ASO from app reviews: turn user words into keywords and copy
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Users describe your app in the words they search with. Reviews are the cheapest keyword research you have.
Field limits
| Store | Field | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| App Store | App name | 30 characters |
| App Store | Subtitle | 30 characters |
| App Store | Keywords | 100 characters |
| App Store | Promotional text | 170 characters |
| Google Play | App name | 30 characters |
| Google Play | Short description | 80 characters |
| Google Play | Full description | 4,000 characters |
Sources: Apple Developer: Creating your product page; Play Console Help: Create and set up your app (store listing limits).
Apple's keyword advice
- Separate keywords with commas, without spaces (spaces inside a phrase are fine).
- Don't waste characters on plurals of words you already use, category names, the word "app", duplicates or special characters.
- Don't use competing app names, unauthorised trademarks or irrelevant terms; improper keyword use is a common reason for rejection.
- Promotional text can be updated at any time but doesn't affect search ranking, so don't use it for keywords.
- Localise keywords for each market.
All from Apple Developer: Creating your product page.
Mining reviews
- Positive reviews: collect the nouns users use for your main feature ("habit tracker", "budget planner"). If they differ from yours, test theirs.
- Negative reviews of competitors: the problem users are leaving with ("too many ads", "no offline mode") is what they search for next.
- Your negative reviews: fix first, then announce the fix in What's New; Apple suggests telling users when you've fixed issues they reported (Apple Developer: Creating your product page).
Rules on using reviews in your listing
- Apple: you may quote ratings in marketing if they are current; quoting a review needs the reviewer's permission (Apple Developer: Ratings, reviews, and responses).
- Google Play: no unattributed or anonymous user testimonials in the description, no repetitive keywords, and no ranking or price claims in the title, icon or developer name (Play Console Help: Metadata policy).
Ratings are an ASO factor
Apple says ratings and reviews influence search ranking (Apple Developer: Creating your product page). See how to get more ratings within the rules.
Sources
- Apple Developer: Creating your product page
- Play Console Help: Create and set up your app (store listing limits)
- Play Console Help: Metadata policy
- Apple Developer: Ratings, reviews, and responses
Related guides
- How to find competitor app complaints on the App Store and Google Play
- How to analyze app reviews for your product roadmap
- Get more app ratings: SKStoreReviewController and Play In-App Review rules
- All app developer guides
Questions
How long can App Store keywords be?
The App Store keywords field is limited to 100 characters, separated by commas without spaces.
Does App Store promotional text affect search?
No. Apple says promotional text doesn't affect search ranking, so it shouldn't be used for keywords.
Can I quote user reviews in my Google Play description?
Not anonymously. Google's Metadata policy prohibits unattributed or anonymous user testimonials in the description.