App Store SEO
App store SEO, usually called app store optimization (ASO), is the practice of improving a mobile app's visibility and conversion rate in app store search results and browse surfaces.
Start here
- Put your main keyword in the app title — it's the strongest ranking signal.
- Optimize screenshots for conversion, not just aesthetics.
- Get early ratings and reviews; they're a trust and ranking factor.
- Localize metadata for each target market.
- Test and iterate — ASO is not a set-it-and-forget-it task.
Here's what I'd do first if I were starting an ASO effort today.
What I'd do first
- Pick your primary keyword and put it in the app title. That's the single highest-impact field in both stores.
- Fill the keyword field (iOS) or short description (Android) with relevant terms — no stuffing, just natural phrases.
- Design screenshots that sell. The first 2-3 screenshots are your landing page; show the core value prop, not just UI.
- Get 5-10 ratings early. Ask happy users directly; ratings are a trust signal and a ranking factor.
- Localize for your top 3 markets. Translate title, description, and screenshots — don't just machine-translate.
Plain-English take
App store SEO is making your app easy to find and hard to ignore inside the App Store or Google Play. Think of it like this: you're writing a product page for a store that only shows 10 results at a time. Your title is your headline, your screenshots are your brochure, and your ratings are your word-of-mouth. The stores use your metadata (title, keywords, description) to figure out what your app is about, and they use your conversion data (how many people tap 'Get' after seeing your listing) to decide if you're worth showing higher. It's part keyword research, part conversion rate optimization, and part reputation management.
When it actually matters
- You have a mobile app and want more organic installs without paying per tap.
- You're launching a new app and need to get initial traction without a big ad budget.
- You're competing in a crowded category (fitness, finance, games) where every install counts.
- You already have some installs but conversion from store page to download is low — ASO can double that rate.
- You're expanding to new countries and need to adapt your listing for local search behavior.
What I got wrong
- I treated it like web SEO. I stuffed keywords into the description and expected it to rank. App stores index the title and keyword field heavily, but the full description is mostly for conversion, not ranking.
- I ignored screenshots. I thought the algorithm didn't care about visuals. It does — indirectly. Better screenshots = higher conversion = better ranking.
- I didn't localize. I assumed English keywords would work everywhere. They don't. Users in Japan search in Japanese, and the stores reward localized metadata.
- I forgot about ratings. I focused on keywords and forgot that a 4.8-star app with 500 reviews will outrank a 3.5-star app with the same keywords every time.
Next step
Sources
Primary documentation is linked directly. Anything commercial is marked nofollow.
- Google Play Console Help — Primary source for Google Play listing rules and store indexing behavior.
- Apple App Store Connect Help — Primary source for App Store metadata fields and keyword rules.
- Moz Learn - App Store Optimization — Widely cited SEO reference for ASO basics and practical differences from web SEO.
- Search Engine Journal - ASO Guide — Clear overview of ASO components and how app listing optimization works.
Notes from Callum Bennett.