What is ASO? How to rank an app higher on the App Store and Google Play (2026)

ASO (app store optimisation) is the work done so that an app ranks higher in search on the App Store and Google Play, and so that more of the people who view its store listing download it. ASO is to apps what SEO is to websites. However good an app is, if it cannot be found in the store and its listing does not convince, it does not get downloaded.

Key takeaways:

• ASO serves two goals: getting the app found (visibility) and getting the person who views the page to download it (conversion rate).
• The factors that most affect search ranking are the app name, subtitle, keywords, number of downloads, rating and the quality of the app.
• The App Store and Google Play work differently: Apple has a separate keyword field, while Google reads the text of the description.
• Screenshots and the icon shape the download decision more than the name and description do.
• ASO is not a one-off job: the text and visuals are tested and updated regularly.

What is ASO and why do you need it?

ASO means building an app's store listing so that people find it in search and want to download it. People find apps mainly in two ways: by typing a word into the store's search field, or via a link from an ad, a website or a social network. Either way, the final decision is made on the store listing.

Search accounts for a large share: according to 2022 data shown on the page of Apple's advertising platform, 70% of App Store visitors find apps through search, and around 65% of downloads happen directly after a search (Apple Ads).

ASO improves three things:

1. Visibility. The app appears for more search queries and in a higher position.
2. Conversion rate. A larger share of the people who view the page tap the "Download" button.
3. Ad efficiency. A person coming from an ad lands on the same page; if the page is weak, the ad budget is wasted.

ASO and SEO: what is the difference?

The similarity is in the principle: in both, you find the words people really search for and build the page to answer those words. We explained how this is done for websites in the guide What is SEO.

What affects search ranking in the store?

The stores do not disclose the exact formula, but the main factors are known from the official documentation and from experience:

Apple describes the text side like this: in search, the match of the name, subtitle, keywords and primary category is taken into account, as well as downloads, ratings and reviews (Apple). On the quality side, Google has an official threshold: an app whose crash rate exceeds 1.09% or whose ANR rate exceeds 0.47% may be shown less often in Google Play (Android Developers).

The conclusion is simple: ASO starts with text but does not end with text. A good store listing cannot keep a bad app at the top for long.

What fields do the App Store and Google Play have?

The two stores offer different fields and different limits:

The limits are taken from the stores' official documentation (Apple, Google Play Console Help).

The main difference is this: the App Store has a separate keyword field that users cannot see; Google Play has no such field, and the store reads the words in the app's name and description. That is why copying the same text into both stores is a mistake: each one is written separately.

How do you choose keywords?

A keyword is a word or phrase people type into the store's search field. The choice is made in four steps:

1. Build a list. Write down what the app does in the customer's language: "food ordering", "taxi", "English language", "loyalty card". Look at the suggestions in the store's search field and at the names of competitors.
2. Evaluate against three criteria. Relevance (does the app do this job directly?), demand (does anyone search for it?) and competition (are giant apps sitting in the top places?).
3. Place them. The most important word goes into the name; the next ones go into the subtitle and the keyword field or the description.
4. Measure and adjust. After a few weeks, check which keywords you show up for and replace the ones that are not working.

A rule for a new app: start with a precise phrase, not the broadest word. Competing with the giants on the query "taxi" is hard; "Baku airport transfer" is within reach.

For the Azerbaijani market, languages are a separate point: users search in Azerbaijani, Russian and English, and the stores differ here. Google Play lets you write the store listing in Azerbaijani (az-AZ) (Google Play Console Help). The list of languages supported by the App Store, however, does not include Azerbaijani, and the default language of the Azerbaijani store is English (Apple). The practical conclusion: for Google Play, prepare the page in Azerbaijani as well; on the App Store, pay particular attention to the English-language page, because that is the one a user in Azerbaijan sees.

How should the app name and description be written?

The name should say both the brand and what the app does: "Numune: food ordering and delivery". A brand name alone is enough only for companies that everyone knows.

• Name. The brand and the main keyword. Short, readable, without capital letters or a jumble of symbols.
• Subtitle or short description. States the main benefit in one sentence: "Delivery in 30 minutes, pay by card".
• Full description. The first two or three lines matter most, because few people open the rest. Benefit first, then the list of features, and contact and support at the end.
• What's New section. Write what changed in each update in plain human language: instead of "minor fixes", write "added a button to repeat an order".

The stores' rules restrict exaggeration in names and descriptions. Google Play prohibits emoji in the name, writing in capital letters, ranking claims such as "No. 1" and "app of the year", and misleading expressions of the "best" kind (Google Play Console Help). On the App Store too, inaccurate information can lead to the app being rejected.

Why are the icon and screenshots decisive?

A person who arrives on the store listing does not read the description, they look at the images. In search results too, the icon and the first screenshots appear next to the app. That is why visuals are the main part of the download decision.

• Icon. Simple, distinguishable at a small size, with no text or with a single letter. Put it next to competitors' icons and see: does yours stand out?
• First two or three screenshots. They show the most important benefit. Most people see only these.
• Screenshots with captions. One short sentence on each image: "Reserve a table in 10 seconds". The screen does not explain what it is by itself; the caption does.
• Real screens. Showing a feature the app does not have both breaks the rules and brings negative reviews.
• Video. A short preview video shows how the app works; the first seconds must be understandable even without sound.
• Languages. The text in the screenshots must be translated too.

How are ratings and reviews managed?

A rating affects both ranking and the download decision: few people download an app with a low rating. There are two honest ways to raise it: a quality app and asking for a review at the right moment.

• The right moment. Ask the user for a review after a successful action: the order arrived, the reservation was confirmed. Not from a person who has just opened the app for the first time or who has run into an error.
• Official tools. Both stores provide a tool for showing a review prompt inside the app and limit how often it can be shown: Apple allows it at most three times within 365 days (Apple), and Google also applies a limit but does not disclose the exact figure (Android Developers).
• Replying to reviews. Reply politely and specifically, especially to negative reviews. Once you have solved the problem, the user can change their review.
• Prohibitions. You may not offer a bonus, discount or gift for a review, or order fake reviews: Google Play explicitly prohibits incentivising reviews and fake reviews (Google Play Console Help), and Apple's rules also do not allow review manipulation.
• The rating can change. The rating shown on Google Play gives more weight to recent scores (Google Play Console Help), so as you improve the app, the rating improves too.

How do you measure the results of ASO?

Both stores give app owners free statistics: App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Four metrics are the basis:

If visibility is low, the problem is in the keywords. If there are page views but no downloads, the problem is in the icon, the screenshots or the rating.

Instead of guessing, you can run tests. On the App Store, you can test three different variants of the product page for up to 90 days (Apple); on Google Play too, you can run experiments on the store listing (Google Play Console Help). One figure for comparison: according to AppTweak's 2025 data for the US market, on average 8.56% of those who viewed a store listing downloaded the app on the App Store and 16.15% on Google Play (AppTweak). The difference between categories is large, so compare your own figures first of all with your own previous months.

A download is not yet a result. A user who downloads the app, opens it once and deletes it gives the business nothing, so alongside the store figures, look at the app's own analytics: sign-ups, first order, repeat use. We explained how to read these metrics in the article What is an MVP.

What are the most common mistakes in ASO?

1. Putting only the brand in the name. An unknown brand name does not come up for any query.
2. Copying the same text into both stores. The fields and the rules are different.
3. Repeating keywords. Writing the same word in the name, the subtitle and the keyword field wastes space.
4. A page in only one language. People who search in Russian and English do not see the app.
5. Leaving screenshots without captions. Nothing explains what the screen is.
6. Not replying to reviews. Unanswered negative reviews drive away the next user.
7. Not touching the page after launch. Seasons, new features and campaigns should be reflected on the page.
8. Relying on ASO alone. The first downloads push a new app up, and those are brought by advertising, social media and the existing customer base.

How does Advertol approach promoting an app?

In Advertol's app projects, the store listing text, screenshots and privacy statements are part of the launch checklist, and developer accounts are opened in the name of the client company. Getting an app into the store does not mean it will be downloaded: downloads are brought by advertising, social media and the existing customer base.

Advertol is an agency based in Baku: website and mobile app development, Meta and Google advertising, SMM, CRM and AI automation are handled by one team, so the app and its promotion are built around a single plan. We explained the steps for getting an app into the stores in the article how to publish an app on the App Store and Google Play, and our way of working on the website and app development page.

Frequently asked questions

Does ASO cost money?

Filling in and changing the store listing is free. The cost is in the work itself: keyword research, writing the text, designing the screenshots and translation. Professional ASO tools are paid, but for a small app the stores' own statistics are enough to start with.

When do ASO results show up?

Text changes are reflected in the store within a few days, but rankings take weeks to settle. A change in conversion rate, for example the effect of new screenshots, shows up sooner. So change one thing at a time and measure the result for at least two to three weeks.

Does buying downloads raise ranking?

Fake downloads and reviews go against the stores' rules, and the app is penalised when they are detected. Besides, they do not bring real users: the app is downloaded but not used. Real advertising brings both downloads and users.

Can the app name be changed later?

Yes, the name and other text can be changed with a new version. But changing it often is not advisable: the name affects brand recognition, and rankings re-form after every change. Change the name deliberately and rarely.

Do ASO and advertising replace each other?

No, they complement each other. Advertising brings downloads, downloads raise ranking, and a good store listing turns more of the people who come from ads into downloads. For a new app, ASO alone is usually not enough, because ranking does not rise without the first downloads.

Who should do ASO: the developer or the marketer?

ASO is marketing work, not technical work. The marketing team prepares the keywords, text and visuals; the developer uploads them to the store and ensures that the app runs reliably. The best result comes when both work to a single plan.

Conclusion

ASO is the continuous work done so that an app is found and downloaded in the store: the right name and keywords, a convincing icon and screenshots, a high rating and an app that runs reliably. Prepare separate pages for the App Store and Google Play, measure every change and plan ASO together with advertising.

If you would like to discuss your app's store listing and promotion plan, book a free strategy meeting or write to the Advertol team.

Sources

• Apple — Optimising for search on the App Store
• Apple Ads — App Store search statistics (2022)
• App Store Connect Help — App information
• App Store Connect Help — App Store localizations
• Apple — Ratings, reviews, and responses
• Apple — Product page optimization
• Google Play Console Help — store listing fields and limits
• Google Play Console Help — store listing languages
• Google Play Console Help — metadata rules
• Google Play Console Help — rules on ratings and reviews
• Google Play Console Help — how ratings are calculated
• Google Play Console Help — experiments on the store listing
• Android Developers — Android vitals
• Android Developers — In-app reviews
• AppTweak — App store conversion rate benchmarks, 18.05.2026