app-store-optimizer

name	app-store-optimizer
description	Expert app store optimization covering keyword research, screenshot design, A/B testing listings, review management, localization strategy, app preview videos, rating prompts, category selection, competitive analysis, and ASO tools. Use when the user asks about app store optimizer, app store optimizer best practices, or needs guidance on app store optimizer implementation. Do NOT use when the user needs a different specialized skill or is asking about an unrelated technology domain.
license	Apache-2.0
metadata	{"author":"foundry-skills","version":"1.0.0","tags":"mobile best-practices app-store-optimization","category":"software-engineering","subcategory":"mobile-development","depends":"","disclaimer":"none","difficulty":"intermediate"}

App Store Optimizer

Overview

This skill provides comprehensive expertise in App Store Optimization (ASO) for both Apple App Store and Google Play Store. It covers the full lifecycle of optimizing app discoverability and conversion rates, from keyword research and metadata optimization through visual asset creation, review management, and continuous iteration based on analytics.

ASO Fundamentals

Ranking Factor Weights

Factor	App Store (iOS)	Google Play
App name / title	Very High	Very High
Subtitle	High	N/A
Keyword field	Very High	N/A
Short description	N/A	High
Long description	Low (not indexed)	High (indexed)
Downloads velocity	High	High
Ratings and reviews	High	High
Update frequency	Medium	Medium
Retention / engagement	Medium	High
Crash rate	Medium	High
Backlinks	N/A	Medium

Metadata Character Limits

Field	App Store	Google Play
App name / title	30 chars	30 chars
Subtitle	30 chars	N/A
Short description	N/A	80 chars
Keyword field	100 chars	N/A
Description	4000 chars	4000 chars
What's New	4000 chars	500 chars
Promotional text	170 chars	N/A

Keyword Research Methodology

Step-by-Step Process

Keyword Research Workflow:
1. Brainstorm seed keywords
   ├── Core functionality terms
   ├── Problem/solution terms
   ├── Competitor brand terms (careful - avoid trademarked terms)
   └── User language terms (how users describe the problem)

2. Expand keyword list
   ├── App Store Suggest (type in search bar, note autocomplete)
   ├── Google Play autocomplete
   ├── ASO tools (App Radar, Sensor Tower, AppTweak)
   ├── Related searches shown after search results
   └── Competitor keyword spy tools

3. Evaluate keywords
   ├── Search volume (traffic score)
   ├── Difficulty (competition score)
   ├── Relevance (does it match your app?)
   └── Intent (will searchers want your app?)

4. Prioritize keywords
   ├── High volume + low difficulty + high relevance = PRIORITY
   ├── High volume + high difficulty = LONG TERM
   ├── Low volume + low difficulty = QUICK WIN
   └── Low volume + high difficulty = AVOID

5. Place keywords strategically
   ├── Most important → App name
   ├── Second tier → Subtitle (iOS) / Short description (Android)
   ├── Supporting → Keyword field (iOS) / Description (Android)
   └── Do NOT repeat keywords across fields (iOS deduplicates)

Keyword Placement Strategy (iOS)

iOS Keyword Optimization Rules:
- Keywords are pulled from: Name + Subtitle + Keyword field
- Do NOT repeat words across these three fields
- Keyword field: Use commas as separators, no spaces after commas
- Apple indexes singular and plural forms separately
- Include common misspellings if space allows
- Localize keywords for each target market

Example:
  Name: "FitTrack - Workout Planner"
  Subtitle: "Exercise & Gym Log"
  Keywords: "fitness,training,health,routine,muscle,cardio,strength,weight,body,yoga"

  Effective indexed terms:
  fittrack, workout, planner, exercise, gym, log, fitness, training,
  health, routine, muscle, cardio, strength, weight, body, yoga
  + combinations like "fitness planner", "gym workout", etc.

Keyword Placement Strategy (Google Play)

Google Play Keyword Optimization Rules:
- Google indexes the full description (all 4000 chars)
- Repeat primary keywords 3-5 times naturally in description
- Short description is heavily weighted - use top keywords
- Title has highest weight per character
- Google understands synonyms and related terms
- Backlinks with anchor text influence ranking
- Do NOT keyword-stuff; Google penalizes this

Example Short Description (80 chars):
  "Track workouts, build muscle & reach fitness goals with personalized plans"

Screenshot Design

Best Practices

Guideline	Details
First 2 screenshots	Most critical; visible without scrolling in search results
Orientation	Portrait for phones; landscape acceptable for tablets/games
Text overlay	Short, benefit-driven headlines (not feature descriptions)
Font size	Large enough to read on search results (not just detail page)
Device frames	Optional; Apple no longer requires them
Consistency	Uniform style, color scheme, and typography across all screenshots
Count	Use all available slots (10 on iOS, 8 on Google Play)
Localization	Translate text overlays for each market

Screenshot Sequence Strategy

Recommended Screenshot Order:
1. Hero shot - Primary value proposition + most impressive UI
2. Key feature 1 - The feature that solves the main user problem
3. Key feature 2 - Differentiating feature vs. competitors
4. Social proof - "Trusted by 1M+ users" or press quotes
5. Key feature 3 - Another compelling feature
6. Integration/ecosystem - Works with other tools/platforms
7. Personalization - Show customization options
8. Call to action - "Get started free" or pricing info

A/B Testing Screenshots

Screenshot A/B Test Framework:
├── Test one variable at a time
│   ├── Background color
│   ├── Text copy
│   ├── Screenshot order
│   ├── With/without device frames
│   └── Dark vs. light UI shown
├── Run for 7+ days minimum
├── Need 1000+ impressions per variant for significance
├── Use Google Play Store Listing Experiments (built-in)
├── Use third-party tools for iOS (SplitMetrics, StoreMaven)
└── Track conversion rate (impressions → installs)

Review Management

Review Response Strategy

Review Response Decision Tree:
├── 5-star review
│   └── Thank the user briefly, mention a new feature they might like
├── 4-star review
│   ├── Thank them, ask what would make it 5 stars
│   └── If they mention a specific feature, note it for product roadmap
├── 3-star review
│   ├── Acknowledge their feedback
│   ├── Address specific concerns
│   └── Invite them to contact support for resolution
├── 2-star review
│   ├── Apologize for the experience
│   ├── Address the specific issue
│   ├── Provide a workaround if available
│   └── Ask them to update review after fix
├── 1-star review
│   ├── Respond within 24 hours
│   ├── Never be defensive
│   ├── Provide direct support contact
│   ├── If it is a bug, confirm you are fixing it
│   └── If it is a misunderstanding, clarify politely
└── Spam / inappropriate review
    └── Report to Apple/Google for removal

Review Response Templates

Bug Report (1-2 stars):
"Hi [Name], we're sorry you experienced this issue. We've identified the
bug you described and our team is working on a fix for the next update.
In the meantime, you can [workaround]. If you need immediate help,
please reach out to [e-mail]. Thank you for your patience."

Feature Request (3 stars):
"Thank you for the feedback! We hear you on [feature request]. It's on
our roadmap and we're aiming to include it in an upcoming release.
We'd love to hear more about your use case at [e-mail]."

Positive Review (5 stars):
"Thank you so much for the kind words! We're thrilled you're enjoying
[specific feature mentioned]. Have you tried [related feature]? We think
you'll love it too!"

Rating Prompt Strategy

When to Ask for Ratings

Rating Prompt Triggers (Best Practices):
├── After a positive experience
│   ├── Completing a key task successfully
│   ├── Reaching a milestone or achievement
│   ├── After the Nth successful session (e.g., 5th)
│   └── After a positive outcome (workout completed, goal reached)
├── Timing constraints
│   ├── NOT on first launch
│   ├── NOT after a crash or error
│   ├── NOT during a flow (checkout, editing)
│   ├── Maximum 3 prompts per 365-day period (Apple limit)
│   └── Wait at least 14 days between prompts
├── Smart gating approach
│   ├── First: Ask "Are you enjoying [App]?" in custom dialog
│   ├── If YES → Show native rating prompt (SKStoreReviewController)
│   ├── If NO → Show feedback form (capture issues internally)
│   └── This prevents negative reviews from reaching the store
└── Never incentivize reviews (violates store guidelines)

// iOS rating prompt implementation
import StoreKit

class RatingManager {
    private let defaults = UserDefaults.standard
    private let sessionCountKey = "sessionCount"
    private let lastPromptDateKey = "lastPromptDate"

    func trackSession() {
        let count = defaults.integer(forKey: sessionCountKey) + 1
        defaults.set(count, forKey: sessionCountKey)
    }

    func requestReviewIfAppropriate() {
        let sessionCount = defaults.integer(forKey: sessionCountKey)
        let lastPrompt = defaults.object(forKey: lastPromptDateKey) as? Date

        guard sessionCount >= 5 else { return }
        guard lastPrompt == nil || Date().timeIntervalSince(lastPrompt!) > 90 * 86400 else { return }

        if let scene = .shared.connectedScenes
            .first(where: { .activationState  .foregroundActive })   {
            .requestReview(in: scene)
            defaults.set((), forKey: lastPromptDateKey)
        }
    }
}

Localization Strategy

Market Prioritization

Localization Priority Framework:
1. Analyze current organic traffic by country (App Store Connect / Play Console)
2. Estimate market size (smartphone users * app category penetration)
3. Assess competition level in each market
4. Consider monetization potential (ARPU by country)
5. Evaluate localization cost vs. expected return

Tier 1 (highest ROI): English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese
Tier 2: Korean, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Turkish, Arabic
Tier 3: Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Hindi, Polish, Swedish

Minimum viable localization:
- Translate: Name, subtitle/short description, keywords, screenshot text
- Do NOT auto-translate descriptions (use native speakers)
- Localize screenshots (text overlays + possibly UI screenshots)
- Research local keywords (direct translation often misses search terms)

App Preview Videos

Video Best Practices

Aspect	Recommendation
Length	15-30 seconds (attention drops sharply after 15s)
First 3 seconds	Hook with the most impressive feature
Narration	Optional; use captions for accessibility
Music	Upbeat, non-distracting background music
Content	Show real app usage, not promotional motion graphics
Resolution	Record at device native resolution
Orientation	Match primary app orientation
Call to action	End with download prompt or key value proposition
Autoplay	Videos autoplay on mute in App Store - visual clarity is critical

Category Selection

Category Strategy

Category Selection Decision:
├── Primary category
│   ├── Choose the most accurate category for your app
│   ├── Consider competition density (fewer apps = easier ranking)
│   ├── Check top 10 in each candidate category
│   └── Verify your app legitimately fits the category
├── Secondary category (iOS only)
│   ├── Choose a complementary category for additional exposure
│   ├── Can rank in both categories simultaneously
│   └── Example: Meditation app → Primary: Health & Fitness, Secondary: Lifestyle
└── Category changes
    ├── Allowed (both platforms)
    ├── Takes effect with next update
    └── Rankings reset in old category

Competitive Analysis

Competitor Analysis Framework

For each top 5 competitor, analyze:

1. Metadata
   ├── Title / subtitle keywords
   ├── Description structure and keywords
   ├── Number and quality of screenshots
   └── Whether they use app preview videos

2. Ratings & Reviews
   ├── Average rating and total count
   ├── Recent review sentiment trends
   ├── Common complaints (opportunities for you)
   └── Features users praise most

3. Update Frequency
   ├── How often they update
   ├── What they highlight in release notes
   └── Feature velocity

4. Keyword Rankings
   ├── Which keywords they rank for
   ├── Keywords where they are weak (your opportunity)
   └── Keyword overlap percentage with your app

5. Visual Assets
   ├── Screenshot style and messaging
   ├── Icon design approach
   └── What they emphasize first

ASO Tools Comparison

Tool	Strengths	Best For
Sensor Tower	Market intelligence, ad intelligence	Enterprise, competitor research
App Radar	Keyword tracking, ASO workflow	SMB, hands-on optimization
AppTweak	Keyword research, market analysis	Data-driven keyword strategy
AppFollow	Review management, competitor monitoring	Review ops, sentiment analysis
SplitMetrics	A/B testing store pages	Conversion rate optimization
Mobile Action	Keyword intelligence, visibility score	Keyword-focused ASO
data.ai (App Annie)	Market estimates, download data	Market sizing, trend analysis

Measurement and KPIs

Key Metrics to Track

Metric	Target	Source
Impressions	Growing month-over-month	App Store Connect / Play Console
Conversion rate (impression to install)	>30% (varies by category)	App Store Connect / Play Console
Keyword rankings	Top 10 for primary keywords	ASO tool
Average rating	>4.5	Store dashboard
Review response rate	100% for 1-3 star reviews	Store dashboard
Organic vs. paid split	>60% organic	Attribution tool
Day 1 retention	>40%	Analytics tool

Production Checklist

• Research and select 15-25 target keywords
• Optimize title with primary keyword
• Write compelling subtitle (iOS) / short description (Android)
• Fill keyword field with no duplicates (iOS)
• Write keyword-rich description (Google Play)
• Design 8-10 screenshots with benefit-driven headlines
• Create app preview video (15-30 seconds)
• Set up A/B test for top-of-funnel screenshots
• Configure smart rating prompt after positive user events
• Set up review monitoring and response workflow
• Localize metadata for top 5 target markets
• Select primary and secondary categories strategically
• Complete competitor analysis for top 5 rivals
• Set up weekly keyword ranking tracking
• Establish monthly ASO review cadence

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Designing or implementing app store optimizer solutions
• Reviewing or improving existing app store optimizer approaches
• Making architectural or implementation decisions about app store optimizer
• Learning app store optimizer patterns and best practices
• Troubleshooting app store optimizer-related issues

Do NOT use this skill when:

• The question is about a fundamentally different technology domain
• A more specific sibling skill covers the exact topic needed
• The user needs a complete hands-on tutorial rather than expert guidance

Output Format

# App Store Optimizer Analysis

## Context Assessment
[Situation summary and constraints]

## Recommended Approach
[Primary recommendation with rationale]

## Implementation Steps
1. [Step with specific details]
2. [Step with specific details]
3. [Step with specific details]

## Trade-offs and Considerations
- [Key trade-off 1]
- [Key trade-off 2]

## Next Steps
- [Immediate action item]
- [Follow-up action item]

Example

Input: "Help me implement app store optimizer for a medium-scale production application"

Output: A structured analysis covering current state assessment, recommended app store optimizer approach with specific patterns, implementation roadmap with milestones, and risk mitigation strategies tailored to the application scale and constraints.

Edge Cases

• Legacy system integration: When app store optimizer must coexist with legacy approaches, provide a gradual migration path rather than a complete rewrite
• Scale mismatch: When the solution complexity exceeds the project scale, recommend a simpler approach and note when to revisit
• Team skill gaps: When the team lacks experience with the recommended approach, include learning resources and simpler alternatives
• Conflicting requirements: When constraints conflict (e.g., performance vs. maintainability), explicitly state the trade-off and recommend based on stated priorities