Winning with ASO in the App Store: A complete guide to succeed with your iOS app

App store optimization (ASO) for the App Store requires a unique approach. Like Google Play, the App Store has its own rules and principles regarding how the algorithm ranks apps. The App Store’s product pages differ in design from Google Play’s store listings, and user behavior patterns may also vary for the same app.

This article introduces all the concepts relevant to ASO for the App Store, serving also as a gateway to our extensive knowledge library. It will show you the full scope of ASO for the App Store and how App Radar can elevate your app strategy, from research to implementation.

The full scope of ASO for the App Store in 2025

App store optimization has two main areas of interest:

1. Organic visibility: in search results and throughout the marketplace
2. Conversion rates: how likely users are to explore search results and download an app

The scope of activities needed to impact these two areas keeps broadening with the evolution of the App Store, which strives to provide its users with the best app discovery experience possible by including more ranking factors and encouraging a focus on relevance that drives genuine engagement.

The full scope of ASO in 2025:

Improving organic visibility:	Optimizing metadata (app name, subtitle, keyword field)
Optimizing conversion rates:	Optimizing a product page (app icon, screenshots, preview video, app description)
Advanced tactics:	Managing ratings and reviews, hosting in-app events, promoting in-app purchases, enabling pre-order, aligning with Apple Ads search results ads, working towards app features, monitoring app performance, and securing regular updates.

The scope of ASO expands to match the increased sophistication of the App Store, striving to give its users the best possible app discovery experience. More factors impact ASO, requiring a good understanding of our app, its metadata, competitors, and the market as a whole.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be handling every relevant activity listed in this article, but as an ASO specialist, you can promote a holistic approach to app marketing, considering all the factors that impact our organic visibility on the App Store. 

For an easier reading experience, we’ve broken down the activities into core ones impacting organic visibility and conversion rates and extended, advanced tactics.

Tip: ASO’s fundamental principles and best practices still apply to the App Store. Pay attention to localization and seasonality just like you would on Google Play. This article will guide you through activities and elements specific to the App Store.

Organic search results and visibility optimization

Improving organic visibility is the primary task of any ASO specialist. Understanding what factors impact it is crucial to gaining prominence in search results throughout the marketplace.

App Store ranking factors

The App Store algorithm considers many aspects when ranking apps. Like Google Play Store, the algorithm also uses keywords as the fundamental ranking concept and their relevance to an app. You can expect to rank high if your app is eligible for ranking on a specific keyword while being relevant and having enough ranking strength.

The most critical elements that influence the ranking process in the App Store include:

• App name – the most substantial weight of all ranking factors
• App subtitle – the second strongest ranking weight
• Keyword field – significant, but not as much as the name and subtitle
• Developer name – important but carries less weight.
• In-app events – keywords used in the event name and short descriptions of the in-app event are also indexed.

In our experience, app downloads and in-app purchases are among the most vital ranking signals in the App Store when it comes to ranking signals that don’t include keywords (like recommended apps lists). Furthermore, download velocity also plays a crucial role as a ranking signal. Both matter tremendously for keyword rankings as clear indicators of genuine user engagement.

While there are many other unconfirmed and possible ranking factors, we’ll focus on those that we are confident about their influence. We encourage you to explore them further in our comprehensive App Store ranking factors guide.

Tip: If you want to learn more advanced app marketing tips, we recommend reading our article on best practices for app store optimization.

Keyword optimization

Keyword optimization is critical to addressing ranking factors on the App Store. This includes proper research, selection, and implementation of keywords to find the right ones for our app and those with any chance for it to rank.

• Research includes finding keywords that are popular and logically relevant to our app;
• Selection means striking the right balance between relevance, popularity, and ranking difficulty;
• Implementation involves strategically allocating keywords between the app’s name, subtitle, and the keyword field so that they have the biggest impact on rankings.

The most significant consideration of any ASO specialist is making this process as data-driven as possible. Some related services, like App Store Connect or Apple Ads, can provide valuable insights, but granular, precise metrics are needed for successful ranking. This is where platforms such as App Radar fill this niche with their tech and solutions.

App Radar offers extensive tools enabling a comprehensive approach to keyword optimization, from AI-driven keyword research to competition analysis and ASO benchmarks.

Conversion rate optimization

Conversion rate optimization may come into play even before an app launches, either through pre-release testing, which is possible thanks to services such as SplitMetrics Optimize, or Pre-Order campaigns. It certainly gains importance as the app matures, and improving the app’s product page is done to address increasing fatigue, seasonality, trends, and market developments.

Product page optimization

Product page optimization as a part of strategic ASO goes beyond ensuring that creatives follow the technical specifications of the App Store. The primary goal is to make them engaging. At its core, product pages optimization involves taking care of the following elements:

• The app icon is one of the most important visual elements in the App Store. It is visible in search results and the product page and impacts tap-through and conversion rates. Even with screenshots’ dominant role, changing the app icon can impact both these metrics. 
• App screenshots have the most significant impact on the conversion rate in the App Store. For most apps, the search results will be their primary acquisition source. Like the app icon, screenshots are visible in search results and product pages.

• The app preview video is excellent for providing users with more information about an app compared to using only app screenshots. However, not all apps require it, and it should be carefully optimized to fulfill its purpose quickly..
• The app description field in the App Store provides an extended description of your app’s theme and functionality, but has little actual impact on conversions. Nevertheless, it contributes to the overall performance on some level and should be given enough attention to tell your app’s story.

Expert tip: Don’t assume that what works for Google Play will work on the App Store. Different demographics and user behavior patterns should incentivize you to approach each marketplace individually. For example, our data suggests that App Store users are, on average, less patient when previewing videos, forcing publishers to make them as brief as possible.

Extended App Store ASO tactics

The continuous extension of ASO tactics to drive better organic visibility and conversions is the result of the App Store’s evolution and growth. 

The store strives to provide its users with the best possible app discovery experience. More factors come into play for ranking apps. The ever-changing market dynamics should incentivize you to explore every opportunity the marketplace offers, as each will impact organic performance somehow.

Managing App Store ratings and reviews

The ratings and reviews your app receives in the App Store will have a tremendous impact on its conversion rate. Many users don’t think about installing apps with low star ratings. If you want your app to be promoted by the App Store through featured apps and recommendations, you must ensure it is highly rated.

Getting high ratings is crucial if you start your App Store journey. Your app needs to satisfy user expectations and provide a great experience. Aim to make a high-quality app with no bugs and smooth interactions.

From an ASO’s perspective, you can maintain communication with your audience and make an impact by simply being communicative. Analysing reviews can provide your team with invaluable feedback necessary to make updates.

Expert tip: You can reply to user reviews directly in App Store Connect. However, it is much easier and quicker to do with App Radar’s AI-driven feature, which will generate ready replies and summarize reviews for you.

Hosting in-app events

In-app events on the App Store are connected to special promotions, offers, or updates within your app. They are highly effective at driving engagement, re-engagement, and downloads.

Hosting in-app events and including them in your app marketing strategy opens up new opportunities for ASO, as properly optimized event text metadata can, at least in theory, increase the position of key terms. Given that the ranking algorithm’s exact workings are undisclosed, it’s impossible to be 100% sure that they may impact organic rankings, but it’s safer to assume that they do.

Regardless, hosting in-app events is very likely to affect an app’s conversion rate and download velocity, improving organic visibility, albeit indirectly. Consequently, ASO specialists can highlight this benefit, encouraging their teams to use this feature.

Promoting in-app purchases

Similarly, in-app purchases (IAPs) can affect keyword optimization. According to our evaluation, it makes sense to assume the possibility that keywords used in the IAPs are indexed similarly to in-app events. 

The promoted listing can appear close to the app search results, thus boosting your presence in the search even more. In-app purchases are a powerful promotional tool that helps your app and business get more search exposure, revenue, and user engagement.

Enabling App Store pre-order

App Store pre-order pages allow app marketers and publishers to establish a presence on the App Store before the app’s official launch. Preorder pages aim to promote the app in advance and create awareness and excitement. Pre-ordered apps can be automatically downloaded on launch, or users can receive a push notification, depending on their choice.

A pre-ordered app may appear in the App Store search results, and the app’s product page shows metadata, the release date, and the “Order” button instead of the regular “Get” button. The metadata and builds can be changed during the pre-order phase. 

Pre-order can also impact ASO by enabling a higher download velocity on launch, when an app may benefit from a newcomer’s amplified visibility. SplitMetrics’ case study of Livintis shows the impact of pre-order campaigns on organic rankings, with the help of Apple Ads.

Getting featured on the App Store

Getting featured in the App Store will likely result in more impressions, product page views, and installs. Unlike previously mentioned advanced tactics, getting features requires top-notch ASO as much as it impacts it, though the greater visibility it provides. The App Store has a couple of feature types.

• Editorial stories – include apps that follow a similar theme, presented in the “Today” screen that iOS visitors land on when they open the App Store.
• App or game of the day – an editorial story featuring a game or an app
• Collections or daily lists – apps and games curated by Apple

Being a part of the “Today” tab is the most prominent place that can drive a lot of attention to your app, regardless of why someone opens the App Store. This opening screen has more prominent placements than the “Games” or “Apps” tabs. The “Today” tab contains “App of the day” or “Game of the day” stories with exclusive features and a new release curated by Apple’s editors.

Based on the research we made, we know that Apple editors evaluate the app’s appealing, innovative features, uniqueness, quality, and user experience. App Store games have different factors considered for getting featured, such as gameplay, story, graphics, and performance.  Since the quality of the apps is one of the most important factors, you need to have high app ratings if you want your app to be considered by Apple’s editorial team.

Before you submit your app’s story to Apple’s editorial team, make sure you do the homework and optimize your app as much as possible:

• Provide a great story to share with Apple
• Time your featuring request with your app’s major feature update
• Do proper app store optimization for your app.
• Include high-quality and landscape screenshots
• Have your app properly localized
• Share with Apple why your app is an excellent fit for users in terms of features, performance, and user engagement.
• Have a library of high-quality visual assets that you can share with Apple if you receive a featuring invite

Expert tip: App Radar can track app featurings of you and your competitors, send you alerts to prepare your assets on time, and monitor what kind of App Store featurings work for your competitors and their localizations.

Managing ASO, research & updates

App Store Connect is the App Store apps’ management and reporting platform. App developers can use it to upload app builds, perform internal testing, manage their code, and automate the development process. App marketers use App Store Connect to upload and manage app metadata, store assets, promote and test their apps, analyze app performance, and do other things.

As an ASO expert, you will most often use the following features and sections of the App Store Connect:

• iOS app version information: You can upload store assets (preview videos and app screenshots), write promotional text and description, and upload app keywords.
• App information: if you work with multiple localizations, you must also provide each locale’s app name and subtitle. Because these metadata fields carry the most weight for the Apple algorithm, you need to spend some time with your most important keywords in the app name and subtitle.
• Apple App Store features: To reach the full potential of your app, we highly recommend you explore in-app purchases, in-app events, Custom Product Pages, and Product Page Optimizations (to do A/B testing directly in the App Store)
• App Analytics: This is where you can find all information on your app performance, such as impressions, conversion rates, product page views, downloads, app usage metrics, and more.
• Sales and Trends: Subscriptions and sales reports can provide more information on the financial side of all the apps you manage. 

App Radar integrates with App Store Connect and pulls all the data directly into the platform. So the next time you want to update some of your localizations, you can easily have an overview of your most important keywords, check App Store data, and perform updates of your App Store listings directly in the App Radar.

Reaching ASO and Apple Ads synergy

Combining Apple Ads and ASO is what ASO specialists should pay close attention to, as it’s native to the App Store. Organic and paid search results coexist, and ad placements include multiple touchpoints critical during app discovery: the Today tab, search tab, and product pages. Utilizing Apple Ads can be highly beneficial to organic visibility.

Moreover, Apple Ads campaigns will benefit tremendously from ASO, given that users’ journeys occur entirely on the App Store. A strategic approach to both channels can have a synergistic effect.

TL;DR ASO for the App Store

Follow the advice listed throughout this article to create a checklist for optimizing your app’s metadata and making its product page as engaging as possible. In short:

• Understand all App Store organic ranking factors and that they are different from the ones for Google Play;
• Strategically research keywords and allocate them in product page metadata, understanding the function of each field: app name, subtitle, and the keyword field;
• Enrich your app’s product page with the best app icon, screenshots, and preview video of optimal length;
• Explore every opportunity the App Store offers: in-app events, in-app purchases, pre-order campaigns, editorials;
• Interact with your users through smart review management to drive engagement and better rankings in the long run;
• Synergize organic search results and ASO strategy with Apple Ads, the advertising channel native to the App Store;

For the most significant effect, you need to focus on every aspect of your user experience and funnel, and including paid user acquisition is equally important. Perhaps most importantly:

Tip: You need to make your ASO on the App Store as data-driven as possible.

App Radar has all the data and insights you need to successfully address the tasks in this article. From comprehensive, AI-driven keyword research, granular and accurate organic metrics, to features aimed at making management of your iOS app as easy and efficient as possible.

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