Start with the words that describe what your app does and what someone might search to find it. Check those phrases against App Store results, then use the strongest relevant terms across your app name, subtitle and keyword field.
Build a list of App Store keyword ideas
Write down the app’s main jobs, features and audience in plain language. Turn each feature into a phrase a potential user might search, such as the task they need to do or the kind of app they want. Keep phrases specific enough to describe your app accurately.
Add close variations and the language users already use in your app’s description, reviews or support conversations. These are candidate ideas, not proof of demand. Remove terms that describe a feature your app does not have or an audience it does not serve.
Check App Store keywords against search results
Use ActivationPal’s App Store keyword checker to check one candidate at a time and select a storefront. It returns popularity and difficulty scores, related keywords to investigate, and top apps for the phrase. Check several candidates, then read the results together: a relevant phrase with a manageable set of competing apps may be a more useful target than a broad term that describes many apps.
The checker’s popularity score reflects how early the App Store’s own search suggestions return the exact phrase. Its difficulty score uses signals from top search results, including their rating counts and whether the phrase appears in app names or subtitles. These are comparison signals, not Apple Ads popularity or a count of searches. Open the top apps and make sure the phrase matches the kind of results people actually see in that country.
Related suggestions can expand the list, but check each one before keeping it. Repeat the checks for the countries where the app is available, since search results and suggestions can differ by storefront. Keep a short list of phrases that are both relevant to the app and supported by what you see in results.
Place keywords in your App Store listing
Choose the clearest phrase for the app name and subtitle, then use the keyword field for relevant terms that do not already appear in those fields or the category. Apple says its search considers text relevance across the app name, subtitle, keywords and primary category, along with user behavior. The App Store search guidance also recommends accurate, specific keywords and a product page that clearly communicates what the app does.
The keyword field allows 100 characters total. Separate terms with commas and no spaces after commas; spaces within a phrase are allowed. Use the available characters for distinct, useful terms rather than repeating words already present in the name, subtitle or category.
Review the listing as a whole. The name and subtitle should tell people what the app is, while the keyword field adds relevant terms that are missing from them. For a country-specific listing, check the wording and results for that storefront instead of assuming the same phrases work everywhere.
Follow App Store keyword rules
Apple advises against repeating words already in the app name, subtitle or category, including plural forms of words already used. Skip generic terms such as “app” or “game,” filler words, and special characters unless they are part of the brand. Apple also warns against irrelevant terms, competing app names, and unauthorized trademarks or other protected phrases; improper keyword use can lead to rejection.
After updating the listing, use App Store Connect’s App Analytics to monitor impressions, conversion rate and downloads. Apple lets you filter by source type, including App Store search, so you can review how the listing performs over time. If you also run Apple Ads, see the Apple Ads documentation for the separate ad workflow. The ASO tools directory lists other tools for store listing work.
To follow what acquired users do inside your app, ActivationPal provides onboarding funnel, paywall and revenue analytics.