App Store Optimisation for a New App
By CodexierPublished 5 min read
Launching an app into the App Store and Google Play without working on the listing is like opening a shop with no sign. Store search is where most people find apps, and a new app has none of the signals, such as downloads and ratings, that lift established ones. What it does have is its listing: the name, the keyword fields, the description and the screenshots. This guide covers how store search works, how to fill each field, how to handle Swedish and English, and how ratings fit in once you are live.
How store search works
Both stores rank results by relevance and by signals of quality: how often people who see the app install it, how many keep it, ratings, and recent download velocity. A new app cannot control most of that on day one, but it can control relevance, meaning which words appear in which fields, and conversion, meaning how convincing the listing is to someone who sees it in results. Improving conversion also improves ranking over time, because the stores reward listings that people choose.
| Field | App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| App name / title | Indexed; limited length | Indexed; limited length |
| Subtitle / short description | Subtitle indexed | Short description indexed and visible |
| Keywords | A hidden keyword field, comma-separated | No keyword field |
| Long description | Not used for search ranking | Indexed; wording matters |
| Screenshots and preview video | Conversion, not search | Conversion, not search |
Character limits and indexing rules change occasionally; check the current limits in App Store Connect and the Play Console when you write.
Name, subtitle and keywords
- Combine your brand with the main term people search for, for example the brand plus what the app does.
- Do not repeat a word across name, subtitle and keyword field on the App Store; each word only needs to appear once.
- Use singular or plural consistently, skip filler words and do not use competitors' brand names.
- On Google Play, write the description naturally but make sure the main terms appear a few times.
- Research what users actually type by looking at the stores' search suggestions for your category.
Keyword stuffing in the name can get the app rejected and makes it look untrustworthy in results. A clear name with one descriptive term converts better than a name packed with words.
Screenshots that explain value
In search results only the first few screenshots are visible, and most people decide there. Treat them as a short story: each screenshot shows one benefit with a short caption in large text, using the real interface. The first one should answer what the app does for the user; the next two should show the main tasks. A preview video can help for apps whose value is in motion, but it must be short and make sense without sound.
Screenshot 1
The core benefit in a few words, with the main screen behind it.
Screenshots 2 and 3
The two most important tasks, each with its own short caption.
Later screenshots
Trust and details: BankID login, Swish payment, security, integrations, support in Swedish.
Swedish and English listings
Swedish users search in Swedish more often than many app owners assume, especially for local services such as bookings, parking, restaurants and public transport. If the app is in Swedish, the listing should be too, written for Swedish search terms rather than translated from English. Keep an English listing for users with English as their device language and for international reach. Apple indexes some additional localisations in certain storefronts, which can give extra keyword space; check Apple's current documentation before relying on it.
Remember that the privacy label and data safety section are also part of the listing and influence trust. Our guide on store privacy labels and GDPR covers how to fill them in correctly.
Ratings and updates
- Use the platforms' built-in review prompts, which the system limits in how often they appear.
- Ask right after a moment of success, such as a completed booking, never at launch or after an error.
- Give unhappy users a direct way to contact support inside the app before they reach the store.
- Reply to reviews, especially critical ones, with a concrete answer.
- Ship updates regularly with clear release notes; the stores and users both notice active apps.
When you do not need help: store optimisation is mostly writing and testing, and a product owner can do it with this guide. Help pays off when the app has launched but installs are flat, or when listings, ratings and updates need to be handled alongside ongoing development. Our app maintenance and scaling service includes store listing work with each release; see pricing or book a call.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for store optimisation to show results?
Changes to indexed fields can affect search visibility within days to a few weeks after the update is approved. Conversion effects from new screenshots show sooner. Change one thing at a time so you can tell what worked.
Can we test different screenshots?
Yes. Google Play has store listing experiments and the App Store has product page optimisation tests. Both need enough traffic to give clear answers, so start testing once the app has steady impressions.
Should the app name be in Swedish or English?
Keep the brand name the same everywhere, and add a descriptive term in the language of the listing. A Swedish listing with a Swedish descriptive term usually matches Swedish searches better.
Do paid ads in the stores help organic ranking?
Indirectly. Search ads bring installs, and installs and retention feed the ranking signals. They are worth testing for competitive terms, but a weak listing wastes ad spend just as it wastes organic traffic.
Make your store listing do its job
Send us a link to your app listing. In fifteen minutes we can point out the biggest gaps in name, keywords and screenshots and tell you what to change first.
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