A Step-by-Step Guide to App Store Optimization

Part 2 of 7: Everything You Need to Know About App Store Optimization (ASO)

This step-by-step ASO guide walks you through the process of optimizing your app — from keyword research to metadata and creative assets.

This is Part 2 of our Complete ASO Guide, where we cover everything from the basics to trends, tools, and advanced growth tactics.

Now that you’ve learned what App Store Optimization (ASO) is in Part 1, let's put it in action!

We've prepared a step-by-step guide to app store optimization (ASO) that walks you through everything you need to optimize your app for best results.

This is perfect for a solo developer, a startup, or anyone working with a mobile app marketing agency to increase app visibility and conversion.

Step-by-Step Guide to Optimize Your App Store Listing

Step 1: Market & Audience Research

Before you optimize your app store listing, you should know your user.

You can start by researching the following:

Who your users are (their demographics, behaviors, etc.)
What user problems your app can solve
Which keywords they use to find similar apps

Use tools like Google Trends, AppTweak, and Sensor Tower to understand what’s trending.

Step 2: Keyword Research

Keywords are very critical to your ASO. Start by brainstorming 20–30 words or phrases that describe your app. Then:

Use auto-complete suggestions in both app stores
Analyze competitors' keywords
Use keyword tools to find terms with low difficulty but decent search volume

Recommended tools: Mobile Action, App Radar

Tip: Target a mix of high-volume, long-tail, and branded keywords. Prioritize relevance over sheer traffic.

Step 3: Metadata Optimization

iOS:

App Title (30 characters): Include brand + primary keyword.
Subtitle (30 characters): Secondary keyword phrase.
Keyword Field (100 characters): Comma-separated; no spaces, no duplication. Based on Apple Metadata Guidelines.

Android:

Title (50 characters): Include top keyword.
Short Description (80 characters): Hook users.
Long Description (up to 4,000 characters): Place top keywords in first and last 250 characters. Use bullet points. Based on Google Play Metadata Guide.

Step 4: Optimize Visual Assets

Your visuals drive conversion.

App Icon: Clean, memorable, and scalable
Screenshots: Feature top benefits first; add captions in multiple languages
App Preview Video: 15–30 seconds, show real UX/UI, include localized callouts

Tools for visuals: Figma, Lumen5, AppScreens

*This is an example of screenshots created by Strataigize Marketing, an app marketing agency*

Step 5: Collect and Leverage Reviews

Reviews influence both store algorithms and user trust. Encourage feedback by:

Prompting users after a positive experience
Offering in-app support to reduce negative reviews
Responding to all reviews, showing users you care

Use AppFollow or Appbot to manage reviews at scale.

Step 6: Localization for Global Reach

Localization increases your app’s reach and downloads. Translate:

Titles, descriptions, keywords
Screenshots and in-app visuals

Start with key markets like the U.S., Canada (English + French), Germany, and Brazil.

Step 7: A/B Test Everything

Run tests to find what performs best.

Tools:

iOS: Product Page Optimization
Android: Store Listing Experiments

Test:

Icons
Screenshots
Descriptions
Call-to-action phrasing

Step 8: Track, Iterate, Improve

What gets measured gets improved. Monitor:

Keyword ranking
Conversion rate
Installs per channel
Retention

Use App Annie, SplitMetrics, and your native dashboards.

Canadian Insights: Vancouver and Beyond

In Vancouver, many startups pair ASO with paid media for launch velocity. Strataigize Marketing, a local app marketing agency, recommends updating visuals seasonally and rotating keywords monthly to maintain momentum.

For example, a health tracking app saw a 40% increase in conversions after testing icon colors and localizing screenshots into French for Quebec users.

Final Tips

Update metadata every 4–6 weeks
Use holiday-themed creatives for seasonality
Focus on retention as much as acquisition

Drive more installs and outperform competitors with our proven App Store Optimization services.

FAQs: ASO Strategy Execution

‍How often should I update my app store listing? Ideally every 4–6 weeks, or when adding new features or targeting new regions.‍
What’s the difference between localization and translation? Translation is language-based; localization also includes cultural relevance, such as color preferences or metric systems.‍
Can I test more than one variation at a time? Google Play allows multiple simultaneous A/B tests; Apple limits tests to one element per group.‍
Which visuals matter most? The first three screenshots and your app icon have the most impact on conversion.‍
Do ASO improvements help paid campaigns? Yes. Better conversion improves your ad ROI and Apple Search Ads Quality Score.

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See how these steps fit into the bigger picture in our ASO Ultimate Guide.