Best SEO Strategy for Ecommerce Website Versus App Store

The fundamental difference lies in where your client's customers discover and purchase products. Ecommerce websites live on the open web, indexed by Google and discoverable through organic search, paid ads, and traditional digital marketing channels. App store optimization, by contrast, operates within closed ecosystems—Apple's App Store and Google Play—where discoverability depends entirely on algorithmic ranking within those proprietary platforms. For agencies advising clients, this distinction determines which discovery channels drive traffic, which keywords matter, and how to structure content and metadata. A client selling through Shopify can capture search traffic for "best running shoes under $100" on Google. That same keyword is essentially useless for an app-only retailer, who instead needs reviews, ratings, and app store search optimization to rank within the iOS or Android ecosystems.

This matters to your agency because it directly affects project scope, resource allocation, and the channels you'll actually focus on. If a client runs both a website and an app—increasingly common—you need separate strategies. Website SEO follows traditional best practices: technical optimization, content strategy, link building, and on-page elements. App store optimization (ASO) focuses on app title and subtitle keywords, description optimization, screenshots, preview videos, ratings and reviews management, and behavioral signals like retention and crash rates. Many agencies make the mistake of treating app store presence as an afterthought, but for clients with significant app revenue, ASO should receive dedicated attention and budget. This creates an upsell opportunity: clients who don't currently optimize their app store presence have a clear gap you can fill.

For practical application, start by understanding your client's revenue split. If 70 percent of revenue comes through their Shopify store, your SEO work focuses there, and the app is supplementary. If they do 40 percent app revenue and 60 percent web, split your strategy accordingly and explain this allocation to the client. For ecommerce website SEO, employ standard technical audits, target high-intent keywords like "buy" and "near me" variations, and build category and product page authority through internal linking and content clusters. Prioritize user-generated content—reviews and ratings on the site itself—because these serve both SEO and conversion purposes. For app store optimization, audit current keywords and review volume, identify weak areas in your app's description and metadata, and create a review generation process since ratings are a major ranking factor in both app stores. Consider recommending that clients use their website as a review driver, directing app store reviews from satisfied web customers.

The practical reality for agencies: most clients don't understand this distinction and assume one strategy covers both channels. Position yourself as someone who does.