- Search impression Name, subtitle and keywords decide where you appear
- Product page view Icon, rating and first screenshots win the tap
- Install Screenshots and preview video close the decision
- First open The store promise must match the first screen
App store optimisation (ASO) is SEO for the App Store and Google Play. Most people find apps by searching the store or browsing categories, then deciding from a small tile and a few screenshots. ASO improves where you rank for the searches that matter and how many people who see you choose to install. It fits any mobile app, and it matters most when paid installs are expensive or you rely on organic growth.
Why it works
Both stores rank apps on relevance and on how people respond to them. Relevance comes from the words in your metadata. Response comes from taps, installs, ratings and how many people keep the app. A listing that uses the right words and converts well climbs, which brings more installs, which helps it climb further.
Store visitors also decide fast. They see an icon, a rating and the first two or three screenshots, usually without scrolling. Clear screenshots that show the outcome of using the app do more work than a long description few people read.
How to do it
- Find the searches you can win. List the phrases your users would type, then check which ones have decent volume and competitors you can realistically beat. Long, specific phrases are often easier than one-word category terms.
- Write the name and subtitle with intent. Include your brand and the main thing the app does. On iOS, use the keyword field for related terms you could not fit, without repeating words already in the name.
- Write the Google Play description for people and search. Lead with the outcome in the first lines, then explain key features in plain words. Use your main phrases naturally.
- Redesign the first three screenshots. Each should show one benefit with a short caption in large text. Use real app screens, and make the first one tell the whole story.
- Ask for ratings at a good moment. Trigger the system review prompt after the user completes something satisfying, like finishing a workout or saving money. Apple notes that its prompt shows at most three times per app in a 365-day period, so spend those moments carefully.
- Reply to reviews. Answer complaints with a fix or a workaround and thank people for praise. Replies show future installers that someone is listening.
- Test product page variants. Use Product Page Optimization on iOS and store listing experiments on Google Play to test icons, screenshots and short descriptions. Run each test until the result is clear.
- Localise for your top markets. Translate metadata and screenshots for countries where you already see installs, and research local keywords instead of translating English ones word for word.
Example
A hypothetical budgeting app ranks well for its own name but almost nowhere for “expense tracker”. Its first screenshot shows a settings screen. The team moves “Expense tracker” into the subtitle, rebuilds the first screenshot to show a monthly spending chart with the caption “See where every dollar went”, and moves the review prompt to just after a user hits a savings goal for the first time. They test the new screenshot set against the old one on Google Play. The new set wins, and over the following weeks the app starts to appear for “expense tracker” searches.
Metrics to track
- Keyword rankings for your target phrases. Track weekly positions for 10 to 20 phrases in each store.
- Product page conversion rate. The share of page views that become installs should rise after screenshot and icon changes.
- Search impressions. Growth here shows your metadata is matching more searches.
- Average rating and rating volume. Look for more recent ratings and a stable or rising average after you move the prompt.
- Day-one retention from organic installs. If installs rise but people leave immediately, the listing is overpromising.
When it backfires
- Keyword stuffing. Cramming terms into the name makes it unreadable and can get the update rejected.
- Screenshots that oversell. Showing features the app lacks brings installs that turn into uninstalls and one-star reviews.
- Badly timed rating prompts. Asking during a task or right after a crash produces angry ratings and wastes your limited prompts.
- Ending tests too early. Calling a winner after a few days often picks noise. Wait for enough installs on both variants.
Questions people ask
How often should I update my store listing?
Review keywords and screenshots every few releases, and whenever you ship a feature that changes why people would install. Change one element per test so you can tell what moved the numbers.
Can I ask users if they like the app before showing the rating prompt?
Google's In-App Review guidance says not to ask opinion or predictive questions before or while showing the rating card. Trigger the system prompt after a good moment instead.
Is ASO different on iOS and Android?
Yes. Apple uses the name, subtitle and a hidden keyword field for search, while Google Play also reads your full description. Both stores let you test product page variants, but the tools and rules differ.