How Systematic ASO Helped Headspace Bring Meditation and Mindfulness to Over 6 Million Users
40%
increase in visibility
18%
increase in installs via search
8%
increase in the CVR of local store listings
40%
more installs via search in key, non-English markets
The Challenge
Headspace first approached Phiture with a vision of becoming one of the leading meditation and mindfulness apps in the world. At the time they had around 6 million users and were looking for a competitive edge in ASO that would drive visibility and conversion and foster sustained, scalable growth. The mission was to facilitate this growth and empower Headspace with the tools and knowledge required to ensure long-term success after the engagement.
“Phiture came highly recommended in the industry as experts with strong expertise in mobile growth. Quickly understanding our growth challenges, Phiture worked closely with the Headspace team to build out new capabilities, improve our experimental process and deliver impact across both Acquisition and Retention”
Robert Lamvik, Former Head of Growth
@Headspace
The Solution
Planning: The ASO Audit Phase
The Phiture team kicked things off by delivering a bespoke ASO Audit and Report of Headspace’s position in the market, identifying key opportunities to increase discoverability and conversion in the Google Play and Apple App Stores. They carried out extensive keyword research, compiling 1000+ relevant search terms and filtering for importance using their own in-house algorithm, and created a variety of visual creative assets and metadata text updates.
The Localization Team played a key role here, highlighting subtle cultural nuances across different English-speaking markets that, if leveraged properly, would lead to an uptick in conversion.
Execution: The Managed ASO Phase
The audit findings laid the foundation for Phiture to launch a series of experiments over the following 6 months using their systematic frameworks. Continual keyword optimization was carried out to include new keywords, and the professional translation and localization services provided gave Headspace an edge over their competitors in niche markets. Phiture were consistently transparent and methodical in their approach and explained the processes behind their iterative experimentation at every juncture, shedding light on wins, losses, and learnings.
The partnership was seamless from beginning to end, with Phiture acting as a complementary extension of Headspace’s growth team. The team were given unique access to Phiture’s internal tools and in-depth data analysis, and key metrics were shared week on week.
The Results
As a result of the engagement, the Headspace app received a 40% increase in visibility and an 18% increase in installs via search. Additionally, there was an 8% increase in the CVR of local store listings and 40% more installs via search in key, non-English markets.
Phiture compiled an experimentation backlog filled with key learnings and takeaways, which empowered the Headspace team to continue to test, learn, and grow after the engagement. Among the most important findings was the impact of Localization and how important it is to generate learnings for each market as what works in one locale may not, and often does not, work in another. By doing so, we were able to establish Headspace quickly and competitively in new markets by understanding the local user preferences through A/B testing.
In the end, Phiture’s systematic approach helped Headspace increase installs by 13%, growing from 6 to 6.6million users and placing them in the top 100-grossing apps in the US.
Since launching in 2010, Headspace has been innovative in helping people lead a healthier, happier and more well-rested life. Founded by Andy Puddicombe and Rich Pierson, it has offices in Santa Monica, San Francisco and London and has millions of users around the world. The Headspace app allows people to experience the benefits of meditation anytime, anywhere by providing guided sessions and mindfulness training.
Client: Headspace
Website: headspace.com
Services: ASO
