The Ultimate App Store Optimization (ASO) Checklist for 2026

You can build the best app in the world, but if nobody can find it, it doesn’t exist.

With over 2 million apps on the App Store and 3 million on Google Play, “build it and they will come” is a lie. App Store Optimization (ASO) is the art and science of improving your app’s visibility and conversion rate in the stores.

Think of ASO as SEO for apps. But unlike Google Web Search, where content is king, App Stores are visual, fast-paced, and driven by specific metadata signals. This checklist covers the proven steps to rank higher and acquire users organically.

Phase 1: Keywords & Metadata (Traffic)

This phase is about visibility: getting your app to appear in search results when users type relevant queries.

1. The Title (Weight: Heavy)

Your app title is the strongest ranking signal.

• Format: Brand Name: Keywords describing value
• Bad: “StartAppLab”
• Good: “StartAppLab: Mobile App Builder”
• Length: Keep it under 30 characters strictly if you want it fully visible, though you have 30 (iOS) / 30-50 (Android) allowed.

2. The Subtitle / Short Description (Weight: Medium)

• iOS (Subtitle): 30 characters. Focus on a catchy call-to-action or secondary keywords.
  • Example: “Build apps in minutes, not months.”
• Android (Short Description): 80 characters. This is indexed heavily. Use a natural sentence packed with keywords.
  • Example: “The ultimate mobile app builder kit with React Native and Node.js backend. Launch faster.”

3. The Keyword Field (iOS Only)

Apple gives you a hidden 100-character field.

• Rule 1: Don’t use spaces. Use commas. app,builder,code,react,native saves space compared to app, builder, code.
• Rule 2: Don’t repeat words from your Title. It doesn’t help.
• Rule 3: Don’t use plurals if you have the singular (usually). Apple matches both.

4. Long Description (Android SEO)

On iOS, the long description doesn’t impact ranking. On Android, it is crucial. Google scans your description for keyword density.

• Strategy: Write a natural description but ensure your top 5 keywords appear 3-5 times each.
• Structure: Use bullet points. Users scan; they don’t read.

Phase 2: Creative Assets (Conversion)

This phase is about conversion: convincing the user to tap “Get” once they see your listing.

5. The App Icon

Your icon dictates your Click-Through Rate (CTR) in search results.

• Trend 2026: clean, minimalistic, high contrast.
• Test: Zoom your icon out to 50px width. Is it still recognizable? If complex details vanish, simplify it.

6. Screenshots (The Sales Pitch)

Screenshots are the most important conversion factor.

• Don’t just upload raw screenshots of your UI.
• Do use “Panoramic” or “Captioned” screenshots. Put the phone frame inside a canvas, add a bold title above it, and a background color.
• Order Matters: The first 3 screenshots are all most users will ever see. Put your killer feature first, not the login screen.

7. Video Preview

• iOS: Auto-plays silently. Focus on UI motion. If your app has great animations, show them.
• Android: Linked to YouTube. Less critical but good for games.

Phase 3: Authority & Trust (Retention)

App Stores rank apps higher if they see “healthy” behavior.

8. Ratings & Reviews

• The Magic Number: You need a 4.0+ star rating. Below 4.0, conversion drops off a cliff.
• Prompting: Do not ask for a review the moment the app opens. Ask after a “success moment” (e.g., after the user completes a task or saves a file).
• Response: Reply to every review, especially negative ones. It shows potential users that the dev is active.

9. Update Frequency

updates signal to the algorithm that the app is alive.

• Cadence: Aim for an update every 2-4 weeks.
• Release Notes: Use this space to talk to your users. “Fixed bugs” is boring. “Added Dark Mode and 2x faster loading” is exciting.

10. Localization (Global Growth)

If your app is English-only, you are ignoring non-English markets.

• Low Hanging Fruit: Localize just the Metadata (Title, Keywords, Description) for Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
• Result: You will start appearing in searches in those countries, even if the app UI is still English. It’s the highest ROI ASO task.

Phase 4: Technical & Deep Linking (The Hidden Layer)

Modern ASO isn’t just about the store listing; it’s about how the OS interacts with your app.

11. App Indexing & Deep Links

StartAppLab apps come configured with Deep Linking schematics (myapp://). This allows Google/Apple to index content inside your app.

• Scenario: User searches “how to manage mobile state” on Google.
• Result: A link appears that opens your app directly to that blog post article.
• Benefit: Massive engagement boost and SEO synergy.

12. App Size

Keep your initial download size under 150MB (iOS cellular limit warning).

• Bloated apps get fewer downloads in developing markets.
• compresses images and removes unused code (Tree Shaking).

ASO Tooling Stack

Don’t guess; use data.

1. AppTweak / SensorTower: For keyword research and competitor spying.
2. RevenueCat: To correlate ASO changes with actual revenue (Realized LTV).
3. StartAppLab Dashboard: To manage your content deep links and monitor user retention updates essentially.

Summary Checklist for Launch

• Title: Keywords included, under 30 chars.
• Subtitle: Compelling value prop.
• Keywords: Filled 100 chars, no spaces.
• Icon: Tested at small size.
• Screenshots: Captions added, benefits highlighted.
• Description: SEO optimized (Android) and formatted.
• Support URL: Valid link to your contact page.
• Privacy Policy: Valid link (Required).
• Rating Prompt: Implemented at the right moment.

ASO is a process, not a task

You don’t “finish” ASO. You test a new title, wait 2 weeks, check metrics, and iterate. But with this checklist and the solid technical foundation of StartAppLab, you are starting miles ahead of the competition.

Launch your App Faster