App Store Optimisation (ASO) Basics for Mobile Apps

By Grocito15 October 2026

App store optimisation (ASO) is the practice of improving your app's store listing so more of the right people find it and install it. It works on two fronts: discovery, through the keywords and metadata the stores use to match searches, and conversion, through the icon, screenshots, text and ratings that persuade visitors to install. It is related to SEO, but it happens inside the app stores.

Key takeaways

ASO has two jobs: help people find your app, and persuade them to install it once they land on the page.
Store ranking systems are not fully public, so treat advice as informed testing rather than certainty. Metadata, ratings and user behaviour are widely understood to matter.
Keyword fields and character limits differ between the Apple and Google stores, so write for each separately.
Icon, screenshots and preview video are conversion assets and deserve real design effort.
Ask for reviews at a good moment and never reward or pressure people for ratings.
Measure impressions, page views and install conversion, change one thing at a time and keep updating.

What is ASO, and how is it different from SEO?

SEO helps web pages rank in search engines. ASO does the equivalent inside the Apple App Store and Google Play. The ideas overlap, since both need relevant keywords and good user signals, but there are differences:

Store listings have strict fields (name, subtitle or short description, description) with character limits.
People searching a store usually want to install something now, so the listing page acts as a landing page.
Conversion assets such as the icon and screenshots matter much more.
You also compete with a store's own recommendations and charts.

If you already do web SEO, our guide to keyword research for business websites is a helpful starting point, and the same thinking applies here.

How does app store search and ranking work?

The stores do not publish their full ranking systems, so be careful with claims that sound certain. As far as is publicly documented and commonly observed, store search considers:

Text relevance: how well your title, subtitle or short description, keyword field or description match what people type.
Quality signals: ratings, review content and whether users keep the app.
Engagement signals: how many people install and continue to use it.
Freshness and technical health: regular updates and low crash rates are generally seen as healthy signs.

The practical consequence is simple: be clear about what your app does, build something people keep, and keep quality high. Our guide to mobile app crash reporting covers the quality part.

What metadata can you optimise?

Name and title

Put your brand name and one or two core words that describe what the app does. Avoid stuffing, because stores may reject listings and users distrust them.

Subtitle or short description

This is a short line under the name. Use it to state the main benefit clearly and include a valuable keyword naturally.

Keyword field and description

The Apple store provides a separate hidden keyword field with a limited length, where you list single words separated by commas without repeating those already in your title. Google Play has no such field, and it reads the text of the long description, so write it naturally and include relevant terms. Check each store's current guidelines before you submit, because rules change.

Long description

Even where it matters less for ranking, it helps users decide. Open with the benefit, then features, then trust points. Keep it truthful.

How do you do keyword research for an app?

List what your app does, the problems it solves and the words a customer would use, not your internal jargon.
Look at competitor and similar app listings to see which terms recur.
Use store search suggestions as ideas, since they reflect what people type.
Group terms by intent: browsing, specific need, brand names.
Prioritise terms that are relevant to your app and not hopelessly crowded.
Test, monitor and revise.

Relevance beats volume. A keyword that attracts the wrong people leads to uninstalls and weak ratings.

How do icon, screenshots and video drive installs?

Most people decide within seconds. Your listing's visual assets do that persuading.

Icon: simple, recognisable at small size and distinct from competitors.
Screenshots: the first two or three matter most. Show benefits with short captions rather than only raw screens.
Preview video: a short clip showing the main flow, with the key point early since many users never press play.
Consistency: make visuals match the real app, since misleading images lead to bad reviews.

How should you ask for ratings and reviews?

Ratings affect how appealing your listing looks, and review text can influence how people see your app. Ask at a moment of success, for example after a user completes a task or achieves a goal, not on first launch or after an error. Use the official in-app review prompts that each platform provides, and respond politely to reviews, especially critical ones.

Never offer rewards in exchange for positive reviews, never buy reviews, and never filter who gets asked so only happy users see the prompt where store rules forbid it. Breaking store rules can get your app removed.

Why localise your listing?

Translating your listing helps people find and trust it in their own language. For India, that can mean Hindi and other regional languages, with screenshots and text adapted, not only translated. Localisation should include keywords people actually use in that language and sensible cultural choices. See our notes on multilingual SEO and localisation for the wider thinking.

What are custom listings and store experiments?

Both stores offer ways to show variations, for example different screenshots to different audiences or traffic sources, or to test two versions of listing elements against each other. Use them to learn what converts. Change one thing at a time, let the test run long enough to be meaningful and keep notes. Features and names differ between stores and change over time, so check the current documentation.

How do you write good release notes and keep updating?

Release notes appear on the listing. Write them for users: what is new, what is fixed, in plain language. Regular updates signal a maintained app and give you chances to refresh your assets and keywords.

How do you measure ASO?

Track in words, the following funnel:

Impressions: how often your listing appeared in search or browse.
Product page views: how many people opened your listing.
Conversion to install: how many viewers installed.
Retention after install: whether those users stay, which tells you whether you attracted the right people.

Low impressions suggest a keyword or relevance issue. Plenty of views but few installs suggest a conversion issue with your assets or messaging.

What mistakes should you avoid?

Stuffing keywords in the title.
Copying competitors without understanding your own audience.
Neglecting the first screenshots.
Asking for reviews at the wrong moment, or incentivising them.
Ignoring crashes and bad reviews.
Setting listing text once and never revisiting it.

A worked example

Imagine a bill-splitting app whose listing says only its brand name. Searches for "split expenses with friends" do not find it. The team adds a clear subtitle, rewrites screenshots around the main benefit and replies to reviews. Impressions rise slowly, and the share of visitors who install improves. Each change was made one at a time, so they know what helped.

FAQ

What is ASO in simple terms?

ASO is the work of improving your app's store listing so more people find it and install it. It covers keywords, title, description, icon, screenshots, ratings and updates.

How is ASO different from SEO?

SEO targets web search engines, while ASO targets the Apple App Store and Google Play. ASO has strict listing fields and puts more weight on visual assets and install conversion, because a store page works like a landing page.

How do I get more reviews for my app?

Use the official in-app review prompt at a moment when users have just succeeded at something, and respond to feedback. Never pay for or reward reviews, since it breaks store rules and can get your app removed.

How often should I update my app store listing?

Review it whenever you release a meaningful update, and check performance regularly. Refresh screenshots, keywords and release notes as features change, and test one change at a time.

Next steps

Open your current listing as a stranger would. Can you tell what the app does in five seconds? Then rewrite your subtitle, check your first screenshots and look at the funnel from impressions to installs. For help with the build and launch side, see our app development services, or contact us to talk it through. The mobile app launch checklist is a useful companion.