The Ultimate App Store Optimization Checklist

Audit rival apps in your category. Note their naming conventions, App Title keywords, Subtitles, visual style, and reviews.

List core terms representing your app’s functions, benefits, synonyms, and search queries real users would type.

Analyze competitor metadata (titles, subtitles, and promotional text) to discover secondary keywords they are targeting.

Type letters into the App Store search bar and write down autocomplete recommendations to spot high-intent phrases.

Filter out keywords with negligible traffic. Focus on terms with a Search Popularity score of 15 or higher.

Evaluate top 10 ranking apps for your target keywords. If they all have >50k ratings, choose a less competitive term.

Ensure every keyword matches your app’s core functionality. Driving traffic for irrelevant terms hurts conversion.

Compare competition levels in App Store Connect. Choose primary and secondary categories where your app fits naturally.

Classify keywords into high-intent (problem-solving) and low-intent (browsing) to prioritize metadata placement.

Identify which international storefronts offer the biggest market opportunity for your specific app niche.

Analyze which secondary localizations index in your primary markets to utilize extra keyword capacity.

Create a title up to 30 characters using the formula: Brand Name + Primary Keyword (e.g., "ZenSleep: Sleep Tracker").

Write a subtitle up to 30 characters explaining the benefit. Use secondary keyword themes distinct from the App Name.

Scan the title and subtitle to ensure zero duplicate words. Apple indexes individual words and combines them.

Build a 100-character keyword string. Separate words with commas and no spaces (e.g., "sleep,relax,noise,rest").

Ensure no keywords used in your App Name or Subtitle are repeated in the 100-character keyword field.

Stick to singular forms (e.g., "tracker" instead of "trackers"). Apple’s algorithm matches basic plurals.

Delete words like "app", "free", "the", "a", or your category name from the keyword field. Apple indexes these automatically.

Craft a persuasive opening. Users only see the first 3 lines before the "More" link folds the rest.

Write a clean, 4000-character description with bullet points showing key features, benefits, and support links.

Write a 170-character marketing blurb. You can edit this field at any time without submitting a new app binary.

Ensure your developer account name reads professionally. It is indexed by search engines and groups your portfolio.

Use keywords in your individual IAP display names (up to 30 characters), as they can appear in search results.

Create an icon with a clear visual metaphor. Avoid text, clutter, and fine details that blur when small.

Place your icon candidate in a grid of competitor icons to ensure yours draws the eye first.

Use your first screenshot to show the core value proposition. Put the main visual benefit here.

Overlay high-contrast, large text on screenshots. Ensure captions can be read in under 2 seconds on a small screen.

Arrange screenshots 1, 2, and 3 to represent a cohesive journey. Don’t repeat similar UI layouts.

Place your screenshots in modern phone frames. Strip out irrelevant carrier text, status bars, and battery icons.

Utilize the remaining screenshot slots to showcase supplementary features, dark mode, settings, or credentials.

Include badges or text referencing prominent features, awards, or high user reviews in your screenshots.

Showcase UIs in the system theme that looks best. Mix light and dark screens if it matches your app features.

Start your preview video with immediate action or a highlight. Do not start with a static title screen or logo.

Overlay legible captions explaining what is happening on screen, since most users watch videos without sound.

Localize all captions on screenshots and video overlays for your priority international storefronts.

Ensure Title is <= 30, Subtitle is <= 30, Keywords is <= 100, and Description is <= 4000 characters.

Double-check that the 100-character keyword field contains no spaces after commas.

Paste translated titles, subtitles, keywords, and descriptions into each active localization tab.

Provide assets for 6.7" (iPhone 12-15 Pro Max) and 6.5" (iPhone XS Max/11 Pro Max) devices at minimum.

Verify your metadata contains no prohibited terms (like mentions of Android, test, beta, or external pricing).

Set up SKStoreReviewController inside your codebase. Let Apple handle the rating modal natively.

Set triggers after high-satisfaction moments (e.g., completing a task, hitting a streak), never at launch.

Apple allows the native prompt to appear up to 3 times in a 12-month period. Guard against spamming.

Upload visual display cards in App Store Connect to showcase your subscriptions directly in search results.

Confirm your account has permissions to view storefront impressions, product page views, and download charts.

Register all target keywords from your metadata in your keyword rank tracker to monitor position baselines.

Track conversion rates (Unique Downloads divided by Impressions). Aim for a benchmark of 25% - 35%.

Do not modify metadata immediately. Apple’s search index takes several days to process new metadata changes.

For keywords you rank near the top 10, consider moving them into the App Name or Subtitle to boost positions.

If a keyword remains below position 50 after 3 weeks, replace it with a less competitive or long-tail term.

Set up a weekly review cycle. Reply to critical feedback. If a user raises a bug, fix it and ask them to update their rating.

Use Apple's native A/B testing tool in App Store Connect to test screenshot variants, icons, or videos.

Create tailored landing pages for specific external sources (e.g. TikTok ads or specific influencer campaigns).

Schedule your next keyword update in 4-6 weeks based on rank tracking data and search volume shifts.