App store optimisation is the work of making your app discoverable and convincing in the App Store and Google Play. The elements that matter most are the app name and subtitle, the keywords, the first two screenshots, the rating and review count, and the conversion rate from listing view to install. Get the basics right before launch, submit early because review takes days and rejections happen, and treat the listing as a page you improve monthly, not a form you fill once.
Both app stores are search engines with a storefront attached. Most installs come from someone searching, seeing your listing among others, and deciding in a few seconds. App store optimisation, usually shortened to ASO, is the work of winning those seconds. It is not a dark art. It is a handful of elements done well and revisited regularly.
How the stores decide who sees your app
Both stores rank apps in search results using the text in the listing, the app's install and engagement history, its ratings and reviews, and how often people who see the listing actually install. New apps have no history, so at launch the text and the listing quality carry all the weight. Over time, ratings and conversion take over. That is why the listing deserves attention before launch and again every month after.
The elements that matter, in order
| Element | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| App name and subtitle | Heaviest weight in search ranking and the first thing people read | Brand name plus the two or three words users would search. Not clever, clear. |
| Keywords | Apple has a dedicated keyword field. Google indexes the description. | Use the words from your customer interviews. Check what competitors rank for. |
| First two screenshots | Most people never scroll. These decide the install. | Show the core value with a short caption on each. Not the login screen. |
| Icon | Recognition in search results and on the home screen | Simple, distinct at small sizes, consistent with the brand |
| Rating and review count | Trust, and a ranking signal | Ask happy users at the right moment, in the app, after a success |
| Description | Indexed on Google, mostly unread on Apple | First two lines carry the message. Plain language, benefits before features. |
| Preview video | Optional, improves conversion for some categories | Fifteen to thirty seconds of the product working. Later, not at launch. |
| Localisation | Ranking and conversion in each market | Translate the listing for every market you sell in, starting with the main ones |
The review process, and the traps
Every build goes through review before it reaches users. Apple's is stricter and typically takes one to three days, sometimes longer, with a rejection cycle adding the same again. Google's is usually faster. Common reasons first submissions are rejected:
- Missing or inaccessible privacy policy.
- Sign-in required before the reviewer can see anything, with no test account provided.
- Payments for digital content not going through the store's own purchase system.
- An app that is only a website in a shell, with no app-like functionality.
- Requesting permissions such as location or camera without explaining why, in the text the store shows the user.
- Placeholder content, broken links or crashes in the reviewer's hands.
- Screenshots that show features the app does not have.
Submit at least a week before any public date, provide a test account and clear notes to the reviewer, and have the team ready to fix and resubmit the same day.
Ratings and reviews
Ratings are the strongest trust signal on the listing and a real ranking factor. The way to get good ones is to ask at the right moment: after a user has completed something successfully, not on first open and not after an error. Both stores provide an in-app prompt for this. Reply to reviews, especially negative ones, briefly and specifically. Fix what they describe and say so in the reply. Users read replies, and so do prospective users.
What to do before launch
- Choose the name and subtitle using your interview vocabulary and a look at what competitors rank for.
- Produce screenshots that show the core journey with captions, designed for every required device size.
- Write the description with the first two lines carrying the message.
- Fill the keyword field on Apple. Work the same terms naturally into the Google description.
- Publish the privacy policy and terms and link them.
- Submit with a test account and reviewer notes, a week or more before the date.
What to do every month after
- Check which search terms bring impressions and installs in the store consoles, and adjust the keywords.
- Test one change to the first screenshot or the subtitle, and watch the conversion rate.
- Read every review. Fix the recurring complaint and mention the fix in the release notes.
- Ask for ratings after successful moments, and check that the prompt is actually firing.
Where 7L fits
Store submission is part of our launch checklist: we prepare the listings, screenshots and reviewer notes, submit early, and handle rejections. The founder chooses the words, because they know the customer. If your app is heading to the stores, ask us about the launch phase.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the app name after launch?
Yes, on both stores, with a new release. Changing it loses some recognition, so decide carefully at launch, but it is not permanent.
How many keywords should I target?
A handful that your users actually search, from your interviews and competitor listings. Chasing many broad terms dilutes the listing. Winning a few specific ones is what gets a new app found.
Do paid store ads help a new app?
They can test which search terms convert and give early installs, at a cost. They do not fix a weak listing. Get the listing right first, then consider a small test.
Why does my app show up on Google Play but not the App Store, or the reverse?
The stores rank differently and index different fields. Apple weights the name, subtitle and keyword field. Google indexes the description more heavily. Optimise each listing for its store.
Should I respond to every review?
In the early months, yes. It is fast, it improves the impression the listing makes, and negative reviews with a specific, fixed-it reply often get updated.