App Store Optimization (ASO) is an essential step in app marketing that's often missed. There are several key elements that can affect the number of downloads an app receives, including the text, icon, screenshots, and ratings and reviews. Optimising all these elements is equally important, especially if you're new to the market. Without proper keywords, your app won't surface in relevant searches. Poor visuals discourage downloads. And ratings below 4.0 trigger user skepticism towards competitors.
How to Find Keywords?
The top 3 positions in search results receive significantly more traffic than other positions. So getting your app in those top spots is critical.
Keywords included in the app title have a greater impact on ranking than keywords in other fields. They should align with the most popular queries users enter into the search.
Search suggestions are generated by app stores based on the most popular queries entered by users. Tools like Apple Search Ads (ASA) assign keyword scores between 100–5, with higher scores indicating greater traffic potential and competition.
Platform differences matter:
- In the App Store, search algorithms analyze a title, subtitle, and list of keywords.
- In Google Play, they analyze a title, short description, and full description.
Keyword repetition helps Google Play rankings but harms App Store rankings. Google Play also uses Natural Language Processing to determine the main topic of an app, which can lead to unexpected ranking results.
How to Optimise Your Graphics?
Text mostly influences the number of app views. And it's often the visuals that ultimately convert those views into downloads.
When designing your icon, avoid overloading it with small details. Make sure it remains readable across all screen sizes. Research your competitors — many apps in the same category tend to look alike, which is an opportunity to stand out.
As most users don't read descriptions, the title and screenshots are their main sources of information about your app. Make sure screenshots highlight key UI elements and are legible even in smaller preview sizes. Include phrases that explain the problem your app solves, not just feature names.
How to Improve Your Ratings & Reviews?
It's recommended to keep the rating of at least 4.5. This is an ongoing process: you need to enhance your app, build your brand, and connect with users both inside and outside the app.
While direct control over reviews is limited, analysing feedback and responding to reviews can improve scores. Most companies don't respond to reviews, despite the opportunity to persuade a user to change a negative rating.
App Store allows rating resets through new versions; Google Play prioritizes recent reviews and prevents review bombing. Both stores prohibit rewarding users for leaving reviews or filtering users to avoid negative feedback.
ASO Is an Ongoing Process
ASO is an iterative process that requires making changes to improve your app's visibility and conversion rate.
For new apps: research your keyword niche, optimise your listing from day one, and track performance from launch.
For published apps: audit your current positions using ASO platforms, evaluate existing metrics, and then test changes one at a time. Update one element at a time — this will help you get a clearer understanding of their impact on ASO metrics.
You can run A/B tests using native platform tools simultaneously, or test changes consecutively with 10–12 days between updates for clean comparison. A more than 5% increase in conversion after listing updates is a meaningful benchmark for success.