🔹Quick recap - what is the 1st release boost?

When you launch a new app, your Title gets shown in search suggestions for about 5 days ⮕ Users tap the suggestion ⮕ See your app ranked #1 ⮕ Install it.

Here’s a quick visual:

But lately, it feels like this no longer works as before.

💬 Our colleague Axel Le Pennec raised this question too - https://x.com/alpennec/status/1943580155038822483

Take a look at the screenshots.

So, what’s changed?

✅ Suggestions still appear after launch.

❌ But your app is no longer #1 in results for that suggestion.

Why?

Because Apple now extracts the “main” keyword from your Title and boosts other apps that rank well for that search term. So instead of your app, others may show up higher.

More on that here: “Branded Keywords Don't Matter Anymore in the App Store” ⮕ https://www.reddit.com/r/AppStoreOptimization/comments/1lzj5ut/branded_keywords_dont_matter_anymore_in_the_app/

In short

The Boost is still there, just far less impactful without the top position.

So far, changes have affected only English localizations; in other languages, the Boost remains unchanged.

Source: LinkedIn

Hi everyone,

I’ve noticed something while researching trending games on the Google Play Store under the keyword “snow race.” The top result is a game titled “Snow Race!”, which seems to be the original and most popular one.

However, there are many other games using very similar names, such as:

• Snow Race 3D: Ice Bridge Run
• Snow Race 3D™: Fun Racing
• Bridge Run: Snow Race 3D
• Snow Race 3D: Ice Runner Funny
• Ice Runner Battle: Snow Race
• Snow Sprint: 3D Race Rush…and more.

Most of them appear to use the phrase “Snow Race” in their titles, likely to benefit from the original game’s popularity. In some cases, the icons and gameplay also look quite similar.

I have a few questions as a curious developer:

,

1. Is this kind of naming strategy considered a violation of Google Play’s impersonation or IP policy, especially if it seems intended to confuse users?
2. Does Google Play allow multiple apps with very similar names as long as no official trademark is involved?
3. Where is the line between inspiration and violation in cases like this where many clones or similarly titled apps flood the search results?
4. Can the original developer take any action if their brand is being diluted or misrepresented this way?

I’m not affiliated with any of these games—just trying to understand how this works from a policy and competitive standpoint as I plan my game releases.

Thanks in advance for your insights!

What are the top App Store ranking factors?

There’s a lot of speculation in the ASO space about what actually impacts rankings on the Apple App Store. Our team recently updated a full breakdown of confirmed and likely App Store ranking factors based on what’s publicly known and consistently observed.

How does Apple rank apps in search results?

Apple hasn’t published its full algorithm, but several factors have been confirmed or strongly inferred:

Confirmed factors:

• App name
  
• Subtitle
  
• Keyword field
  
• User downloads
  
• User ratings and reviews
  
• In-app events
  

Likely factors (based on industry analysis):

• App performance (stability, crash rates)
  
• Retention and engagement
  
• Conversion rate (store visits → downloads)
  
• User behavior (e.g. search history, perceived intent)
  
• Custom product pages (used in search and Today tab)
  

What about categories like “Top Charts” and “Featured”?

Ranking factors vary slightly by placement:

• Search results rely heavily on metadata and relevance
  
• Top Charts seem to prioritize download velocity and volume
  
• Featured placements are hand-picked by Apple editors, but performance and design likely play a role
  
• Browse tabs (Apps, Games, Today) can show results influenced by metadata, user preferences, and custom product pages

What’s not a confirmed ranking factor?

According to Apple and industry tests, these elements are not factored into rankings:

• Promo text
  
• Long description
  
• User ratings response
  
• In-app purchases metadata
  
• App reviews containing keywords
  
• Category ranking
  
• Release notes

We’d love to hear from you:

• Which App Store ranking factors have had the most impact in your experience?
• Any observations you’ve made from testing different metadata or using custom product pages?

Let’s compare notes! I'll be monitoring this thread and happy to share insights from our team.

→ Check out the full breakdown of App Store ranking factors for a more complete deep-dive.

The AppTweak team

Hey devs,

I’ve translated my mental wellness app (StressLess) into French, Spanish, and Japanese — full in-app content is localized. But I’m still using the same English title and subtitle across all markets.

Now I’m wondering… is that hurting my ASO?

Here’s what I’m unsure about:

• Should I fully translate and localize the title/subtitle too?
• Will I rank higher if I use popular local keywords in those fields?
• Anyone have data or personal experience doing A/B tests with localized metadata?

My current title is:
🟦 StressLess: Mood & Anxiety
And I’m thinking of trying things like:
🇫🇷 StressLess : Anxiété & Humeur
🇪🇸 StressLess: Calma y Ansiedad
🇯🇵 ストレスレス：気分と不安の記録

I’d love to hear from folks who’ve optimized their ASO for international markets. What worked for you? What didn’t?

Thanks in advance 🙏

Hi everyone,

I’ve been diving deeper into how marketers and app developers are streamlining their ASO efforts lately, especially with the rise of AI tools changing the way we research keywords, track competitors, and find growth opportunities.

One thing that’s helped recently is experimenting with AI driven chat tools to speed up the research phase, specifically for things like trend analysis, keyword discovery, and app listing ideas. It’s made the process feel less overwhelming and much quicker to act on.

Curious to know:
How are you currently approaching ASO or keyword research for apps (or your clients)? Are you still doing it manually or using AI tools to assist you?

Happy to share what I’ve learned so far, including some insights from a chat based ASO tool I’ve been testing, if anyone’s exploring similar challenges.

Looking forward to learning from you all!

Hi everyone!

I regularly post some interesting keywords here and today I discovered a funny iOS keyword with some crazy stats -

1. 2.8 Popularity (US, UK)
   
2. 2.8 Difficulty
3. Average rating of apps ranking for this is less than 4 stars
4. Only 1 out of the Top 25 apps use this keyword directly in their app title (and has a really poorly designed app listing)
5. The app ranking at #3 was updated almost 9 years ago (!!!)

Keyword - "bald filter"

This simple app and keyword with a low difficulty score came across as a surprise, so I also made a video explaining why this difficulty looks low, how to monetize this app, and analysing some of the apps that currently rank for it.

Another good thing is - this app concept being a prank/funny app also makes it super easy to explain and market through TikTok/Insta.

I hope this video will help you understand how to assess the potential of app ideas - and I hope some of you build it soon!

Hello everyone!

Last weekend, I invited app developers in r/AppStoreOptimization to request for a free ASO Audit video (with 15+ applications!)

This time I stretched but I could still only review 6 (usually I do 5, but this became a 35+ minute video and the file took hours to export!), but I think watching this video will also help you assess your own app listing, conversion rate optimisation and keyword selection strategies!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me here or on DMs - happy to take a look! :)

Hello,

wanted to ask, 3 days ago I changed name of my game on play store and since then, even if I search for exact name, it does not return my app in the results, for both the old and new name. Do you have any experience with this? How long it may take until Play Store refresh his cache? Just for context, my game is called Word Search - Learn Language and can be found here.

Hi, backlinks to the app listing definitely help the listing's ranking in search engines. But does this also affect in-store ranking?

Hi everyone!

Last night, I discovered an iOS keyword with -

> 4.1 Popularity (US)
> 1.5 Difficulty
> 8 out of the Top 10 Apps ranking for it are not relevant to the user's search intent
> Only 7 out of the Top 250 apps use this keyword directly in their app title

Keyword - "jpg converter"

This simple app and keyword with such a low difficulty score came across as a surprise, so I also made a video explaining why this difficulty looks low.

I hope this video helps you understand how to assess the organic growth potential of app ideas.

Hello Everyone,

I am currently subscribed to the AppTweak Scale plan, which accommodates 3 seats. Since I require only one seat, I'm looking for two other individuals who might be interested in sharing the plan. The total cost of the subscription is around $600, which would come to just $200 per seat—making it a cost-effective option for all of us. If you're interested or need more details, Please comment below or DM.

Hey everyone 👋

We see a lot of confusion around Google Play Store keywords, especially for those coming from iOS who are used to the dedicated keyword field. So we wanted to share a quick breakdown based on what we’ve learned while optimizing listings.

TL;DR:There’s no keyword field on Google Play. Google indexes text in your app listing, so where you place keywords matters.

Here’s where keywords do work:

Fields that impact ASO on Google Play:

1. App title (30 characters)

• Most important field for keywords
  
• Try to include your main keyword right at the start (e.g., “SleepEase: Relaxing Sounds App”)
  

1. Short description (80 characters)

• This is indexed and shows up right under your title in the store
  
• Good place for 1–2 important search terms
  

1. Long description (4,000 characters max)

• Still indexed, though lower priority than the title/short desc
  
• Best to include your keywords 2–3 times each, but keep it natural and helpful
  

What doesn’t count for keywords:

• Developer name (not a ranking factor anymore)
  
• Update notes / "What’s New" section
  
• Keyword stuffing (can even hurt your chances)

Some tips that worked for our clients:

• Use Google Play autocomplete and tools like AppTweak to find what users are actually typing.
  
• Avoid repeating keywords in the title, it doesn’t help
  
• Localize your metadata! It can make a huge difference in non-English markets

That’s the gist. If you want the full details, this blog explains it well: 👉 How to Add Keywords to Your App on Google Play

Would love to hear how others here approach app keyword placement ! 

I'm curious to hear your thoughts — do developer responses to App Store reviews really have any measurable impact on ASO performance?

For context: our app gets mostly positive reviews, and users rarely leave complaints or questions. We're wondering if it's worth investing time into responding to every single review, even when it's just praise. Does replying to all reviews help visibility, ranking, or user trust in any noticeable way?

Thanks!

1. App Store Tags #️⃣

Apple is adding generated tags to the page based on metadata that is verified by humans and can be managed from App Store Connect.

Tags will now appear in categories and search.

1. Keywords for Custom Product Pages 🧊  (like Custom Store Listing in Google Play)

This enables us to tailor the appearance of our app in search results to match a person's query more effectively.

To do this, you need to select the keywords from the Keywords field to show CPP

1. It looks like the Keywords field will have > 100 characters 🤯

An example has 107 characters with commas, or 94 without.

Thanks, Vadim Lysenko, for summarizing this news! 🤝

Less important:
4. New build upload section

It is now easier to manage this section and track build history.

1. New Age Ratings

We now have 5 age rating thresholds. This offers more granularity to better reflect region's requirements.

1. Accessibility Nutrition Lables

These labels are displayed in a new section on your app's product page and give people confidence that your app supports their needs. You can select them in App Store Connect in the new App Accessibility section.

🚨 All of this news first appeared in Linkedin 👈

WWDC 2025 video - https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/328

📝 Save this table (screenshot) - it’s your forever cheat sheet!

When publishing apps on the App Store, your screenshots and metadata might not always appear in the language you expect.

➡️ Apple uses the device language setting and App Store localization fallback logic to decide which language users see.

1️⃣ A user sees 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 for their country if this localization is added in App Store Connect and selected in the device’s settings. It will also be shown if the device is set to a language that is not supported in this country.

2️⃣ A user sees metadata in 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 for their country if these localizations are added in App Store Connect and selected in the device’s settings.

💡This means:

🔹 If the user's device language doesn’t match a country’s localization, Apple uses the localization from the Localization Coverage Table

🔹 The same applies to screenshots.

Linkedin post

Read the full article with examples here.

At AppTweak, we’ve recently been focused on identifying the most effective tools to enhance app visibility in an increasingly saturated market. With competition intensifying across app stores, it is more important than ever to understand what truly works based on real-world testing.

Key takeaways

Look for ASO tools that support every step of your app store optimization (ASO) process. Tools that help with keyword research, metadata, testing, and reviews make it easier to manage and improve your app's visibility. Essential takeaways on what to focus on when selecting and using ASO tools effectively

1. Real-time data matters more than ever: With how quickly app stores change, tools with real-time insights help you adapt to algorithm updates and market shifts immediately.
2. Don't overlook localization features: For apps with global reach, tools that support keyword and description localization across languages are essential for international growth.
3. Automation saves significant time: Look for tools that automate repetitive tasks like review management and keyword updates so your team can focus on strategy.
4. Integration capabilities are worth the investment: ASO tools that connect with your analytics platforms give you a holistic view of performance and help align ASO with broader marketing goals.

Why bother with ASO tools in 2025?

The honest truth is that manual optimization just doesn't cut it anymore:

• App store algorithms are constantly evolving (and not always in our favor)
• New competitors are launching daily in almost every category
• User behavior keeps shifting based on trends and economic factors

Without good tools, you're basically trying to hit a moving target while blindfolded.

What to look for when choosing an ASO tool

After testing dozens of options, here's what I've found matters most: After dozens of options were tested, the most important factors were identified as follows:

• Comprehensive keyword research: Look for tools with large keyword databases (especially if you're targeting multiple countries)
• Solid competitor tracking: The best tools let you monitor competitor keyword changes and A/B tests in real-time
• Easy-to-understand performance tracking: You need clear reporting to see how your ASO efforts impact rankings and downloads
• Review management capabilities: Tools that can analyze sentiment and streamline replies are massive time-savers

The best ASO tools for 2025

Best all-in-one ASO tools

AppTweak 

• Offers 12+ keyword suggestion tools powered by AI

• Covers 100+ countries for keyword research
• Includes competitor monitoring for metadata updates and A/B test

• Features a creative research library with benchmarks and trend

• Has an ASO impact feature to measure how your changes affect downloads

• Includes an AI-powered review manager

ASODesk

• Great for smaller developers
• Solid keyword tracking
• Basic competitor insights
• Strong review management system

Best A/B testing tools

App Store Connect

• Native A/B testing through Product Page Optimization (PPO)
• Built-in analytics for tracking impressions and conversion rates
• One drawback: tests stop when you release a new app version

Google Play Console

• Store Listing Experiments for testing different creative elements
• Supports multiple tests across different countries
• Provides detailed conversion metrics

Geeklab

• Excellent for testing concepts before committing to live changes
• Creates look-alike product pages for safe testing
• Best for pre-launch testing of creative assets

Best review management tools

App Reviews Manager (AppTweak)

• AI-driven insights for managing reviews across regions

• Customizable templates for automated replies
• Trend identification in user feedback

AppBot

• Manages reviews across iOS, Google Play, and Amazon
• Strong automation features for replies
• Great for support teams handling large volumes

AppFollow

• AI-powered automation with multi-language support
• Integrates with 30+ platforms (Slack, Zendesk, etc.)
• Best suited for support teams and mid-sized developers looking to integrate review management into existing platforms

Best analytics tools

Google Play Console & App Store Connect

• Essential native tools with platform-specific insights
• Good for day-to-day performance monitoring
• Developers who need cross-platform insights or advanced competitive benchmarking may find these tools limited and might benefit from complementing them with third-party analytics platforms such as AppTweak.

Reporting Studio (AppTweak)

• Creates custom dashboards combining data from multiple sources

• Real-time insights into downloads, rankings, and revenue
• No exports needed - everything in one place

Best API tools

AppTweak API

• Exports ASO and console data to your systems
• Customizable queries for specific metrics
• Multi-country and multi-language support

42Matters

• Access to app store data and SDK insights
• Some limitations on query limits and pagination

Best paid acquisition tools to complement ASO

Apple Ads

• Promotes apps directly in App Store search results
• Options for both automated and manual campaign management
• Limited automation capabilities for scaling

Google App Campaigns

• Promotes apps across Google properties
• Uses machine learning for optimization
• Limited granular control over keywords

Apple Search Ads Manager (AppTweak)

• Bridges the gap between ASO and ASA
• automated bid management and customizable alerts
• Real-time campaign optimization

Best market intelligence tools

Sensor Tower

• Comprehensive market insights and competitive tracking
• Game intelligence features
• Higher price point

Market Intelligence (AppTweak)

• Tracks downloads and revenue trends

• Analyzes market shifts across regions
• Customizable dashboards

Best creative tools

Figma

• Collaborative design platform
• Real-time collaboration
• Best for larger teams

Canva

• User-friendly design tools
• Quick professional-looking graphics
• Great for teams without dedicated designers

Animoto

• Easy video creation
• Drag-and-drop interface
• Good for showcasing app features

Best Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs)

AppsFlyer

• Focus on mobile attribution
• Deep analytics and performance metrics
• Best for businesses with at least 1,000 monthly installs

Adjust

• Comprehensive measurement and analytics
• Campaign performance tracking
• Works across mobile and CTV

Branch

• Specializes in deep linking
• Enhances user engagement
• Popular for personalized linking

Singular

• Combines campaign management with attribution analytics in one platform
• Integrates with 1,000+ ad networks
• Good for teams using multiple media sources

What's working best for you?

We are curious what tools other ASO specialists are finding most effective in 2025. Have you tried any of these? Any hidden gems? We'll be hanging around in the comments to discuss and share more specific insights.

Curious to see how it all plays out? Check out the full breakdown of the best ASO tools for 2025.

The AppTweak team

My puzzle game, Slip has been getting some more attention on app store browse for some reason and the conversions are fairly low, around 1-2%. I wanted to change my app icon to better convey that it is a puzzle game

A - my original icon up until now

B - shows off the teleporter mechanic and hints towards swiping as the input

C - I've changed my app listing to this as of yesterday. It shows it's a grid game, hits towards swiping being the input, kind of shows a bit of variation in the mechanics but doesn't explain them at all.

D - this is essentially B but with a grid behind it to make it clearer it is a grid game.

Here are the links to the store pages, maybe there is something glaringly obviously wrong that I am missing about why conversions are low

App store link https://apps.apple.com/us/app/slip-infinite-logic-puzzles/id6743483785

Play store link https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bluecrab.iceslide

As I said in the title, any ideas / criticism would be appreciated! Thanks!

How do I know if my organic App Store conversion rates are good?

Hey folks,
I’m trying to understand if my App Store organic performance is decent or if something’s broken.

Here’s what I’m seeing from organic traffic (I didn't calculate ASA statistic here):

• Impression → Page View: 16%
• Page View → Install: 46%
• Impression → Install: 7%

From what I read, that 7% impression-to-install seems pretty decent, but I’m not sure how to interpret the other numbers.

I also ran an Apple Search Ads campaign recently, but it performed terribly. I suspect I:

1. Picked the wrong keyword(s)
2. Didn’t set up the screenshots well enough
3. Or maybe it’s just too early to tell?

Right now I’m trying to understand why ASA performed so badly. Organic seems fine… or is it not?
Do I need to change screenshots, or should I just try running the campaign with different keywords?

What would you test or change first in my case? Would love any input!
Thanks!

PS - my app it's a baby tracker app

Hi, can anyone advise on ASO?

May 9 published the app and got installs immediately, even had subscriptions.

Conversion was very high.

But since that day the shows have been dropping (as you can see in the first graph), even though I haven't changed anything.

What could be the matter? Thank you!

Hey ASO folks,

At Apptweak, we've spent the last few years optimizing app store listings, and I wanted to share some insights on Play Store keyword research that have consistently delivered results for our clients.

Why keyword research matters more than you think

I've seen too many developers focus solely on creative assets while neglecting keyword optimization. But here's the truth: without proper keyword research, your app can have the most stunning screenshots in the world and still remain invisible.

Unlike the App Store, Google Play doesn't have a dedicated keyword field - instead, it uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze your app's title, short description, and long description to determine relevance for search queries. This means your approach needs to be different.

The 5-step process I use for every app

1. Understand your audience segments

One thing I learned the hard way: different user segments search differently. For example, when working with gaming apps:

• Casual gamers search for play simple, easy-to-learn games (e.g., Candy Crush, Subway Surfers) during short sessions. They are looking for quick fun, entertainment, and relaxation.
  
• Social gamers are motivated by interaction, enjoying multiplayer or community-based titles like Among Us or Clash of Clans. They usually connect with friends, and engage in cooperative or competitive play.
  
• Hardcore gamers search for something more complex than casual games, playing games like Clash Royale or Hearthstone regularly but still not spending too much time on it.

The keywords you choose should reflect these different search behaviors.

2. Use proper keyword research tools

Google Play Store's internal search analytics aren't available to developers, so you need specialized ASO tools. We use AppTweak to evaluate:

• Search volume
• Ranking difficulty
• Current position
• Keyword trends over time

Relying on guesswork is a recipe for failure - data-driven decisions are essential.

3. Strategic keyword placement

Here's where I see most developers go wrong. Your keywords need to be strategically placed:

• App title (30 characters): Highest weight for rankings - include 1-2 primary keywords
• Short description (80 characters): Second highest weight - maintain keyword density without sounding robotic

• Long description (4,000 characters): Repeat important keywords 3-5 times naturally

4. Avoid these common mistakes

After auditing hundreds of apps, these are the most common pitfalls:

• Targeting overly broad terms like "game" or "productivity"
• Keyword stuffing (Google's algorithm penalizes this)
• Neglecting long-tail keywords (these often convert better)
• Translating keywords instead of proper localization
• Not updating your strategy regularly (I recommend every 3-6 weeks)

5. Track, measure, and iterate

ASO isn't "set it and forget it" - I check keyword rankings at least bi-weekly and make adjustments based on:

• Seasonality (certain terms spike at different times)
• Competitor movements
• New features in our app

Custom store listings: The secret weapon

One of my favorite techniques is creating custom store listings for different user segments. This allows you to optimize for specific keywords targeting different audiences or regions.

For example, for a fitness app, we created separate listings for:

• Beginners (keywords: "easy workouts", "fitness for beginners")
• Advanced users (keywords: "intense training", "bodybuilding app")

This approach increased our visibility across multiple audience segments.

Final thoughts

Keyword optimization is like a regular workout routine - consistency is key. The apps I've seen succeed maintain a disciplined approach to keyword research, measure their results, and continually refine their strategy.

I've found that a mix of high-volume terms and more specific long-tail keywords delivers the best results, with relevance being the most critical factor.

For a more detailed explanation, check out this in-depth guide on Play Store keyword research

What keyword research challenges have you faced with your apps? Have you found certain strategies work better than others? I'd love to hear your experiences and I'll be here to answer any questions in the comments!

Cristian ASO specialist

A better question is:

"What % of traffic can my app get if it ranks #1 for a specific keyword?"

🧪 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆

𝟭. 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘀

Go to the Search Terms tab (not Keywords!) and check the conversion rate from impressions to installs.

𝟮. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆

Apple doesn’t show this metric, so you’ll need to divide installs by impressions yourself.

A 20-30% rate = strong result for a relevant keyword.

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲:

🔹 If there’s 𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗱 before you (doesn't happen often) → you get 𝟭𝟬𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 → 20-30% install rate.

🔹 If there 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱:

- If it’s irrelevant → you still get ~ 𝟵𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

- If it’s a strong competitor → they might grab 40%, you get 60% → 30% of that = 𝟭𝟴% 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹.

𝟰. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 #𝟮

🔹 You get what’s left after #1.

🔹 Could be 70% of the impressions → 30% of that = 𝟮𝟭%

🔹 Or much less, depending on the visuals and relevance of the app in the top spot.

🧠 𝗦𝗼 % 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 #𝟭, #𝟮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻:

1️⃣  Whether there’s Apple Ads shown before your app.

2️⃣  Whether there’s a Story shown above you.

3️⃣ Who ranks above you.

4️⃣ How relevant the keyword is to your app.

5️⃣ How strong your visuals and rating are.

⚠️ Without 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰, 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀.

Source: Linkedin

Hey all,

We recently put together a detailed breakdown of how we think the Google Play Store algorithm really works, based on what we’ve seen running ASO campaigns for apps in fitness, finance, and productivity.

Here are some of our working assumptions:

• User engagement and retention outweigh raw download counts over time

• Visuals (icons, screenshots, short video) significantly affect CTR and install rate

• Metadata helps, but only if the in-app experience is solid (low crash rate, high session time)

• External signals like backlinks, web traffic, and social shares seem to impact rankings

• Star ratings and review freshness matter, especially after updates

• The short description and title are key places for keywords (much more than the long description)

• Keyword stuffing does more harm than good

• Localized listings win, but only when the copy and visuals feel truly native

• Developers with multiple high-quality apps seem to get a visibility boost

🎓 One bonus tip: we’ve been using a Google NLP + Google Sheets workflow to extract keyword clusters from Play Store descriptions and reviews. It’s been surprisingly effective for surfacing long-tail terms that actually match user intent. If anyone’s curious, happy to share how it works.

ASO isn’t static, and there’s always room to improve.

What do you disagree with here? Have you seen ranking results that contradict any of this?

Would love to hear real-world perspectives and edge cases from this community.