Apple store optimization, step by step
Follow these steps in order. Each one is something we do on client work.
- Pick one job the app does. Write a single sentence: who it's for and what it helps them do. Every field below has to support that sentence.
- Research terms people type. Start from the App Store's own search suggestions, your reviews and competitor subtitles. Group terms by intent.
- Write the name and subtitle. Put your brand plus the most important term in the 30-character name, and the next benefit in the 30-character subtitle.
- Fill the 100-byte keyword field. Commas, no spaces, no plurals of words you already used, and no app or company names (Apple says these are already searchable).
- Design the first three screenshots. Most visitors decide before scrolling, so lead with the outcome, not the menu.
- Use promotional text for timely news. It holds 170 characters and changes without a new submission.
- Test, then iterate. Run product page optimization with up to three treatments and read conversion in App Analytics.
Key rules and context
Indexed fields. Name (30), subtitle (30), keyword field (100, comma-separated, no spaces needed). Don't repeat words across fields; Apple combines them (Apple: Search). Category and developer name also matter.
Not indexed (for search). The description isn't indexed for App Store search, but it affects conversion. Promotional text (170) can change without a new build.
Conversion. Icon, screenshots, previews: test with PPO; use custom product pages and in-app events for extra visibility.
Ratings. Ask with SKStoreReviewController at a happy moment; respond to reviews.
If you want this handled for you, our pricing page lists every fixed package.
Worked example (hypothetical)
This example is illustrative. The app is made up, and so are any numbers in it.
Imagine SleepWell, a white-noise app. Its old name was just "SleepWell". We'd try "SleepWell: White Noise Sounds" (29 characters), subtitle "Fall asleep faster tonight" (26), and a keyword field like rain,fan,baby,sleep sounds,relax,nap,ambient,lullaby,brown noise while checking the byte count in our title checker. Screenshot one would say "Sleep in minutes" over the mixer screen. Then we'd test the first screenshot against a variant led by the baby use case.
App Store text fields and their limits
These are the limits App Store Connect enforces today. Plan your copy against them before you write a word.
| Field | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| App name | 2–30 characters | Shown on the product page and in search |
| Subtitle | 30 characters | Appears under the name |
| Keywords | 100 bytes | Comma-separated, each keyword more than two characters; don't repeat app or company name; no other app or company names |
| Promotional text | 170 characters | Above the description; can change without a new submission |
| Description | 4,000 characters | Plain text, no HTML |
| What's New | 4,000 characters | Required for every version after the first |
Native testing tools compared
Use the store's own test tool before any third-party guesswork.
| Apple product page optimization | Google Play store listing experiments | |
|---|---|---|
| What you can test | Icon, screenshots, previews | Graphics and text (icon, screenshots, descriptions) |
| Variants | Up to 3 treatments vs original | Up to 2 variants vs current listing |
| Localization | Treatments can be localized | Run per language (localized experiments) |
| How winners are judged | Estimated conversion lift with confidence | Performance vs current listing over the test |
How we measure the result
Here is how we judge whether apple store optimization work is paying off. On Google Play, the store performance and acquisition reports in Play Console show where visitors came from and how many of them installed. When nothing moves at all, the chosen terms were likely too competitive or not relevant enough, and we return to keyword research.
Common mistakes
- Repeating words across fields. The name, subtitle and keywords are indexed together; repeats waste space.
- Competitor names in keywords. Banned by guideline 2.3.7 and can get you rejected.
- Writing the description for ranking. On the App Store the description is mainly for conversion.
- Changing everything at once. You can't tell what worked.
Checklist
Copy this list into your release notes or ticket and tick each item off before you ship.
- One-sentence positioning written
- Keyword groups researched
- Name ≤ 30 with brand + key term
- Subtitle ≤ 30, no repeats
- Keyword field ≤ 100 bytes, no names
- First three screenshots show outcomes
- Promotional text set
- Test planned in product page optimization
Sources
- Apple: Search on the App Store (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple: Creating your product page (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple: Product page optimization (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: App information (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: Platform version information (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Apple App Store Connect Help: Overview of product page optimization (accessed 26 October 2026)
- Play Console Help: Run store listing experiments (accessed 26 October 2026)
Questions
Does Apple index the description?
Not for App Store search.
Should I use spaces in the keyword field?
Commas only; spaces waste characters.
Plurals?
Apple matches many plurals; don't spend characters on both.
Brand in the keyword field?
Not needed if it's in the name.
Can you optimize my iOS listing?
Yes: ASO package.
Does the App Store description affect search ranking?
Apple's docs say the description is used for web search results once the app is released. For App Store search, focus on the name, subtitle and keyword field.