App Store Optimization (ASO): A Launch Checklist for New Apps

Building a great app is half the job; the other half is getting people to find it and tap "Get" or "Install". App store optimization (ASO) is the work of making your listing discoverable in App Store and Google Play search, and convincing once someone lands on it.

The best time to start ASO is before launch. Your first weeks set your early ratings, and early ratings influence how both stores treat your app. Use this checklist alongside the launch stage of our mobile app development process.

How App Store and Google Play Listings Differ

The two stores look similar but treat your metadata differently. On the App Store, search relies mainly on your app name, subtitle and a hidden keyword field; the long description is there to persuade people. Google Play has no keyword field and reads your title, short description and full description instead.

Listing element	App Store	Google Play
App name / title	Up to 30 characters	Up to 30 characters
Subtitle / short description	Subtitle, up to 30 characters	Short description, up to 80 characters
Keyword field	Up to 100 bytes, comma-separated, not shown publicly	None
Full description	Up to 4,000 characters	Up to 4,000 characters
Editable without a new release	Promotional text, up to 170 characters	Listing text and graphics (changes are reviewed)
Screenshots	Up to 10 per device size	At least 2, up to 8 per device type
Video	Up to 3 app previews	One promo video via YouTube
Extra graphics	None required	Feature graphic, 1024 × 500 px

Limits as published by Apple and Google at the time of writing; check App Store Connect and Play Console for current specifications before you design assets.

Step 1: Keyword Research Before You Write Anything

1. List the words your customers use, not your internal jargon. "Book a cleaner" beats "on-demand home services platform".
2. Study the top apps in your category: which terms appear in their names and subtitles?
3. Type your main terms into each store's search bar and note the autocomplete suggestions.
4. Cover local language and spelling for each market — Arabic for the Gulf, for example, and British vs American spelling.
5. Favor relevance over volume. A new app rarely ranks for the most competitive terms; specific phrases with clear intent convert better.
6. Map each keyword to one field so you don't waste characters repeating it.

Step 2: Metadata Checklist

• Name: your brand plus your most important keyword, within 30 characters. Apple's guidelines prohibit packing names with irrelevant terms, and Google Play's metadata policy prohibits repetitive or misleading keywords.
• Subtitle (iOS) or short description (Android): the main benefit in plain language.
• Keyword field (iOS): separate terms with commas and no spaces, don't repeat words already in your name or subtitle, and never use competitors' brand names.
• Description opening: both stores show only the first lines before "more", so lead with what the app does and who it is for.
• Google Play description: work keywords in naturally; stuffing them in can get a listing rejected.
• No ranking claims: Google Play bars terms such as "best", "#1" or "top" in titles, icons and short descriptions, along with calls to action like "download now".
• Category: choose the one where users would actually look for you, not simply the least competitive one.

Step 3: Visual Assets Checklist

• Icon: simple and recognizable at small sizes; test it next to competitors' icons on a real phone.
• First screenshots: the first two or three often appear directly in search results, so make them count.
• Captions: one short benefit per screenshot ("Track your order live"), not a feature name.
• Real interface: show the app as it actually looks; both stores expect screenshots to reflect the app in use.
• Device sizes: provide the sizes App Store Connect currently requires; it can scale your largest set down for smaller devices.
• Right-to-left markets: mirror layouts and captions for Arabic listings instead of reusing English artwork.
• Feature graphic (Google Play): 1024 × 500 px, without ranking claims or tiny text.

Strong screenshots start with a strong interface. If your app's design needs work before launch, our UI/UX design team can help.

Step 4: Ratings and Reviews

• Use the official prompts. On iOS, the system shows StoreKit's review request at most three times in a 365-day period; on Android, Google Play's In-App Review API has its own quota.
• Ask after a success moment — a completed order, a finished workout — never on first launch or straight after an error.
• Don't trigger the prompt from a button. Google advises against it because the quota may silently stop the dialog from appearing.
• Don't filter users with "Do you love our app?" before the store prompt; Google's guidelines say not to ask questions before or while showing the review card.
• Reply to reviews, especially negative ones. Both stores let developers respond publicly.
• Fix before you ask. Crashes lead to bad reviews, and bad reviews hurt visibility — thorough QA testing before launch is part of ASO.

Step 5: Localization

• Translate the name, subtitle, keywords and screenshots for each priority market — not just the description.
• Research keywords in each language instead of translating English terms word for word.
• Localize prices, currency and examples shown in screenshots.
• Start with your top two or three markets and expand once you see where installs come from.

Step 6: Avoid These Store Review Gotchas

A rejected build delays your launch and your marketing. These are the issues we see most often:

• No demo account: if the app requires login, give reviewers working credentials and clear notes.
• Privacy mismatch: Apple's App Privacy details and Google Play's Data safety form must match what your app and its SDKs actually collect, and you need a working privacy policy link.
• No account deletion: both stores require apps that let users create an account to let them start deleting it from within the app; Google Play also requires a web link for deletion requests.
• Digital goods outside in-app purchase: selling digital content or subscriptions must follow each store's billing rules, which differ by country and have changed in recent years.
• Thin web wrappers: Apple rejects apps that offer little beyond a repackaged website.
• Login options: if you offer third-party or social sign-in, Apple generally requires an equivalent privacy-focused option too, such as Sign in with Apple.
• Outdated builds: since April 28, 2026, App Store uploads must be built with Xcode 26 and the iOS 26 SDK; since August 31, 2026, new apps and updates on Google Play must target Android 16 (API level 36).
• New personal Play accounts: a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 continuous days is required before production access.
• Placeholder content and crashes: lorem ipsum text, broken links or a crash on the reviewer's device are quick rejections.

Step 7: The First 30 Days After Launch

When	Focus
Week 1	Watch crashes and reviews daily, reply to every review and fix critical bugs fast.
Week 2	Check the funnel in App Store Connect and Play Console: impressions, product page views and conversion to installs.
Week 3	Start an A/B test — product page optimization on the App Store, store listing experiments on Google Play — usually on the icon or first screenshot.
Week 4	Review which keywords bring installs, refine the keyword field and subtitle in your next release, and consider custom product pages or custom store listings for campaigns.

Apple also lets you assign keywords to custom product pages, so a page tailored to one audience can appear in search for related terms. ASO compounds: small monthly improvements add up. When you are ready to add paid acquisition and campaigns, our digital marketing services team can take it from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does ASO take to show results?

Metadata changes can affect rankings within days, but meaningful improvement usually takes several weeks of testing and iteration. Treat ASO as ongoing work, not a one-off task.

Does the App Store use my description for search?

The App Store relies mainly on your name, subtitle and keyword field, so write the description for people. Google Play, by contrast, does read your full description.

Can I change my app name after launch?

Yes. On the App Store, a name change goes live with a new version submission; on Google Play you can update the listing at any time, subject to review. Avoid frequent changes — they confuse returning users.

Do I need paid ASO tools?

Not to launch. The stores' own analytics plus manual research take a new app a long way. Paid tools become worthwhile once you are testing many keywords across several markets.

Launch With Confidence

At AI Nova Apps, store listings, privacy forms and submission are part of every launch we run. Explore our mobile app development services, or get in touch for help preparing your app for the App Store and Google Play.