App Store Optimization Checklist for Indie Developers

An app store optimization checklist is a repeatable list of tasks that improves how easily people find your app (keywords, title, subtitle, category) and how often they install it once they see it (icon, screenshots, description, ratings). For an indie developer, the highest-impact order is: research keywords, write metadata around them, fix your visuals, collect ratings, then track and iterate.

Below is a checklist you can work through in a weekend, followed by a lighter routine for ongoing maintenance.

Before you start: set your baseline

You cannot tell whether a change worked without a starting point. Spend 20 minutes on this first.

• Write down your current title, subtitle (iOS) or short description (Google Play), and keyword field.
• Note your impressions, product page views and downloads from App Store Connect or Google Play Console.
• List 10-20 keywords you think matter and record where you rank today. A free tool such as the App Store rank checker shows this for iOS and Google Play.
• Save screenshots of your current product page so you can compare later.

1. Keyword research

Keywords decide which searches you can appear in. For a small app, the goal is not the biggest terms but the ones you can realistically rank for.

• Brainstorm what users type when they have the problem your app solves (not your feature names).
• Check competitors' titles and subtitles for recurring terms.
• Use autocomplete suggestions in the App Store and Google Play search bars.
• Sort candidates into three groups: high relevance and low competition (your targets), high relevance and high competition (long-term), low relevance (discard).
• Prefer specific phrases ("habit tracker for students") over generic ones ("tracker") when you are new.
• Pick one primary keyword and 5-10 secondary ones per locale.

Relevance beats volume. Ranking for a term that does not match what your app does leads to impressions without installs, which can hurt conversion.

2. Metadata on the App Store (iOS)

Apple indexes the app name, subtitle and the hidden keyword field. The limits are well known: 30 characters for name and subtitle, and 100 characters for the keyword field.

• App name (30 characters): brand plus your strongest keyword, e.g. "Brand: Habit Tracker". Keep it readable.
• Subtitle (30 characters): a second keyword phrase that describes the benefit. Do not repeat words already in the name.
• Keyword field (100 characters): comma-separated, no spaces after commas, no repeated words, no words already in the name or subtitle. Singular or plural is usually enough, not both.
• Promotional text (170 characters): not indexed for search, but editable without a new release, so use it for launches and offers.
• Description: not used for iOS search ranking, so write it for humans and conversion.
• Category: choose the one where you can compete and where users expect to find you.

3. Metadata on Google Play

Google Play works differently: it reads text more like a web search engine, including the long description.

• Title (30 characters): brand plus primary keyword.
• Short description (80 characters): a clear benefit with a keyword, since it is prominent on the listing.
• Long description (4,000 characters): use your main phrases naturally a few times in the first paragraphs. Avoid keyword stuffing, which violates Google Play policy.
• Category and tags: pick accurately in Play Console.

If you want a first draft of metadata within character limits, Searvia's AI metadata writer can help, but a spreadsheet with a character counter works fine too.

4. Icon, screenshots and video

Visuals decide whether a searcher taps install. They matter as much as keywords.

• Icon: simple, one focal shape, readable at small sizes, distinct from competitors in your category.
• First 2-3 screenshots: these show in search results, so lead with your core benefit, not a login screen.
• Captions: short, benefit-led, large enough to read on a phone.
• Order: tell a story from problem to result.
• Device sizes: upload the required sizes for current iPhones and for Android phones; add tablet assets if you support tablets.
• Preview video (optional): keep it short and show the app in use within the first seconds.
• Localized screenshots for your top markets.

5. Localization

Localizing metadata is one of the cheapest ways to widen reach, because each locale gives you more keyword space.

• Choose 3-5 markets based on where you already get downloads.
• On iOS, remember some storefronts index keywords from additional locales (for example, the US storefront also reads Spanish (Mexico) metadata), so you can add extra keyword space there.
• Translate meaning, not word for word, and research keywords in each language.

6. Ratings and reviews

Ratings influence both conversion and trust.

• Ask for a rating after a positive moment (a completed task, not on first launch), using Apple's StoreKit review prompt or Google's In-App Review API.
• Provide a simple way to send feedback privately before someone leaves a one-star review.
• Reply to reviews, especially negative ones, with specifics about fixes.
• Read reviews for keyword ideas and feature requests: users describe your app in their own words.

7. Technical quality signals

Stores favor apps people keep using.

• Fix crashes and slow starts; check crash reports in App Store Connect and Android vitals in Play Console.
• Keep the app updated for current OS versions.
• Make the first-run experience short so users reach value fast.

8. Launch and relaunch tasks

• Prepare all metadata and assets before submission, not after.
• On iOS, use custom product pages to match different audiences or campaigns, and product page optimization to test creatives.
• On Google Play, set up custom store listings and store listing experiments.
• Send your existing audience (email, social, website) to the listing in the first days; early installs and engagement help.
• For a relaunch, change one or two major elements at a time so you can attribute results.

9. Tracking and iteration

• Track keyword rankings weekly for your target list.
• Watch conversion rate (product page views to installs) separately from impressions.
• Review metadata every 4-6 weeks: drop keywords that do not move, add new ones.
• Log every change with a date so you can connect cause and effect.
• Check whether AI assistants mention your app; the AI visibility checker shows this.

Quick reference: iOS vs Google Play

Common mistakes indie developers make

• Stuffing the title with keywords until the brand is unreadable.
• Repeating the same word across title, subtitle and keyword field, wasting space on iOS.
• Targeting only broad, highly competitive keywords.
• Changing everything at once, then not knowing what worked.
• Ignoring screenshots because they feel like design work rather than SEO.

FAQ

How do you do App Store optimization?

Research keywords, place them in the title, subtitle and keyword field (iOS) or title, short and long description (Google Play), improve your icon and screenshots, collect ratings, then track rankings and conversion and adjust regularly.

Does App Store optimization work?

Yes, because most apps are discovered through search and browsing in the stores. Better metadata can increase impressions, and better creatives can raise the share of viewers who install. Results depend on competition, app quality and the keywords you choose, so measure rather than assume.

What are the best tools for app store optimization?

Start with the free data in App Store Connect and Google Play Console. Add a rank tracker to monitor keywords, a keyword research tool for ideas and difficulty, and a screenshot or design tool for creatives. Free options such as Searvia's App Store rank checker cover the basics; paid platforms add competitor tracking and deeper research.

How often should I update my ASO?

Review rankings weekly and revisit metadata every month or two. Make larger creative tests when you have enough traffic to see a clear difference.

Is there a free ASO checklist template?

Copy the checkbox lists above into a notes app or spreadsheet, add columns for date changed and result, and you have a working template.