Growth · 6 min read ·
App Store Optimization that moves installs
Most apps get more than half of their installs from store search and browse. ASO is the cheapest acquisition channel you own, and it is usually the last thing a build team touches.
Metadata is a keyword system
On iOS, the title, subtitle and keyword field carry nearly all of the ranking weight; on Google Play, the long description matters too. Target realistic mid-tail phrases that describe the job your app does, and refresh them each release based on impression-to-install data.
Screenshots sell, icons get the tap
The first two screenshots are your entire pitch. Lead with an outcome caption rather than a UI tour, and test variants through store experiments. A localised icon and screenshot set for your top three markets routinely lifts conversion by double digits.
- Outcome-led captions on the first two shots
- Localised metadata for top markets
- In-app rating prompts after a success moment
- Reply to reviews — it moves ratings
Ratings compound
Prompt for reviews only after a completed task, never on launch. A move from 4.1 to 4.6 stars changes both ranking and tap-through, and it is achievable in one quarter with prompt timing and review replies alone.
The takeaway
Treat the store listing as a product surface with its own release cycle, not as launch-day paperwork.