ASO Keywords
Search terms you target in an app store listing so the right users can discover your app through store search.
This definition sits in our ASO & App Stores cluster alongside Tap-Through Rate Store and App Store Optimization.
Definition
ASO keywords are the words and phrases people type into the App Store or Google Play when looking for an app like yours. You place them strategically in your title, subtitle, keyword field (iOS), and description (Android) so store algorithms can match your listing to relevant queries. For indie builders, good keyword strategy means balancing demand, competition, and user intent rather than stuffing every high-volume phrase.
- Store search is often the highest-intent install channel for indie apps because users already want a solution.
- Strong keyword choices improve discoverability before you spend heavily on paid acquisition.
- Weak keyword strategy attracts low-fit traffic, lowers conversion, and wastes release cycles.
- Keyword research ties your product positioning to how real users describe their problem.
Example
Example: plant care app keyword set
A plant identification app can target terms like plant identifier, watering reminder, and yellow leaves fix instead of generic phrases like best app. The team then aligns screenshots and onboarding copy with those intents so installs become retained users, not just ranking noise.
Related terms
Also connected to
FAQ
Where should ASO keywords appear on iOS and Android?
On iOS, keywords are distributed across title, subtitle, and the dedicated keyword field. On Google Play, indexing relies mainly on title, short description, and full description because there is no separate keyword field.
How often should an indie app refresh ASO keywords?
Refresh when you launch major features, enter a new market, or see sustained drops in relevant organic installs. Avoid random weekly rewrites unless you have a test hypothesis and enough traffic to evaluate changes.
What makes a keyword set high quality for a small app team?
A high-quality set mixes core intent terms, realistic competition levels, and long-tail phrases tied to your strongest user outcomes. It should map directly to screenshot claims and first-session experience.
Keep reading
More in ASO & App Stores
ASO & App Stores
Branded Keywords
Branded Keywords is an ASO lever for defending searches for your app name and close variants so indie apps get discovered by the right users and convert better.
ASO & App Stores
Category Ranking
Category Ranking is an ASO lever for improving relative position inside your store category so indie apps get discovered by the right users and convert better.
ASO & App Stores
Chart Ranking
Chart Ranking is an ASO lever for monitoring top-chart visibility that drives incidental discovery so indie apps get discovered by the right users and convert better.
ASO & App Stores
Competitive Keywords
Competitive Keywords is an ASO lever for carefully targeting terms where established competitors dominate so indie apps get discovered by the right users and convert better.
Related topics
Acquire & retain
Marketing & Growth
Acquisition loops, paid UA, lifecycle marketing, and community-led growth for apps.
Revenue
Monetization
IAP, subscriptions, paywalls, store billing, and mobile revenue analytics terms.
Apple platform
iOS Development
Swift, SwiftUI, TestFlight, StoreKit, and the Apple release stack.