SEO vs ASO — optimizing for web search engines versus app store search. How they differ, what they share, and when a business needs each.
In one line. SEO optimises for web search engines (Google, Bing) to win website traffic; ASO optimises for app store search (App Store, Google Play) to win app installs. Same idea — be found and chosen in search — different ecosystems, ranking factors and goals. If you have both a site and an app, you need both.
| SEO | ASO | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Web search engines | App stores (Apple, Google Play) |
| Goal | Website traffic & conversions | App installs |
| Ranks by | Content, links, intent | Keywords, ratings, install signals |
| Key assets | Pages, content, schema | Title, icon, screenshots, reviews |
| Measured by | Organic traffic, rankings | Install volume, store conversion |
SEO earns visibility in web search for people looking for what you offer, driving organic traffic to your site. It rewards useful content, authority and technical health — see the complete SEO guide.
ASO earns visibility and installs in app stores. It rewards keyword-aligned listings, strong conversion assets (icon, screenshots, preview), and — heavily — ratings and reviews plus install and retention signals. The store is the search engine and the landing page at once.
Both are organic, intent-driven search channels: understand how your audience searches, align your assets to it, earn trust signals, and convert the visit. Keyword research and conversion optimisation thinking apply to both. The mindset transfers; the mechanics don’t.
Pure website business — SEO. App-first business — ASO is your primary organic channel. Most modern businesses with both a site and an app need both, working together: SEO and web content can even drive app awareness, while a strong app supports brand and retention.
SEO optimises for web search engines like Google to win website traffic; ASO (app store optimization) optimises for app store search to win installs. Same principle — be found and chosen in search — but different ecosystems, ranking factors and goals.
If you have both a website and an app, yes. SEO drives web traffic and conversions; ASO drives app installs. A pure website business needs SEO; an app-first business needs ASO as its primary organic channel. Most businesses with both need both.
The mindset does — both are intent-driven search channels where you align assets to how people search, earn trust signals and convert the visit. But the mechanics differ: ASO ranks on keywords, ratings, screenshots and install signals rather than content and backlinks.
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