How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your App

Picking the right keywords is the single most important ASO decision you'll make. Get it right, and you'll get free organic downloads every day. Get it wrong, and nobody will ever find your app.

Here's the framework I use to choose keywords that actually convert.

The Golden Rule

Only target keywords you can realistically rank in the top 10 for.

Ranking #47 for "fitness app" gets you nothing. Ranking #3 for "cycling workout tracker" gets you downloads.

The Three-Factor Framework

Every keyword should score well on these three factors:

1. Search Volume (Demand)

How many people search for this keyword per month?

• High volume (10,000+ searches): Very competitive, hard to rank
• Medium volume (1,000-10,000): Sweet spot for indie apps
• Low volume (<1,000): Easy to rank, but not enough traffic

How to check: Use the iTunes Search API or tools like asokai. Don't rely on guesses.

2. Competition (Difficulty)

How many other apps rank for this keyword, and how strong are they?

Look at:

• Number of apps ranking in top 10
• Their average ratings (4.5+ is strong competition)
• Their review counts (100k+ reviews means established player)

Red flag: If the top 10 apps all have 4.5+ stars and 50k+ reviews, move on. You won't outrank them without a massive ad budget.

3. Relevance (Match)

Does the keyword actually describe your app?

The App Store penalizes apps that rank for irrelevant keywords. If your cycling app ranks for "running app", you'll get downloads from the wrong audience who immediately uninstall. This tanks your ratings and hurts your overall ranking.

The Opportunity Score Formula

Here's a simple way to score any keyword:

Opportunity Score = (Search Volume × Relevance) / Competition

The higher the score, the better the opportunity.

Example:

Keyword: "meditation app"

• Search volume: 10,000 (high)
• Relevance: 10/10 (perfect match)
• Competition: 9/10 (Calm, Headspace dominate)
• Score: (10,000 × 10) / 9 = 11,111

Keyword: "meditation timer for anxiety"

• Search volume: 1,200 (medium)
• Relevance: 9/10 (close match)
• Competition: 3/10 (few specialized apps)
• Score: (1,200 × 9) / 3 = 3,600

The first keyword has a higher score, but here's the trick: you'll never rank top 10 for "meditation app" with zero reviews. The second keyword is actually better because it's winnable.

Long-Tail Keywords: Your Secret Weapon

Long-tail keywords are specific, multi-word phrases like:

• "habit tracker for ADHD"
• "workout log for powerlifting"
• "meditation app for sleep anxiety"

They have lower search volume, but:

• Much lower competition
• Higher conversion (people know exactly what they want)
• Easier to rank even with few reviews

The 3-4 Word Rule

Target keywords with 3-4 words minimum if you're just starting out. As you gain reviews and downloads, you can graduate to broader keywords.

Progression:

1. Start: "cycling interval timer app" (specific, low competition)
2. After 1,000 downloads: "cycling workout tracker" (medium competition)
3. After 10,000 downloads: "cycling app" (broad, high competition)

Practical Keyword Research Process

Step 1: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Write down 10-20 ways people might describe your app:

• What problem does it solve?
• What category is it in?
• What features make it unique?
• What's the user's intent?

Step 2: Expand with Variations

For each seed keyword, create variations:

• "fitness tracker" → "workout tracker", "exercise log", "training journal"
• Add modifiers: "for beginners", "for women", "for home", "with timer"

Step 3: Check Search Volume

Use iTunes Search API to see which variations people actually search for. Some variations you think are obvious might have zero searches.

Step 4: Analyze Top 10 Apps

For each keyword with decent volume:

1. Search it in the App Store
2. Look at the top 10 apps
3. Note their ratings and review counts
4. Check how relevant they actually are

Can you compete? Ask:

• Are there apps with <4.0 stars in top 10? (weak competition)
• Are top apps in a different niche? (opportunity for specialized app)
• Are users complaining in reviews? (pain point you can solve)

Step 5: Prioritize

Rank keywords by:

1. Winnable (you can realistically rank top 10)
2. Valuable (enough search volume to matter)
3. Relevant (matches your app perfectly)

Choose your top 5-7 keywords to target.

Where to Use Keywords

Primary Keyword: App Title

Your most important keyword goes in the 30-character app title.

Format: [Brand] : [Primary Keyword]

Example: "FitCycle: Cycling Tracker"

Secondary Keywords: Subtitle

2-3 keywords in the 30-character subtitle.

Example: "Workout Log & Interval Timer"

Keyword Field (100 Characters)

This is Apple-only. Use commas, no spaces. Don't repeat keywords from title/subtitle.

Example: "bicycle,bike,training,log,rides,power,cadence,metric"

First Paragraph: Description

Include your main keywords naturally in the first 3 lines. After that, write for humans, not algorithms.

Common Keyword Mistakes

Mistake #1: Targeting One Super Broad Keyword

"I'll rank for 'fitness app' and get millions of downloads!"

Reality: You'll rank nowhere and get nothing. Target 5-7 specific keywords instead of one impossible one.

Mistake #2: Using Keywords Nobody Searches

"Daily micro-habit atomic routine tracker" sounds clever but nobody searches those exact words.

Validate with data. If a keyword has <100 searches/month, skip it.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Search Intent

"Free fitness app" has high volume, but those users are price-sensitive and won't convert to paid. Target keywords that match your business model.

Mistake #4: Not Updating Keywords

Your optimal keywords change as you gain reviews. Re-evaluate every 3 months.

Keyword Testing Strategy

Don't guess. Test.

1. Week 0: Launch with your best guess keywords
2. Week 2: Check rankings in App Store Connect
3. Week 4: Try new subtitle/keyword field
4. Week 6: Check if rankings improved
5. Repeat: Keep testing until you're top 10

Changes take 1-2 weeks to reflect in rankings. Be patient.

Tools for Keyword Research

Free:

• iTunes Search API (raw data, requires coding)
• App Store Connect (your own rankings)
• Manual competitor research

Paid:

• asokai (analyzes thousands of keywords, shows opportunity scores)
• Sensor Tower (enterprise-level, $$$)
• App Annie (enterprise-level, $$$)

For indie devs, free + asokai is plenty.

The Real Talk

Perfect keywords won't save a bad app. But great keywords can make a good app successful.

The sweet spot is finding keywords where:

• There's real search demand
• Competition is beatable
• Your app is legitimately good for that use case

Don't chase rankings for keywords your app isn't perfect for. Build something great, then find the right keywords to help people discover it.

Action Items

1. List 20 possible keywords for your app
2. Check search volume for each (be realistic)
3. Research top 10 competitors for your top 5 keywords
4. Pick 3 "starter keywords" you can realistically rank for
5. Update your app metadata with chosen keywords
6. Track rankings weekly and iterate

Remember: ASO is a marathon, not a sprint. Ranking improvements take weeks, not days.

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