on these key phrase combos. We may take into consideration including the key phrase “automobile” within the app title if we embody “journey” or “sharing” as effectively to kind related key phrase combos.

Key phrases and key phrase combos that embody “taxi(s)” both present a majority of gaming apps within the Stay Search Outcomes or have a low search quantity.

As a conclusion, we may think about including “automobile(s)” to the app title if we additionally embody “journey” or “sharing” however “taxi(s)” doesn’t appear to be price retaining.

Step 3: Analysis new key phrase alternatives

 

Going again to Lyft’s app title – we already know that “transit” is the weak hyperlink. Nevertheless, if we solely take away “transit” from the app title, it’s going to nonetheless be too lengthy. The key phrases “scooters” or “rideshare” will even need to be eliminated or changed.

However earlier than suggesting a brand new app title, you will need to broaden your key phrase analysis and doubtlessly discover trending key phrases with a excessive search quantity for which the app has a likelihood to rank. Utilizing

The key phrase “journey” stands out as a chance key phrase because it varieties many high-volume combos akin to: “lyft journey”, “automobile journey”, “journey share app”, “journey sharing”, “lime journey”.

Regardless that “rideshare” drives a excessive quantity of installs, it doesn’t have many key phrase mixture alternatives. Including “journey” as a substitute of “rideshare” will increase Lyft’s variety of touchpoints. Other than providing greater visibility, changing “rideshare” with “journey” leaves area for focusing on different key phrases akin to “automobile” or “scooter”.

 

Step 4: Outline completely different variations of your new app title

Did you discover that the key phrase “journey” has the next search quantity than “rides”? To extend Lyft’s possibilities of rating for the upper quantity key phrase “journey”, we advocate focusing on the precise match within the app title. Nevertheless, ensuring app names are grammatically right can typically be difficult when focusing on singular phrases. Within the instance of Lyft, we advise a couple of app names together with the decrease quantity key phrase “rides”, as a result of it matches higher grammatically.