SkarpSkarp

Chapter 5 of 10

Simple ASO Keyword and Conversion Tuning (Without Expensive Tools)

Instead of getting lost in complex tools, use a lightweight, practical process to find the right keywords and iterate on your listing so each week your store pages work a little harder for you.

15 min readen

1. Quick Recap: Positioning First, Keywords Second

Connect To Previous Modules

You already defined: who your app is for, what problem you solve, and why you are different. ASO builds on this: it helps the right people find and choose you in the app stores.

What This Module Covers

We focus on simple ASO using free methods: your own ideas, user language, app store search bars, competitor listings, and basic analytics. No expensive tools are required.

Two Core Ideas

  1. Keywords: words people type to find apps like yours. 2. Conversion: the percentage of people who see your page and install. Clear positioning makes choosing keywords much easier.

Guiding Question

Keep asking: "If my ideal user grabbed my phone and searched the store, what would they type to find an app like mine?" This question will guide every step in this module.

2. Brainstorm Keywords From User Problems (No Tools)

Goal: Create a raw keyword list based on user problems and goals, not on fancy data.

Activity (5–7 minutes):

  1. Write your app's 1-line positioning again.
  • Example: "A simple habit tracker for busy students who want to build better study routines."
  1. List 3–5 user problems or goals in plain language.
  • Example problems:
  • "I keep forgetting to study"
  • "I procrastinate on assignments"
  • "I want a daily study routine"
  1. For each problem/goal, write how a user might search in the store. Aim for at least 15–20 phrases.
  • Example search phrases:
  • "study planner"
  • "habit tracker for studying"
  • "stop procrastinating on homework"
  • "daily study routine app"
  • "homework reminder"
  1. Add simple variations:
  • Singular/plural: "habit tracker" / "habit trackers"
  • With/without "app": "study planner" / "study planner app"
  • Short vs long: "study app" vs "study schedule for exams"

Write your list in a simple text file or spreadsheet. No special format needed yet.

Reflection prompt:

  • Look at your list. Which 3–5 phrases feel closest to your app's main promise? Mark them with a star.

You now have a problem-based keyword pool. Next, you will expand it using competitor listings.

3. Expand Your List Using Competitor Listings

Use The Store As A Tool

Open the App Store or Google Play. Type one of your phrases, like `student budget`. Watch autocomplete suggestions and open the top similar apps. These are your free research tools.

What To Scan

For each similar app, scan the title, subtitle/short description, full description, and first 3 screenshots. Note which words and phrases keep showing up across multiple apps.

Tag Your Keywords

Add repeated phrases to your list and tag them: [core] for main function, [supporting] for related benefits, [maybe] if you are unsure. This keeps your list organized and focused.

Your Goal

Aim for 30–50 phrases from your brainstorm, autocomplete, and competitor wording. Do not worry about search volume yet. You are mapping real, user-facing language.

4. Prioritize Keywords: Relevance And Intent Over Volume

Relevance vs Intent

Relevance: how closely a keyword matches what your app really does. Intent: how clearly the search shows what the user wants to achieve. We care more about these than raw search volume.

Mark Your List

Go through each phrase and mark R+ for high relevance, I+ for high intent. Phrases with both R+ and I+ are your priority keywords and deserve the best positions in your listing.

Example Markup

Example: `student budget app [core][R+][I+]`, `save money in college [supporting][R+][I+]`, but `money [maybe]`. This helps you quickly see which phrases to keep and which to ignore.

Stay Honest And Compliant

Avoid misleading keywords like "free" if your app is not truly free, or unrelated trends. Both Apple and Google can reject or down-rank apps for spammy or inaccurate metadata.

5. Place Keywords Naturally In Titles And Descriptions

Know The Fields

Apple: title and subtitle (about 30 characters each) plus a hidden keywords field. Google Play: app name, short description, and long description. These are your main ASO text areas.

Student Budget App Example

Main keywords: "student budget app", "budget tracker". Supporting: "college budget planner", "expense tracker", "save money in college". We will place these naturally in the copy.

Apple Example Copy

Title: `UniBudget: Student Budget Tracker`. Subtitle: `College expense planner & savings`. First line: "UniBudget is a simple student budget app that helps you track expenses..."

Google Play Example Copy

App Name: `UniBudget - Student Budget Tracker`. Short description: `Simple college budget planner and expense tracker to help students save money.` Long description repeats key phrases naturally.

Sound Human, Not Spammy

Read your text aloud. If it sounds like a normal explanation to a friend, you are on the right track. If it sounds like a list of keywords, simplify and keep only the most important phrases.

6. Write Or Rewrite Your Own Title And First Lines

Now apply the idea to your own app.

Activity (5 minutes):

  1. From your prioritized list, choose:
  • 1 main keyword phrase (e.g., "guided meditation app")
  • 2–3 supporting phrases (e.g., "stress relief", "sleep better", "anxiety help")
  1. Draft a store-friendly title (max ~30 characters where possible):
  • Pattern you can copy:
  • `BrandName: Main Keyword`
  • `BrandName - Main Keyword`
  • Example: `CalmMind: Guided Meditation`
  1. Draft 2–3 first lines of description that:
  • Say who it is for
  • Say the main benefit
  • Use your main and supporting keywords once each

Template you can adapt:

```text

[AppName] is a [main keyword] for [who] who want to [main benefit].

Use it to [supporting keyword 1] and [supporting keyword 2] without [pain you remove].

```

Example for a meditation app:

```text

CalmMind is a guided meditation app for busy students who want to reduce stress.

Use it to relax, sleep better, and get anxiety relief in just a few minutes a day.

```

Write your version now and keep it handy. You will use it in later steps when you plan experiments.

7. Simple Creative Tests: Icons, Screenshots, And Messages

Why Creative Tests Matter

Keywords get you shown in search. Icons, screenshots, and short messages convince people to tap and install. Small visual changes can improve conversion without changing the app itself.

What To Experiment With

You can test: icon colors and style, the first screenshot image and headline, screenshot captions, and your first lines of description. These are the highest-impact visual elements.

Simple Test Ideas

Try an icon contrast test, two different first-screenshot headlines, or feature-focused vs benefit-focused captions. Keep the changes simple and clear so you know what caused any effect.

One Change At A Time

Change only one main thing per test, update your listing, then watch metrics for 1–2 weeks. Focus on what users see without scrolling: icon, app name, first screenshot, and opening lines.

8. Reading Basic ASO Metrics: Impressions, Conversion, Retention

Impressions

Impressions or store listing visitors tell you how many people see your app in search or visit your page. More impressions after a keyword change can mean you appear in more or better searches.

Conversion Rate

Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who install. If this rises after changing screenshots or copy, your page is more persuasive. If it falls, your change may be confusing users.

Retention And Uninstalls

Watch how many users keep or uninstall your app. If installs increase but uninstalls spike, your listing might be promising something the app does not deliver.

Compare Before And After

Compare at least a week before and after a change. For example, from 20% to 26% conversion after a new screenshot suggests the new creative is working better.

9. Quick Check: Keywords And Conversion

Test your understanding of core ideas from this module.

You change your app's first screenshot headline, but keep keywords the same. Over the next two weeks, impressions stay flat, but your conversion rate rises from 18% to 24%. What is the most reasonable conclusion?

  1. Your new headline helped more visitors decide to install.
  2. Your keywords are now ranking higher in search results.
  3. Your app's retention rate must have improved.
  4. The stores made a mistake in their reporting.
Show Answer

Answer: A) Your new headline helped more visitors decide to install.

Impressions did not change, so search visibility is similar. Conversion went up after a creative change (the headline), so it is reasonable to conclude the page became more convincing to the same amount of traffic.

10. Design Your First 1-Week ASO Experiment

Now you will plan a simple, realistic experiment you can actually run.

Activity (5 minutes): Write short answers to these:

  1. Goal for this week (choose one):
  • A. Get more relevant visitors (focus on keywords)
  • B. Turn more visitors into installs (focus on creatives)
  1. Based on your choice:
  • If A (keywords):
  • Which 1–2 phrases will you add or emphasize in your title/subtitle/short description?
  • Example: Add "student budget" to your title.
  • If B (creatives):
  • Which one element will you change?
  • Example: First screenshot headline from "Track expenses" to "Stop running out of money".
  1. What metric will you watch?
  • For A: Impressions and installs per week.
  • For B: Conversion rate (installs / store visitors).
  1. Time window:
  • Note the start date and plan to review results after 7 days.

Template you can copy:

```text

Goal: [more visitors / higher conversion]

Change: [describe exactly what you will change]

Where: [title, subtitle, short description, first screenshot, etc.]

Metric to watch: [impressions, conversion rate, or both]

Dates: [from DD/MM to DD/MM]

```

Keep this plan somewhere visible. Next week, compare your numbers before and after.

11. Review: Core ASO Terms

Use these flashcards to quickly review key terms from this module.

ASO (App Store Optimization)
The process of improving how easily users can find and install your app in app stores, by tuning keywords, visuals, and messaging on your store listing.
Keyword (in ASO)
A word or phrase that users type into the app store search bar to find apps. In ASO, you choose keywords that match your app's features and user problems.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of people who visit your store listing and then install your app. For example, 200 installs from 1,000 visitors = 20% conversion.
Impressions / Store Listing Visitors
The number of times users see your app in search results or visit your store page. Higher impressions usually mean better search visibility.
Relevance (for keywords)
How closely a keyword matches what your app actually does and who it is for. High relevance means the keyword describes your real features or use cases.
Intent (for keywords)
What the user wants to accomplish when they search a keyword. High-intent keywords show a clear problem or action, like "track expenses" or "learn Spanish".
Creative Assets (in ASO)
Visual and textual elements on your store page, such as the app icon, screenshots, preview video, and short headlines or captions.

Key Terms

Keyword
A word or phrase that users type into the app store search bar to find apps like yours.
Retention
How many users continue using your app over time instead of uninstalling shortly after install.
Impressions
How many times your app is shown in search results or how many people visit your store listing.
Conversion rate
The percentage of store visitors who install your app (installs divided by visitors).
Creative assets
Visual and short-text elements of your store page, including icon, screenshots, preview video, and captions.
Intent (search intent)
The goal or problem a user has in mind when they type a keyword into the store search bar.
ASO (App Store Optimization)
Improving how easily users find and install your app in app stores by adjusting keywords, visuals, and messaging on your store listing.
Relevance (keyword relevance)
How well a keyword matches your app's real features, audience, and use cases.

Finished reading?

Test your understanding with a custom practice exam on this chapter.

Test yourself