Guide
How to choose ASO keywords that actually bring installs
Keyword choice is the highest-leverage decision in ASO. The goal is not the most popular words — it is the words people search that describe your app and that you can realistically rank in the top 10 for.
Updated
1. Build a long list
- Describe what the app does in the words a user would type, not in marketing language
- Add the keywords you already rank for — most apps rank for far more than they track
- Look at the store's search suggestions for your core terms
- Check which keywords your closest competitors rank for and you do not
2. Score every candidate
| Question | Signal |
|---|---|
| Do people search it? | Search popularity |
| Can I win it? | Difficulty and your chance to rank |
| Will searchers want my app? | Relevance |
| Is it worth the space? | Estimated installs at a top-10 position |
Drop terms with low relevance first; they waste characters even when popular. Then prefer moderate-popularity keywords with a good chance over head terms you cannot reach.
3. Place the words
Title
Your brand plus the single most valuable keyword phrase.
Subtitle (App Store) or short description (Google Play)
The next most valuable phrase, written as a benefit.
Keyword field (App Store)
100 characters of single words, comma-separated, no spaces, no repeats of words already in the title or subtitle.
Description (Google Play)
Cover the remaining keywords naturally in the first paragraphs.
4. Measure, then iterate
Track every chosen keyword daily per country. After an update, give rankings a week or two to settle, keep the words that climbed, and replace the ones that did not move.
Frequently asked questions
- How many keywords should I target?
- Track 20 to 50 to start. Your metadata can only hold a limited number of words, so it is better to rank well for a focused set than weakly for hundreds.
- Should I use competitor brand names as keywords?
- No. Apple and Google can reject listings that use other brands' trademarks, and brand searches rarely convert to a different app.
Related
- ASO keyword researchFind App Store and Google Play keywords worth targeting: compare popularity, difficulty, your chance to rank and relevance, then track the winners in one click.
- Keyword rank trackingTrack your app's keyword rankings every day on the App Store and Google Play, per country, with history you keep. See every keyword you rank for in the top 250.
- App Store Optimization guideWhat App Store Optimization is, how App Store search ranking works, and a practical ASO process for iOS apps: keywords, metadata, ratings and conversion.