ASO Glossary

The process of improving an iOS or Android app's visibility and conversion rate in the App Store or Google Play. ASO covers metadata (title, subtitle, keyword field, description), visual assets (icon, screenshots), ratings, reviews, and localization.

A 100-character hidden field in App Store Connect that Apple uses to index your app for search. Comma-separated, never visible to users. Apple indexes each word once — duplicating words from your title or subtitle wastes characters. Not available on Google Play.

The main name of your app in the App Store. Maximum 30 characters. Carries the highest keyword weight of any metadata field — your most important search keyword should appear here. Displayed prominently in search results.

A secondary line of text below your app title. Maximum 30 characters. Carries high keyword weight and can be updated without submitting a new app version. Use for keywords that didn't fit in the title.

The process by which Apple registers your app for a given search term. A keyword must appear in your title, subtitle, keyword field, or developer name to be indexed. After a metadata update, indexing typically takes 2–4 weeks to fully propagate.

Apple's internal 0–100 score for how often a keyword is searched in the App Store. Accessible via Apple Search Ads. Higher scores mean more searches, but also more competition. The sweet spot for small apps is often in the 30–60 range.

A measure of how hard it is to rank in the top 10 for a given keyword. Determined by the strength of apps already ranking there — their ratings, reviews, download velocity, and metadata quality. ASO tools like AppFollow and ASOdesk provide difficulty scores.

A view of your app listing in search results or browse. Apple measures impressions in App Store Connect. Impression-to-page-view rate reflects how compelling your icon and screenshots look in search results.

The percentage of users who download your app after viewing the product page. Calculated as downloads ÷ page views. Industry benchmark is 3–8%. Improved primarily through icon, screenshots, and app preview video — not metadata.

Adding country- or language-specific metadata to your App Store listing. Each locale in App Store Connect has its own title, subtitle, keyword field, and description. Localization means researching local keywords — not just translating English ones.

Translation converts your existing English keywords into another language. Localization researches what users in each market actually search for — often different words, phrases, and patterns entirely. Translation produces translated rankings (usually low). Localization produces ranking results.

A keyword that competitors rank for but you don't. Keyword gap analysis compares your indexed terms with top competitors in the same category to find ranking opportunities you're missing.

Words that appear in more than one metadata field (e.g., a word in both your title and keyword field). Apple only indexes each word once, so duplicates waste keyword field characters. A common mistake that reduces effective indexing footprint.

The rate at which an app accumulates downloads over time. High velocity is a positive ranking signal — Apple's algorithm rewards apps with accelerating install rates. Often boosted by App Store feature placements, press coverage, or social media spikes.

Star ratings and written reviews from users. Average rating and total review count are both ranking signals. Apps below 4.0 see significant ranking penalties. `SKStoreReviewRequest` in Swift is the standard way to prompt ratings at the right moment.

A 170-character field at the top of your App Store description, visible on the product page. Unlike the description, promotional text can be edited without submitting a new app version. Not indexed for search — used for conversion copy and seasonal messaging.

Apple feature (introduced iOS 15) that lets you create up to 35 alternate versions of your App Store listing with different screenshots and promotional text. Used for targeted advertising campaigns via Apple Search Ads.

Apple's built-in A/B testing for App Store listings. Allows testing alternate icons, screenshots, and app preview videos against your default listing. Results measured by conversion rate improvement.

The ranked lists of most-downloaded and highest-grossing apps in each category and country. Appearing in Top Charts provides visibility independent of keyword search. Driven by download velocity and revenue.

Your app's position within its primary and secondary categories. Different from keyword ranking — category ranking is based on download velocity and ratings within that category.

The set of countries and languages for which your app has distinct metadata in App Store Connect. A wider localization scope means more keyword footprint across more markets. Apple supports metadata localization in 50+ languages.

A tool that counts characters in your keyword field and identifies duplicates. The free LocalizeRank keyword checker covers title, subtitle, and keyword field simultaneously.

A structured review of an app's metadata, visual assets, ratings, and keyword strategy to identify gaps and ranking opportunities. A good ASO audit scores each element and prioritizes improvements by expected impact.