ASO 101: how to do basic keyword analysis for app store optimization
Originally published November 2019. Some platform details have changed since; the ASO tool shown in the video is a 2019 example and its scores will have changed; the current store limits are listed below.
The video’s method is to build a list of candidate keywords, get search volume and competition for each from an App Store Optimization (ASO) tool, add your own subjective relevance score, rank them by high volume, low competition and high relevance, and choose relevant terms for your store metadata. Keep the visible copy readable; Apple’s separate keyword field is a keyword list. Watch it on YouTube.
How does the keyword analysis work?
- Build a rough keyword list. Use the Google keyword tool for ideas, not App Store search-volume estimates, and read competitor descriptions. The example is a food delivery app.
- Get volume and competition. Run the list through an ASO tool. The video used one example tool on a 0 to 100 scale, does not endorse any particular tool, and notes that such tools do not fully disclose their methodology.
- Add a relevance score. This is subjective: how relevant is the word to your app? In the example “food” scores 10 and “home” 8.
- Score each keyword. Favor high volume, low competition and high relevance. My example score is (volume / competition) × relevance. I also discuss using volume minus competition as an alternative. These are prioritization heuristics, not app store ranking formulas; use the scores to make a shortlist, then judge whether each term actually fits.
- Place the winners in your metadata. For Apple, choose words for the name, subtitle and keyword list. Google Play uses the name and descriptions. Keep visible text coherent. The example also chose “community” for the title because it mattered to that app, even though it did not score highest.
What are the current limits?
Current platform documentation lists:
- Apple: app name up to 30 characters, subtitle up to 30, promotional text 170, description 4,000, and keywords 100 bytes (Apple, App information and platform version information).
- Google Play: app name 30 characters, short description 80, full description 4,000. Google warns that repetitive or irrelevant keywords in these fields can lead to suspension (Google Play Console Help).
What has changed since?
The scoring approach is simple and still a reasonable first pass, but ASO tools and their volume scores change; do not treat a 2019 score as current. For the next step, see Google Play listing tests. For paid keyword work on Apple, see how to choose keywords in Apple Search Ads.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
How do you pick keywords for the App Store? Gather candidate keywords, check search volume and competition in an ASO tool, add a relevance score of your own, and favor high volume, low competition, high relevance.
Which ASO tool should I use? The video does not endorse one; it used one example tool and says to use what works for you.
Published
