TL;DR
Store search reads your title, subtitle, and keyword field. Use the plain words people type, including common alternates, and you show up where the users already are.
You can have great screenshots and a fair price, but if your listing does not contain the words people type into search, they will never find your app. Keywords are how you connect a good app to the people actively looking for it. Getting them right is quiet, high-leverage ASO work.
How to find the right keywords
- 1Search the stores the way a user would for your kind of app.
- 2Note the terms in the titles and subtitles of the apps that come up.
- 3Include the plain word for what your app does, not just the brand.
- 4Add common alternate names people also use for the same thing.
- 5Put your strongest terms in the title, subtitle, and keyword field.
People use plain, sometimes messy language. Some search "to-do," others "task list," others "reminder app." If your app is any of those, include the words people actually type, not just the one you prefer. Covering the common variants widens your reach across both stores.
Where keywords go on each store
On Apple, the title and subtitle carry search weight, plus a hidden 100-character keyword field you fill with comma-separated terms and no spaces. On Google Play there is no separate keyword field, so your terms live naturally in the title, short description, and full description instead.
Keywords are worth revisiting. If your app is not getting search traffic, swap in a different common term and watch your App Store Connect search numbers. A small wording change can put you in front of a search you were completely missing before.
Common questions
How does store search decide what to show?
It reads your title, subtitle, and keyword field on Apple, and your title and descriptions on Google Play, then matches them against what people type. If the words users search are not in your listing, you do not show up.
How do I find the keywords people use?
Search the stores the way a user would and note the terms in the titles and subtitles of the apps that come up. Those are the words people actually type. Mirror them across your title, subtitle, and keyword field.
Should I include alternate names for my app?
Yes. People use different words - to-do, task list, reminder - for the same thing. Include the common variants so you show up in more searches instead of only the one term you personally prefer.
Where do keywords go on Apple versus Google?
Apple uses the title, subtitle, and a hidden 100-character keyword field of comma-separated terms with no spaces. Google Play has no keyword field, so your terms live naturally in the title and descriptions instead.
Is keyword stuffing a good idea?
No. Stuffing repeated or unrelated terms reads as spam and can trip Apple's Guideline 4.3 or Google's spam rules. Use the real words people type, placed naturally, so the listing works for both search and a human reader.
My app gets no search traffic - what should I try?
Swap in a different common term for what the app does and watch your search numbers in App Store Connect. A small wording change can surface you in a search you were missing. Also recheck your category.
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