Keyword Research & Metadata
Research App Store keywords and place them correctly across your app name, subtitle, and keyword field without wasting ranking space.
Keyword research connects user demand to the metadata fields Apple actually indexes. The goal is not to collect the biggest terms; it is to find relevant searches your app can realistically rank for and assign every word to the right field.
Use these guides to measure keyword demand, study competitors, balance branded and generic terms, and build an app name, subtitle, and keyword field that expand coverage without duplication or stuffing.
ASO Keywords: What They Are, How to Research Them, and How to Pick the Right Ones
ASO keywords determine which App Store searches your app appears in. Here's what they are, where they go, how to research them, and how to choose the ones worth targeting.
Explore every keywords guide.
Read in order or jump directly to the question you need to solve.
How to Choose an App Name That Ranks in the App Store
Your app name is the highest-weighted field in Apple's search algorithm. Here's how to choose an app name that ranks — and what most indie developers get wrong.
Read guideApp Store Description: Does It Actually Affect Search Ranking?
Apple's algorithm doesn't heavily index the description for search ranking — but users read it. Here's what the description actually does for your ASO.
Read guideApp Store Keyword Ranking: How to Track Where Your App Actually Appears
App Store Connect doesn't show your keyword positions. Here's how to track which keywords your app ranks for, what position it appears in, and how to measure whether your ASO changes are working.
Read guideHow to Do App Store Keyword Research for International Markets
How to research App Store keywords for Japan, Germany, France, and Brazil — the markets where indie apps rank fastest.
Read guideKeyword Stuffing in App Store Titles — Why It Backfires
Stuffing keywords into your App Store title hurts more than it helps. Here's what Apple's algorithm actually rewards instead.
Read guideApp Store Keyword Volume: How to Measure Search Demand Without Chasing Vanity Terms
Learn how to interpret App Store keyword volume, compare search demand with difficulty and relevance, and choose keywords that can actually produce downloads for your app.
Read guideApp Store Subtitle: The Most Underused Ranking Field in ASO On-Page Optimization
The App Store subtitle is the second-highest weighted metadata field for search ranking — and most apps waste it on taglines. Here's how to use it correctly.
Read guideBranded vs Generic Keywords in the App Store: How to Use Both
Should you target branded keywords or generic category terms in the App Store? Here's how brand and generic keyword strategy works — and how to use both effectively.
Read guideHow to Find Competitor App Store Keywords (Free Method)
How to find what keywords your App Store competitors are ranking for — free manual method plus tool-based approach. No paid subscription required for the first pass.
Read guide7 Free App Store Keyword Research Tools for iOS ASO
Free App Store keyword research tools for iOS developers: autocomplete, Apple Search Ads, AppFollow, Astro, Sensor Tower, RespectASO, and LocalizeRank.
Read guideHow Apple's Keyword Field Actually Works (And What Most Devs Get Wrong)
Apple's keyword field is 100 characters, invisible to users, and one of the most misused fields in the App Store. Here's how to use it correctly.
Read guideTurn the learning path into action.
Research App Store keywords and place them correctly across your app name, subtitle, and keyword field without wasting ranking space.