App Store Optimization (ASO): How to Get Your App Found on Google Play and the App Store

You spent months building your app. It works smoothly, it solves a real problem and your early users like it. You publish it on Google Play and the App Store, share the link with friends, and then wait. Very few downloads arrive. When you search for your own category in the store, dozens of competing apps appear above yours, and some of them are clearly worse. The problem is not the app itself; it is that people cannot find it, or they find it and are not convinced to install it.

App Store Optimization, usually called ASO, is the process of improving how your app ranks in store search and how many visitors to your listing choose to install it. In many ways it is SEO for app stores, and for many apps, store search is one of the largest sources of downloads.

The two goals of ASO

ASO has two closely linked goals. The first is visibility: appearing for relevant searches, in category listings and in recommendations. The second is conversion: persuading the people who see your listing to tap "Install". An app that ranks well but has an unconvincing listing wastes its visibility, while an excellent listing that nobody sees achieves little. Successful ASO works on both together.

Improving visibility

The app name or title is one of the strongest signals in both stores. Including your brand together with a short descriptor, such as "BrandName: Grocery Delivery" or "BrandName: Clinic Appointments", tells stores and users exactly what the app does. Stay within character limits and avoid stuffing the title with keywords, which looks spammy and can breach store guidelines.

Google Play's short description and the App Store's subtitle offer another opportunity to express your main benefit using the terms people actually search. On Google Play, the long description is also used to understand relevance, so write it naturally, covering features, use cases and the problems the app solves. Apple provides a separate hidden keyword field, where you can list relevant terms separated by commas without repeating words already in your title.

Ratings, reviews and engagement influence rankings too. Store algorithms consider signals such as ratings, retention and technical quality, including crashes and, on Android, "app not responding" errors. A stable, well-loved app tends to climb over time, while a buggy one struggles regardless of its metadata.

Improving conversion

Your icon is the first thing people see in search results, so it should be simple, recognisable and distinctive even at small sizes. Screenshots are arguably the most important conversion element, and the first two or three matter most because many people never scroll further. Rather than showing raw screens, use screenshots with short captions that explain key benefits, such as "Book a doctor in under a minute" or "Track your order live".

A short preview video demonstrating the core use case can lift installs, especially for apps whose value is easier to show than describe. On Google Play, the feature graphic appears in various placements and should be clear and on-brand. Any social proof, such as awards, user numbers or press mentions, should be included only when it is accurate.

Localising for Indian users

Google Play supports localised store listings, which means you can translate your title, descriptions and even screenshots into Hindi and other regional languages. For apps targeting users beyond the major metros, localisation can improve both relevance in search and conversion, because people are more comfortable installing an app they fully understand.

Managing ratings and reviews

Ask for reviews at positive moments, such as after a successful order or a completed booking, using the official in-app review prompts provided by Google and Apple. Reply to reviews, particularly negative ones, with helpful and polite responses, because future users read those replies. When users repeatedly mention the same problem, fix it and mention the improvement in your update notes. Never buy reviews or offer incentives for ratings in ways that break store policies; the risk to your listing is not worth it.

Testing and iterating

Both stores offer ways to test listing changes. Google Play's store listing experiments let you test icons, screenshots and descriptions with real visitors, and Apple offers product page optimisation tests. Change one element at a time so you know what made the difference.

Driving demand from outside the store

ASO works best when combined with external demand. A clear app download page on your website, QR codes in physical stores or on packaging, messages to existing customers by SMS, RCS and WhatsApp, and app install campaigns on Google and Meta all bring people to your listing, where good ASO helps them convert.

Frequently asked questions

How long does ASO take to show results?

Conversion improvements can appear quickly, while ranking changes usually take several weeks.

Do regular updates help?

Updates that improve stability and experience can support better ratings and engagement over time.

Is ASO different for Google Play and the App Store?

The principles are similar, but the metadata fields and how they are used differ.

Grow your app downloads

OM Enterprises builds apps and optimises store listings, localisation and install campaigns to help businesses grow genuine app adoption. Talk to our app team.