> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.appfigures.com/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # App Store Optimization (ASO) Overview App Store Optimization, or ASO, is the process of improving your app's chances of being shown in relevant app store search results and how likely people are to download it once they land on your product page. Good ASO has two connected goals: * **Discovery** - Help the store understand which searches your app is relevant for, so it can appear for the right keywords. * **Conversion** - Help people who see your app decide to download it, usually through strong metadata, screenshots, ratings, reviews, and clear positioning. ASO is not a one-time setup task. Rankings change, competitors update their metadata, paid advertisers enter and leave keywords, and user search behavior shifts over time. The strongest ASO strategies use a repeatable cycle: research, optimize, measure, and improve. | **Available on:** Appfigures includes ASO reports and tools across several plans. Availability varies by report. See each linked article for report-specific plan access, or [Upgrade →](https://appfigures.com/account/upgrade) to compare plans. ## What ASO Includes ASO usually covers a few major areas: * **Keyword research** - Finding the words and phrases people use when searching for apps like yours. * **Keyword selection** - Choosing relevant keywords, searched often enough to matter, and realistic for your app to compete for. * **Metadata optimization** - Using those keywords in the fields each store reads, such as the app name, subtitle, keyword list, short description, or long description. * **Competitor research** - Studying which apps rank for important keywords, how strong they are, and what terms they appear to be targeting. * **Paid keyword research** - Looking at which keywords competitors advertise on with Apple Search Ads and how paid visibility overlaps with organic rank. * **Conversion optimization** - Improving the product page so more people who view the app choose to download it. * **Rank tracking and iteration** - Monitoring rankings over time, learning what changed, and adjusting your keyword strategy. ## How Appfigures Helps With ASO Appfigures has several ASO reports and tools. Each one answers a different question in the ASO workflow. ### Research Any Keyword Use [Keyword Inspector](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/keyword-inspector-1jy20tk/) to search any keyword and see the live search results for a selected store, country, and device. It shows the apps ranking for that keyword, how they use the keyword in their metadata, estimated downloads and revenue for top results, Popularity, Competitiveness, DPR, and paid advertisers where available. Use this when you want to evaluate a keyword before targeting it. ### Find Keywords Your App Already Ranks For Use [Ranked Keywords](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/ranked-keywords-14eitmr/) to see every organic keyword where your app appears in search results across Appfigures' tracked keyword database. You can filter by rank, popularity, competitiveness, and tracking status to find keywords worth monitoring or improving. Use this when you want to understand your current organic search footprint. ### Track Keyword Rank Changes Use [Keyword Performance](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/keyword-performance-9f0ocx/) to monitor how your app ranks for tracked keywords over time. It combines current rank, popularity, competitiveness, top results, rank trends, and summary movement statistics so you can see whether ASO changes are improving visibility. Use this when you want to measure whether your keyword strategy is working. ### Compare Competitor Keyword Rankings Use [Competitor Keywords](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/competitor-keywords-1kqm7e5/) to compare the organic keywords up to 8 apps rank for side by side. This helps you find keyword gaps, identify terms competitors rank for that you do not, and discover new keywords to track. Use this when you want to learn what is already working for competitors. ### Discover New Keyword Ideas Use [Suggested Keywords](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/suggested-keywords-1xjpf82/) to get AI-powered keyword suggestions based on your app's existing keyword profile and apps with similar ranking patterns. Use [Related Keywords](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/related-keywords-m8vpdc/) to start from one keyword and find other connected terms. This is useful when you have a seed keyword and want to expand it into a larger keyword list. Use these when you need more keyword candidates before narrowing your strategy. ### Optimize Store Metadata Use [Keyword List Optimizer](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/keyword-list-optimizer-rdm74r/) for the Apple App Store keyword field. Paste your keyword list and the tool removes wasted characters, duplicates, spaces, plurals, and other inefficient usage so you can fit more value into the 100-character limit. Use [Keyword Density Analyzer](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/keyword-density-analyzer-kk5my5/) for Google Play long descriptions. Paste or import a description to see keyword density, popularity, competitiveness, and issues like keyword stuffing or low repetition. Use these when you are preparing metadata changes for the Apple App Store or Google Play. ### Understand Paid Keyword Competition Use [Keyword Advertisers](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/keyword-advertisers-jrgfm1/) to see which apps are advertising on a specific keyword with Apple Search Ads. Use [Competitor Paid Keywords](https://help.appfigures.com/en/article/competitor-paid-keywords-5or4zl/) to see which keywords selected competitors are bidding on and compare their paid visibility with their organic rank. Use these when you want to understand how paid search activity overlaps with organic ASO opportunities. || Apple Search Ads reports are App Store only. Google Play does not have an Apple Search Ads equivalent. ## A Simple ASO Workflow If you are new to ASO, start with a focused workflow: 1. **Understand your current visibility** - Open Ranked Keywords to see what your app already ranks for. 2. **Find keyword ideas** - Use Suggested Keywords, Related Keywords, and Competitor Keywords to build a larger list of possible targets. 3. **Evaluate each keyword** - Open promising terms in Keyword Inspector and compare Popularity, Competitiveness, top results, downloads, revenue, and DPR. 4. **Choose realistic targets** - Prioritize keywords that are relevant to your app, have meaningful demand, and are not dominated by apps you cannot realistically compete with yet. 5. **Update your metadata** - Use Keyword List Optimizer for the Apple App Store keyword field and Keyword Density Analyzer for Google Play descriptions. 6. **Track changes over time** - Monitor rank movement, visibility, downloads, ratings, reviews, and conversion signals after making changes. 7. **Repeat** - Replace weak keywords, test new ideas, and keep watching competitors. The goal is not to target every keyword. The goal is to find the right keywords, use them effectively, and keep improving as the market changes. ## App Store vs. Google Play ASO works differently across stores. On the Apple App Store, keyword strategy usually focuses on fields such as the app name, subtitle, and keyword list. The Keyword List Optimizer helps make the keyword list more efficient. On Google Play, there is no separate keyword list. Google Play reads keywords from visible metadata, especially the long description. The Keyword Density Analyzer helps check whether your description is targeting the right terms without overusing them. Because the stores work differently, avoid copying the same exact strategy across both. Research keywords separately, optimize the relevant metadata fields for each store, and measure results separately. ## What To Watch After Making ASO Changes After updating keywords, metadata, or creatives, monitor: * **Keyword ranks** - Are target keywords moving up or down? * **Popularity and Competitiveness** - Are you targeting keywords with enough demand and realistic competition? * **Downloads** - Are visibility changes turning into more installs? * **Ratings and reviews** - Are social proof and sentiment helping or hurting conversion? * **DPR** - Are apps in the top results converting downloads into ratings efficiently? * **Competitor movement** - Are competitors changing metadata, ranks, or paid keyword activity? ASO takes time to measure. Make focused changes, give them enough time to settle, then compare the results before making the next round of updates. ## Related Guides * [App Store Optimization Checklist](https://appfigures.com/resources/guides/app-store-optimization-checklist) * [ASO Keyword Research - 9 Steps to Find the Perfect Keywords](https://appfigures.com/resources/guides/keyword-research) * [How to Choose Keywords that Get the Most Downloads](https://appfigures.com/resources/guides/which-keywords-to-optimize-for) * [How to Use Keywords to Optimize Your App's Name and Subtitle](https://appfigures.com/resources/guides/app-name-optimization) * [8 Tips to Optimize Your Keywords List in App Store Connect](https://appfigures.com/resources/guides/keyword-optimization-app-store-connect) * [How To Design Screenshots That Result in Downloads](https://appfigures.com/resources/guides/optimizing-screenshots-creatives)