Getting your app noticed in the (extremely) vast sea of available apps is no easy feat. As of today, there are almost 3 million apps available on the Google Play Store and over 2 million on the App Store. That’s a lot of competition.

But being #1 in app store search results isn’t just about visibility; it’s the most efficient way to drive cost-effective, sustainable growth for your app.

This is where App Store Optimization (ASO) comes into play.

ASO is essential for long-term mobile marketing results. While paid burst campaigns only bring in downloads for as long as the ads are running, ASO is all about constant maintenance. By optimizing keywords, visuals, and user engagement factors, you can transform your app store presence into a consistent driver of organic growth.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about ASO, including:

• The key factors that influence app store rankings.
• How to optimize textual and visual elements to drive conversions.
• The role of A/B testing, localization, and CRO in a winning ASO strategy.

Whether you’re launching a new app or improving an existing one, this guide will help you stand out, convert more users, and achieve long-term success.

What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?

When users search for an app in the App Store or Google Play Store, the results they see are determined by a complex set of algorithms. These algorithms analyze everything from keywords and visuals to user engagement and app performance. App Store Optimization (ASO) is the process of fine-tuning these elements to improve your app’s visibility, increase organic downloads, and drive long-term growth.

At its core, ASO is about understanding how app store search works and optimizing your app listing accordingly. It involves optimizing textual elements like keywords and visual components such as screenshots and icons to make your app easier to discover and more appealing to users. It’s the bridge between search visibility and conversion. 

Think of ASO as the equivalent of SEO for websites, but tailored to the unique behaviors and algorithms of app stores.

Why is App Store Optimization Important?

• Most Downloads Come from Search: Around 65% of downloads on the App Store come directly from user searches. People can’t download and use your app if they can’t find it. Optimizing for app store search helps with increasing your app’s discoverability and visibility, contributing to higher app rankings.
• It’s Cost-Effective: Unlike paid ads, ASO relies on sustainable growth by driving organic traffic without ongoing ad spend.
• It Boosts Conversions: Optimized keywords, visuals, and user reviews make your app page compelling, turning visitors into loyal users.
• Global Reach: ASO, combined with app localization strategies, allows your app to attract users across different regions and languages.

ASO Will Help You Increase:

• App downloads
• Conversion rates
• App discoverability and visibility
• App revenue
• App ranking
• App reviews
• App ratings

🔗 Related Reading: Learn how to apply winning strategies with our App Store Optimization Best Practices guide.

How Does App Store Optimization (ASO) Work?

At its core, App Store Optimization (ASO) is about improving an app’s visibility in search results and increasing the likelihood of conversion when users land on its app store page. This is achieved by optimizing the app’s metadata, visuals, and user engagement signals. But to truly understand how the magic of ASO works, it helps to see it in action.

To do so, let’s take a real-world journey through one of Moburst’s recent success stories: Upside.

This prominent positioning during one of the most competitive shopping seasons of the year is no accident. It was the result of a strategic ASO campaign that helped Upside rank #9 in the App Store for “Black Friday,” driving a 10% boost in overall visibility and capturing users at the peak of seasonal search activity.

So, how did Upside achieve these results? And how can the same principles transform your app’s visibility and performance?

Let’s walk through the process step by step.

Step 1: Start with Keyword Research 

Keyword research is the cornerstone of App Store Optimization (ASO). It helps your app rank for the right terms, improving visibility and attracting organic downloads.

The first step in ASO is understanding your audience: What are they searching for, and why? This means identifying high-traffic, relevant keywords that align with your app’s core offering. The goal is to connect your app to what users need most.

Why Keyword Selection Matters

Keywords are how users find your app. When chosen strategically, they not only improve your app’s visibility but also drive qualified traffic that’s more likely to convert. The best-performing keywords share these traits:

• Relevance: Keywords must align with your app’s core functionality and target audience.
• Search Volume: Focus on terms that users search for frequently.
• Competition: Target keywords where your app can realistically rank higher, especially if you’re in a crowded category like Health & Fitness or Finance.

Imagine you’re preparing for Black Friday and want to maximize your savings on essential purchases. You open the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “Black Friday cashback.” Among hundreds of results, Upside stands out. Its title and description immediately convey its value proposition.

For instance, in Upside’s campaign, we identified “Black Friday cashback” as a high-opportunity keyword. It was relevant, had a seasonal spike in search volume, and perfectly matched Upside’s value proposition of helping users save money during peak shopping periods.

How to Find the Right Keywords

Start with brainstorming and create a list of potential keywords by considering:

• Your App’s Features: What does your app do, and what problems does it solve?
• User Intent: What are users searching for when they want an app like yours?
• Seasonality: Are there terms that spike during specific times of the year, like “holiday planner” or “tax calculator”?

Once you’ve done some initial research, use ASO Tools to refine your list using data-driven tools to evaluate search volume, relevance, and competition. Some of the best tools include:

• Sensor Tower: Analyze traffic potential and ranking difficulty.
• App Radar: Track competitor keywords and discover hidden opportunities.
• AppTweak: Find seasonal and trending keywords to capitalize on specific events.

For example, when we optimized Upside, we used AppTweak to uncover that “cashback for Black Friday” was trending weeks before the actual event. Targeting this term in metadata boosted the app’s visibility during the seasonal rush.

🔗 Bonus Resource: Explore the top tools for research and tracking in our guide to ASO Tools.

Next, prioritize the right keywords for maximum Impact. Not all keywords are created equal, so once you have your final list ready, prioritize and categorize them based on:

• Primary Keywords: These should be highly relevant and included in your app title or subtitle (e.g., “budget planner”).
• Secondary Keywords: These support the primary terms and can be woven naturally into your app description (e.g., “expense calculator”).
• Long-Tail Keywords: Longer, more specific phrases like “budget planner for freelancers” that typically aren’t as competitive as short-tail ones and offer access to high-intent users.

🔗 Pro Tip: Learn how to balance relevance, volume, and competition with our Google Play Store Ranking Factors and App Store Ranking Factors guides.

Incorporate Competitor Analysis

Competitor research is an often overlooked part of keyword research. By examining your competitors, you can:

• Identify Gaps: Look for keywords they aren’t targeting but are relevant to your app.
• Evaluate What Works: See which terms drive traffic to their app.
• Fine-Tune Your Strategy: Adapt your keywords to address overlooked opportunities.

Working with an expert ASO agency will ensure you have access to analyze competitor metadata, track their rankings, and understand their keyword strategy to boost your app’s rankings.

Don’t Forget Localization & Internationalization

If your app targets international audiences, localizing your keywords is a must. Research has shown that an app that fails to localize for a local audience can lose up to 13% of users.

Translating and optimizing keywords for specific languages and regions can dramatically drive more traffic to your app listing, increase downloads, and boost conversion rates.

🔗 Further Reading: Learn more about localization in our App Localization and Internationalization guide.

Key Insights: 

• The keywords your app ranks for determine how easily users can find you.  Analyze competitors to understand their keyword usage and assess the competition for ranking potential. 
• Use ASO tools like AppTweak and Sensor Tower to find the terms your target audience uses most—including seasonal trends that can amplify your visibility during specific periods. 

Once you identify the most relevant keywords for your app, segment them into evergreen, seasonal, and long-tail categories while prioritizing search intent over sheer volume for the best results. 

2. Make Your App Easy to Find

Equipped with your keyword research, it’s time to optimize the app’s metadata to ensure it appears in the search results. 

This includes the following:

• App Title
• App Subtitle (iOS only)
• Short App Description (Android only)
• Long App Description (Android only)
• Keyword Field (iOS only)

For Upside, we incorporated “Black Friday cashback” into its metadata, making the app more discoverable during the season’s search traffic spike.

Key Insights: 

• Prioritize primary keywords in the app’s title (iOS) or short description (Google Play).
• Use the subtitle or description to highlight unique selling points (USPs) and add secondary keywords naturally.
• Optimize for both algorithms and human readability—you’re speaking to users, not just the system.

Learn how to optimize your app’s metadata effectively with these guides:

• App Store Ranking Factors
• Google Play Store Ranking Factors
• How to Optimize App Store Keywords for Better Rankings
• Mobile App Marketing Strategies

Step 3: Create Visuals That Convert

Once your app ranks in search results, the battle shifts to first impressions. It takes 3-6 seconds for a user to decide whether to download an app. This means high-quality visuals on your app’s listing such as the icon, screenshots, and preview video, become your app’s storefront. They need to catch the user’s eye and convey your app’s core benefits in seconds. 

• App Icon: Your app’s icon should reflect your brand and its unique value proposition, using bold colors and elements to stand out in search results.
• App Screenshots: On an app store page, app screenshots are the first thing to catch a user’s eye. While it’s important to follow each store’s strict guidelines, screenshots also provide a great opportunity to showcase your app’s value creatively and highlight the benefits it offers to users.
• Preview Video: App store preview videos are displayed next to your app screenshots and can be a powerful tool that helps bring your app to life and greatly impact your ASO results. Learn more about how to utilize them in our complete guide to App Store Preview Videos.

Key Insights:

• The first two screenshots or preview frames are the most important since they’re visible in search results, so make sure they showcase your app’s top benefits.
• Utilize seasonal campaigns as an opportunity to refresh visuals and align with user intent.
• Conduct A/B tests to improve conversion rates 

🔗 Bonus Tip: Maximize your app’s conversions by running A/B tests on key assets like icons, screenshots, and videos. Experiment with different designs to discover what resonates most with your audience. For a deeper dive, check out our guide on A/B Testing App Store Creatives.

Step 4: Measure ASO Performance & Adapt Your Strategy

An effective ASO strategy is an ongoing process that doesn’t end once your app is listed or after initial optimizations are made. The key to long-term success lies in continuously monitoring performance and adapting based on real-time data. With algorithms evolving, competitors refining their tactics, and user behaviors constantly shifting, a sustainable ASO strategy requires a proactive, data-driven approach for long-term app growth.

As with any marketing campaign, tracking your results lets you understand how your app is performing in terms of visibility, downloads, and user engagement. Without monitoring, you’re effectively flying blind and might be missing opportunities to spot issues or capitalize on new trends.

Key Metrics to Monitor for ASO Success:

1. Keyword Rankings: Are you consistently ranking for your targeted keywords? For example, in Upside’s Black Friday campaign, “Black Friday cashback” rankings were monitored daily to ensure consistent visibility during the high-traffic shopping season.

2. CTR (Click-Through Rate): This measures how many users click on your app listing from search results. A low CTR might indicate that it’s time to optimize your app’s screenshots or metadata.
3. Conversion Rate: How many users who visit your app page actually download it? If this number is low, consider optimizing your app’s description and creatives and incentivize users to leave app reviews to boost visibility.
4. Retention and Engagement: Beyond installs, track how many users stick around and engage with your app. High churn rates can signal UX issues that indirectly impact ASO.

Make sure to check out our top ASO Case Studies to get inspired by real-world success stories.

Free ASO Checklist for 2025

Before we wrap things up, we want to acknowledge that app store optimization can feel overwhelming. With so many factors to consider, optimize, and track to truly succeed, it’s especially important to have a clear strategy in place to drive results. 

That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive step-by-step guide and checklist designed to help you optimize your app, boost rankings, and achieve measurable success.

Ready to take your app to the next level? Download our free ASO checklist:

Key Takeaways

At Moburst, ASO is in our DNA. We provide top-tier app store optimization services to empower brands to become leaders in their respective categories and specialize in educating entrepreneurs, developers, and app marketers on optimizing app store performance to perfection.

We recognize that ASO is an ongoing process that requires constant maintenance, which is why it’s important to keep on top of changing regulations, trends, and data. At Moburst, we’re always up-to-date on Google Play Store and Apple App Store algorithms. We know that an app’s success requires more than creative thought processes. It also requires constant monitoring and performance analysis. 

If you’re looking to optimize an existing or upcoming app, feel free to contact us for a free consultation. We’ll ensure your app ranking skyrockets, boost app downloads, and drive revenue. Make sure to also check out Moburst’s award-winning ASO campaigns to learn more about how we drive success for our incredible clients.

App Store Optimization FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)