App store listing optimizer

App Store Listing Optimizer

Craft high-converting, keyword-optimized App Store and Google Play listings through competitive research, strategic keyword selection, and data-driven screenshot planning.

Prerequisites

• Chrome browser with Claude in Chrome extension (for browsing competitor listings)
• No API keys required — all research uses live store browsing
• Supports iOS App Store, Google Play Store, or both

Workflow Overview

1. App Analysis        — Understand the app, audience, differentiators
2. Competitive Research — Browse competitor listings, extract keywords
3. Keyword Selection    — Identify high-intent, low-competition keywords
4. Craft the Listing    — Write optimized metadata for each platform
5. Screenshot Strategy  — Plan visual sequence and caption copy
6. A/B Test Variants    — Generate 2-3 alternatives for split testing

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Step 1: Analyze the App

Gather everything needed to position the app effectively. Ask the user:

1. What does the app do? One sentence, plain language.
2. Target platform? iOS, Android, or both?
3. Who is it for? Primary audience, age range, expertise level.
4. Top 3 features — What does it do better or differently?
5. Differentiator — Why pick this over competitors?
6. Monetization — Free, freemium, subscription, one-time purchase?
7. Current listing (if updating) — Share the existing store URL.

Document the answers in a structured brief before proceeding.

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Step 2: Competitive Keyword Research

Browse 8-12 competitor listings on the target store(s) using Chrome. For detailed methodology and search patterns, see references/keyword-research.md.

What to Extract Per Competitor

Field	Where to Find
App name	Title on store listing
Subtitle / short	Below title (iOS) or short desc (Android)
Full description	Store listing body
Rating + count	Store listing header
Category rank	Store listing or chart position
Screenshots	Visual carousel — note caption text

Keyword Extraction Process

1. List every keyword and phrase from competitor titles and subtitles.
2. Scan descriptions for repeated terms — these are intentional keyword targets.
3. Note caption text on competitor screenshots — often contains keyword variations.
4. Build a master keyword list of 40-60 candidate terms.

Platform Differences

• iOS: Only the app name, subtitle, and keyword field are indexed for search. The description is NOT searchable — it exists purely for conversion.
• Google Play: The full description IS indexed. Keyword density matters, but avoid stuffing. The short description carries extra weight.

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Step 3: Keyword Selection

Narrow the master list to the highest-value keywords.

Selection Criteria

Factor	What to Look For
Relevance	Directly describes what the app does or solves
Intent	User searching this term wants what the app offers
Competition	Fewer top-rated apps ranking for this term = better chance
Volume	Term appears across multiple competitor listings
Length	Longer phrases (2-3 words) = lower competition, higher intent

Prioritization Tiers

• Tier 1 (must use): High relevance + clear intent + moderate competition. Place in title or subtitle.
• Tier 2 (strong): Good relevance + decent volume. Place in iOS keyword field or Google Play description.
• Tier 3 (supplemental): Related terms, synonyms, adjacent use cases. Fill remaining keyword space.

iOS Keyword Field Rules

The 100-character keyword field has specific optimization rules:

• Comma-separated, no spaces after commas (wastes characters)
• Do NOT repeat words already in the app name or subtitle
• Do NOT include the word "app" (Apple adds it automatically)
• Do NOT include plurals if the singular is present (Apple handles this)
• Do NOT include common prepositions or articles
• Use singular forms only
• Include competitor brand misspellings only if ethical and relevant

Google Play Keyword Strategy

• No keyword field exists — optimize within the description text
• Repeat primary keywords 3-5 times naturally across the full description
• Place highest-priority keywords in the first paragraph and short description
• Use keyword variations and synonyms throughout
• Avoid keyword stuffing — Google penalizes unnatural density

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Step 4: Craft the Listing

Write optimized metadata for each target platform.

App Name (both platforms: 30 characters max)

• Include the primary keyword naturally
• Lead with the brand name if it has recognition; otherwise lead with the keyword
• Format options: BrandName - Keyword Phrase or Keyword Phrase: BrandName
• Test readability — truncation happens around 20-25 chars in search results

iOS Subtitle (30 characters max)

• Reinforce the value proposition with secondary keywords
• Do NOT repeat words from the app name
• Focus on benefit, not feature: "Sleep Better Tonight" > "Sleep Tracker App"
• Every character counts — use the full 30

Google Play Short Description (80 characters max)

• Searchable and prominently displayed — treat as a headline + subtitle combined
• Include 1-2 primary keywords
• Communicate the core value proposition
• More space than iOS subtitle — use it to differentiate

iOS Keyword Field (100 characters max)

Apply the rules from Step 3. Present the final keyword string with character count. Example format:

sleep,tracker,insomnia,white,noise,meditation,relax,bedtime,routine,calm
(87/100 characters)

Full Description

iOS (not searchable — optimize for conversion):

• First 3 lines appear before "Read More" — hook immediately
• Lead with the strongest benefit statement
• Use short paragraphs and line breaks for scannability
• Include social proof (awards, press, user count) early
• End with a clear call to action
• Unicode symbols (checkmarks, stars) draw the eye in bullet lists

Google Play (searchable — balance keywords + conversion):

• First 3 lines appear before "Read More" — same hook principle
• Weave primary keywords into the first paragraph naturally
• Use keyword variations throughout (don't repeat the exact same phrase)
• Structure: Hook > Features > Social proof > CTA
• 4,000 character max — use 3,000-3,500 for optimal density
• Include a "What's New" narrative for returning visitors

First 3 Lines Template

These lines appear in search results before the user taps "Read More." They must accomplish three things: (1) state the core benefit, (2) differentiate from competitors, (3) compel the tap.

{Primary benefit statement — what the user gets}
{Differentiator — why this app, not the others}
{Social proof or specificity — numbers, awards, or unique method}

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Step 5: Screenshot Strategy

Plan the visual sequence for maximum conversion. For detailed caption formulas, device specs, and sequence patterns, see references/screenshot-formulas.md.

Key Principles

• First 3 screenshots appear in search results — they must tell the story alone
• Screenshot 1 is the most important asset in your entire listing
• Show the app in action, not splash screens or logos
• Every screenshot needs a caption — text above or below the device frame
• Social proof screenshots (ratings, user count) measurably increase conversion
• App preview videos autoplay in iOS search results — consider one if the app has visual appeal

Recommended Sequence (5-10 screenshots)

Position	Purpose	Caption Focus
1	Hero / primary benefit	Strongest value proposition
2	Key feature #1	Most differentiating feature
3	Key feature #2	Second strongest feature
4	Social proof	Ratings, user count, press quote
5	Feature #3	Unique capability
6	Customization / UI	Show personalization options
7	Before/after or result	Outcome the user achieves
8	Pricing / value	What they get for the price
9-10	Additional features	Remaining noteworthy capabilities

Platform-Specific Limits

• iOS: Up to 10 screenshots per device type. First 3 shown in search.
• Google Play: Up to 8 screenshots per device type. First 3-4 shown in search. Feature graphic (1024x500) is required and prominently displayed.

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Step 6: A/B Test Variants

Generate 2-3 alternatives for the highest-impact elements. Present all variants in a comparison table.

What to Test (in priority order)

1. App subtitle / short description — Highest impact on conversion from search results
2. First 3 description lines — Controls "Read More" tap-through rate
3. Screenshot 1 caption — First visual impression
4. App name keyword — Only test if willing to change the indexed name

Variant Generation Rules

• Each variant should test ONE hypothesis (benefit-led vs feature-led, emotional vs rational, specific vs broad)
• Keep variants meaningfully different — changing one word is not a real test
• Label variants clearly: Variant A (control), Variant B, Variant C
• Note the hypothesis each variant tests

Output Format

## A/B Test Plan

### Subtitle Variants (iOS)

| Variant | Text                 | Hypothesis           | Chars |
| ------- | -------------------- | -------------------- | ----- |
| A       | {current or default} | Benefit-focused      | XX/30 |
| B       | {alternative}        | Feature-focused      | XX/30 |
| C       | {alternative}        | Social-proof-focused | XX/30 |

### First 3 Lines Variants

| Variant | Lines          | Hypothesis       |
| ------- | -------------- | ---------------- |
| A       | {3-line block} | Emotional hook   |
| B       | {3-line block} | Data-driven hook |

### Screenshot 1 Caption Variants

| Variant | Caption   | Hypothesis      |
| ------- | --------- | --------------- |
| A       | {caption} | Problem-focused |
| B       | {caption} | Outcome-focused |

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Localization Notes

• Localizing the listing into 5-10 languages multiplies keyword reach significantly — each locale has its own keyword index
• Prioritize: Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified)
• At minimum, localize the app name, subtitle, keywords, and first 3 description lines
• Google Play auto-translates listings but manual localization always outperforms
• Each locale can target entirely different keywords for the same app

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Deliverables Checklist

Present the final optimized listing as a structured document:

• App name (with character count)
• iOS subtitle (with character count)
• Google Play short description (with character count)
• iOS keyword field (with character count)
• Full description — iOS version
• Full description — Google Play version (keyword-optimized)
• Screenshot sequence plan with captions (5-10 screenshots)
• A/B test variants table (2-3 per element)
• Localization priority list (if applicable)

Save the complete listing document as ASO-{AppName}.md.