ASO Keyword Research: How to Find Keywords That Convert

Keywords are the bridge between what people type into an app store and the app they end up installing. Choose well and your listing appears in front of the right audience. Choose poorly and even a great app stays invisible. App Store Optimization keyword research is the process of finding the phrases worth targeting.

This guide gives you a repeatable method. For the wider picture, start with our ASO guide.

What makes a good keyword

Evaluate every candidate on three questions.

1. Relevance: does the phrase describe what the app genuinely does? Irrelevant installs churn quickly and can hurt ratings.
2. Search volume: do enough people search for it? Tools give estimates, not exact numbers, so use them to compare keywords rather than trust absolute values.
3. Difficulty: how strong are the apps already ranking? Highly competitive terms are hard for a new app to win.

The sweet spot is a relevant phrase with reasonable volume and manageable competition, often a longer, more specific phrase.

Step 1: Build a seed list

Collect words and phrases from several places:

• Your own description of the app, in plain language: what it does, who it is for, what problem it solves
• Store autocomplete: type a seed word and note the suggestions
• Competitor titles, subtitles and descriptions
• User reviews, which show the words customers really use
• Support questions and social posts
• Related search terms from web search tools

Aim for a long raw list. You will trim it later.

Step 2: Expand with variations

For each seed, add:

• Synonyms and alternative spellings
• Singular and plural forms (check how each store treats them)
• Problem-based phrases (“track my spending”) as well as category terms (“budget app”)
• Use-case and audience phrases (“budget app for students”)

Remember that people search in the local language. If you target several countries, research each market separately instead of translating directly.

Step 3: Score each keyword

Put the list in a spreadsheet and add columns for relevance, estimated volume, difficulty and your current rank. A simple 1 to 5 rating for each is enough. ASO platforms such as AppFollow or Sensor Tower can supply volume and difficulty estimates.

A practical filter:

Keep	Drop
High relevance, moderate difficulty	Low relevance, whatever the volume
Specific phrases that match intent	Generic terms dominated by giant apps
Terms you already rank near the top for	Brand names of competitors (against store policy)

Step 4: Place keywords in the right fields

Each store indexes different fields.

• Apple App Store: title, subtitle and the hidden keyword field are indexed. The long description is not used for search ranking. Do not repeat words across these fields, since repeats waste limited space.
• Google Play: title, short description and long description are indexed, so use important phrases naturally across all three.

Put the most valuable keyword in the title, keep copy readable, and never stuff keywords. Both stores discourage it and users notice.

Step 5: Prioritise by funnel stage

Not every keyword brings the same kind of user.

• Brand keywords are people who already know you. Protect them, but they are not growth.
• Category keywords capture people who know the type of app they want.
• Problem keywords reach people who have a need but do not know a solution exists.

A healthy mix targets all three.

Step 6: Track and iterate

Rankings change over time, so revisit regularly.

• Record your rank for each target keyword at least weekly
• Compare impressions, page views and installs before and after metadata changes
• Change one thing at a time where you can, so you know what caused a movement
• Allow enough time between edits, since indexing and ranking take days to settle
• Review competitors monthly for new terms

Combine this with listing experiments, which we cover in the A/B testing guide, because ranking is only half the job. The other half is screenshots that convert.

Common mistakes

• Targeting only the biggest, most competitive terms
• Using keywords unrelated to the app to chase traffic
• Ignoring localisation
• Copying a competitor’s list without checking relevance
• Never revisiting the list after launch

Checklist

• Seed list from your app, autocomplete, competitors and reviews
• Variations and long-tail phrases added
• Each keyword scored for relevance, volume and difficulty
• Keywords placed in indexed fields without repetition
• Mix of brand, category and problem keywords
• Weekly rank tracking in place
• Changes logged with dates

Final thoughts

Keyword research is a loop of research, placement, measurement and refinement. Start with relevance, aim for phrases you can realistically win, and let data guide the next change. If you would like help auditing your listing, see our ASO and growth service or get in touch.