App Store Optimization for a product: search inside the stores

Both stores index your listing fields and use engagement to rank you. Your listing must match the queries, and users must choose and keep the app. You optimise both.

• Apple App Store indexes: app name, 30 characters. Subtitle, 30. Keywords field, 100 characters, not shown to users. The description is not indexed for search.
• Google Play indexes: title, 30 characters. Short description, 80. Long description is indexed.
• Ratings, downloads and retention weigh on ranking. Screenshots and the first lines of copy decide the install.

You work within tight limits. Plan your keywords first, then write. Here is how the caps feel in practice.

• App Store app name, 30 chars: “Timerly: Interval Timer” is 23. “Timerly HIIT Interval Timer PRO” is too long.
• App Store subtitle, 30 chars: “HIIT, EMOM and Tabata timer” is 27. Fit one or two core jobs here.
• App Store keywords field, 100 chars: write comma separated terms, no spaces: “interval timer,hiit,timer,tabata,emom,workout” wastes chars with spaces. Use “interval timer,hiit,tabata,emom,workout” or remove the space after commas across the list to save room.
• Google Play title, 30 chars: “Timerly: HIIT Interval Timer” is 29.
• Google Play short description, 80 chars: “Build HIIT, EMOM and Tabata workouts with sound cues and rest alerts” fits within the limit.
• Google Play long description: you can write full sentences with your main terms a few times where natural.

You do not need paid tools to start. Use the stores’ own hints and what users write. Focus on jobs to be done, not only your brand.

1. 1

   Collect seed terms from autocomplete

   In the App Store and Google Play, type your main job and note the suggestions. For “interval timer”, record variants like “hiit interval timer” and “tabata timer”. These are searches real users try.

2. 2

   Read top listings and their first lines

   Open the top five results for each seed. Note the words in their titles, subtitles or short descriptions. Do not copy brand names. List the recurring non-brand terms.

3. 3

   Mine reviews for language

   Scan the reviews on the top rivals. Note nouns and verbs users repeat, like “custom intervals”, “rest alerts”, “Apple Watch”, “no ads”. Add these to your candidates.

4. 4

   Check your own reviews and support tickets

   Extract the exact phrases users use to describe your app and problems solved. These are often the best long-tail terms.

5. 5

   Prioritise by intent and fit

   Mark terms that match your core jobs and paid features. Drop anything you do not deliver. You want installs that stick.

6. 6

   Map terms to fields

   Place your top one or two terms in the App Store app name and subtitle, and the Google Play title and short description. Put the rest in the iOS keywords field and in the Play long description where it reads naturally.

Treat the app name and subtitle as your only indexed copy the user sees. The keywords field is hidden. Screenshots and the first lines win the install.

• App name, 30 chars: combine brand and one job: “Timerly: Interval Timer”. Avoid emojis, price claims and repetition.
• Subtitle, 30 chars: state the next job or device: “HIIT, EMOM and Tabata timer”. Keep it human.
• Keywords field, 100 chars: enter short, singular terms, separated by commas without spaces. Skip your brand and category duplicates. Apple can penalise spammy entries.
• Description: write for conversion. Lead with who it is for and why it is better in the first three lines, since only those show above the fold.
• Screenshots: show the core job in the first two. Add short captions that match your jobs. Do not rely on text alone.
• App preview video: only if it loads fast and shows the value in the first seconds. If not sure, skip it.
• Ratings and reviews: they weigh on ranking and tap rate. Ask for ratings after success moments, not at first launch. Reply to reviews quickly.

A fixed page example: the first screenshot shows a finished Tabata with a clear “Intervals built in seconds”. The subtitle reads “HIIT, EMOM and Tabata timer”. The first three description lines tell who it helps, then the features follow.

All main text fields are indexed on Google Play. You must balance keyword use with copy that reads well. The first lines and visuals do the selling.

• Title, 30 chars: mix brand and job: “Timerly: HIIT Interval Timer”. Avoid spam and repetition.
• Short description, 80 chars: one clear value: “Build HIIT, EMOM and Tabata workouts with sound cues and rest alerts”.
• Long description: two or three short paragraphs with your main terms used naturally. Add a bullet list of core features. Do not stuff or repeat every line.
• Screenshots: lead with the core job. Use concise captions that mirror the short description language.
• Category and tags: choose the most specific that fits your app. Do not miscategorise to chase traffic.
• Updates: keep a clear, human changelog. It helps users trust the release cadence.

Text gets you matched. Quality keeps you ranked. The stores weight ratings, downloads and retention. You influence them with product and timing, not tricks.

• Stability: fix crashes before you ship the keyword update. Crashes kill retention and reviews.
• Onboarding: shorten time to first value. For “Timerly”, prefill a sample HIIT and show the start button at once.
• Rating prompts: ask after a success event, like finishing a workout, not on first launch. Never gate features behind reviews.
• Review replies: answer within a day. Thank positive ones. Offer a fix path on negatives. Users do change ratings.
• Visual clarity: the first screenshot must show the job done, not a busy settings screen.
• Pricing clarity: no surprise paywalls. Be clear in the first session what is free and what is paid. Angry reviews often cite price shocks.
• Performance: slow or janky UIs drop retention. Aim for smooth interactions. If you link a website for support, keep its Core Web Vitals in the green, with LCP up to 2.5 s, CLS up to 0.1 and INP up to 200 ms.

Change one thing at a time. Measure installs and conversion to install from store page views. Some testing features may be available in the stores, but they change. When unsure, check the platform's current settings.

1. 1

   Set a weekly slot for ASO changes

   Pick a day where you ship one change to titles, descriptions or screenshots. Keep a log of what changed and why.

2. 2

   Start with the biggest levers

   Change the first screenshot and the short visible text first. These decide tap and install rates.

3. 3

   Hold back product changes

   Avoid mixing big product shifts with listing edits in the same week. You will not know what moved the numbers.

4. 4

   Read the numbers the same way each week

   Track impressions, store page views, install rate and uninstalls. Keep a simple sheet. Over time you will see what sticks.

Apple Search Ads and Google Ads both run on store searches. Use them to learn query quality and win early volume. Keep reporting separate from ASO so you can see organic gains.

• Start with your exact brand and one core generic, like “interval timer”. Watch install rate and retention from each query.
• Do not read paid taps as proof your title works. Paid and organic behave differently. Separate them in your tracking.
• Use ad copy to test value props for screenshots. If “Rest alerts you can hear” wins, move that into the first screenshot caption.

Even with strong ASO, most people will still Google your brand and category. Your site must win those searches and hand off to the right store quickly.

• Home page: put your brand plus job in the title, up to about 60 characters, and a clear “Get it on the App Store” and “Get it on Google Play”.
• Smart App Banner on iOS Safari and app links on Android: enable them so mobile visitors can open the app or the right store page.
• Jobs pages: write one page per job with headings that match the questions, like “How to build a Tabata workout on your phone”. Link to the app store pages.
• Speed: keep Core Web Vitals healthy, as of 2026. PageSpeed Insights will show field data when there is enough traffic, and a Lighthouse run for lab data.
• Brand protection: rank first for “[your brand] app” and “[your brand] timer”. If you do not, fix your home page copy and internal links first.
• Measurement: track clicks to each store button. Do not hide them behind carousels or modals.

A fixed page example: yourproduct.com shows the hero with “Timerly, the interval timer for HIIT”, two store buttons above the fold, and a short section for HIIT, EMOM and Tabata with deep links.

1. 1

   Pull search ideas

   Spend 15 minutes in store autocomplete and rival listings. Add three new terms to your sheet.

2. 2

   Edit one field within limits

   Tighten one title or subtitle to fit the 30 or 80 character caps, and remove one weak term from the iOS keywords field.

3. 3

   Ship one creative change

   Update the first screenshot or the short description caption. Keep the message consistent across stores.

4. 4

   Ask for ratings at the right time

   Ship a product prompt change that triggers after a success event, like exporting a PDF or finishing a run.

5. 5

   Review numbers and notes

   Record impressions, store page views, install rate, ratings and uninstalls. Decide the one change for next week.