App Store Optimization 101: Get More Downloads for Free

ASO is the SEO of mobile apps. Get the basics right and organic installs grow without ad spend — the long tail keeps paying for years.

The six on-page levers

• App title — include the primary keyword naturally.
• Subtitle / short description — secondary keywords, value prop.
• Keywords field (iOS) — the under-appreciated 100-character text box.
• Long description (Android) — keyword density matters more than on iOS.
• Icon — clean, distinct, recognisable at 24px.
• Screenshots and preview video — first three are 80% of the click decision.

The off-page signals

Install velocity, retention, ratings, and reviews. Apple and Google both reward apps that users actually keep using. Optimising for install volume at the expense of quality backfires within weeks.

Localisation

Localising store listings for major Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi) often produces 20-40% install lift in those segments. The work is small; the impact is consistently underestimated.

What to track

Impressions, store-listing visitors, install conversion rate, install velocity, keyword rankings on target terms. App Store Connect and Play Console give all of this for free. Add a tool like AppTweak or Sensor Tower when budget allows.

The mistake to avoid

Treating ASO as a launch-only task. Stores re-index, competitors update, search trends shift. A quarterly review and refresh of titles, keywords, and creative keeps the long tail working. Apps that stop iterating slide silently.