Most businesses treat video as post-and-pray: upload, hope, and wonder why nobody watches. Video SEO changes that. It spans two separate ecosystems, YouTube (driven by watch time and engagement) and Google video results (driven by structured data and sitemaps), and a video can dominate one while being invisible in the other. We optimize both, plus the transcripts and schema that get your videos cited in AI Overviews, so every video becomes a long-term traffic and lead asset.
Ranking and conversion feed each other. Better keywords and creatives lift your conversion rate; a higher conversion rate is a ranking signal that pushes you up; a higher rank earns more impressions; more impressions at a good conversion rate drive more installs, which reinforce the rank. Better visuals lead to higher conversion, which leads to higher ranking, which leads to more impressions, which leads to more downloads. ASO done right is a compounding loop, not a one-time metadata edit.
Both Apple and Google rebalanced their algorithms between 2024 and 2026, moving weight away from pre-install signals (keywords, ratings, raw downloads) and toward post-install signals (retention, conversion rate, and semantic relevance). The algorithms now more aggressively demote apps with high uninstall rates or low session frequency, reading them as low-value experiences. This means ASO in 2026 is not just metadata, it is metadata plus a genuinely good product experience that keeps users.
On iOS, you have exactly 100 hidden characters to declare which searches you are eligible for, so every character counts and none should be wasted repeating words already in your title. On Google Play, your long description is a keyword-indexed asset, so it must be written for the algorithm and the user at once, with your most important keywords in the first two to three sentences. Treating the two stores identically is the single most common ASO mistake we fix.
We use real search-volume, difficulty, and relevance data to find the terms worth targeting. New apps own 10 to 20 long-tail keywords first, then graduate to competitive head terms as authority builds.
We optimize title, subtitle, and the 100-character keyword field for iOS, and title, short description, and the full indexed long description for Google Play, each tuned to that store's algorithm.
The first two to three screenshots decide conversion. We design store creatives that communicate value fast, and because conversion rate is a ranking signal, better visuals lift both installs and rank.
We test icons, screenshots, and titles using store experiments and testing tools, so creative decisions are data-driven. Moving from 3% to 5% conversion on a keyword can mean hundreds of installs at zero extra spend.
We set up well-timed in-app review prompts, respond to negative reviews within 24 to 48 hours, and manage review velocity, an underrated ranking factor, since both stores down-weight ratings older than 12 months.
Post-install signals now drive rankings. We help you identify retention and uninstall problems that suppress your rank and align ASO with the product changes that keep users engaged.
We localize metadata and creatives for key markets and store locales, so you rank in each region's search rather than relying on a single English listing to serve a global audience.
We track keyword rankings, impressions, conversion rate, and organic installs on a continuous cadence, since store charts refresh several times a day, and report the metrics that tie to real install growth.
| Field | Apple App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword field | Unique 100-character hidden field, primary input | No dedicated field; keywords live in the description |
| Description | Not indexed for ranking, conversion only | Full 4,000 characters indexed, direct ranking factor |
| Short description | Subtitle carries keyword weight | High-weight indexed field, big ranking lever |
| Reviews | Factor in ranking and conversion, not indexed for keywords | Fully indexed, keywords in reviews create entry points |
| Technical signals | Behavioral and engagement signals | Android Vitals: crashes, ANR, startup time |
We audit both store listings, benchmark competitors, and build a keyword map with real volume, difficulty, and relevance data, separately for iOS and Google Play, prioritizing long-tail terms you can actually win first.
We optimize each store's fields to its own algorithm: the iOS keyword field, title, and subtitle, and the Google Play title, short description, and indexed long description, without wasting a single character.
We optimize the icon, screenshots, and preview to lift conversion rate, then A/B test them, because conversion rate is a ranking signal and small lifts compound into the flywheel.
We set up review prompts and response workflows, manage review velocity, and flag the retention and uninstall issues that suppress rankings under the new post-install algorithm weighting.
We monitor rankings, impressions, conversion, and installs continuously, run ongoing tests, refresh metadata as the algorithm and competitors shift, and expand into new keywords and locales as you climb.
Priority terms reached the top three
New screenshots lifted tap-to-install
Cheapest install channel grew
Whether you optimize one store or both, how competitive your category is, how much creative production and A/B testing you need, how many markets you localize for, and whether you need a one-time setup or ongoing optimization as the stores update.
