Keyword research is where most ASO gains start. This guide shows how to build a keyword list that matches real user intent and your app's current ranking strength.
Start with search intent, not a giant keyword list
The best keyword lists are not the biggest ones. They are the lists that match what users are trying to do when they open the store. Before you score anything, write down the jobs your app solves, the category it lives in, and the phrases a user would type when they need your outcome.
Once you have that first batch, run it through ASOZen’s Keyword Analysis and separate obvious brand terms from descriptive search terms. Brand terms matter later. Descriptive terms are what help a new or mid-sized app grow.
Use short-tail terms to discover long-tail opportunities
Short-tail phrases are useful for discovery, but they are usually too competitive to be your primary wins. Use them as starting points. The real targets are the longer phrases with clearer intent and a more realistic difficulty profile.
- Search broad phrases to see who already dominates the category.
- Look for modifiers that sharpen intent, such as audience, use case, or format.
- Build a shortlist of long-tail terms you can support in your title, subtitle, and description.
Score difficulty before you commit
A keyword is only useful if you have a plausible path to ranking for it. That is where difficulty scoring matters. If the top results are all dominant brands with stronger ratings, better creative, and deeper keyword coverage, treat the term as a future target instead of a current priority.
Use your difficulty data alongside ASO scoring to decide whether the problem is keyword selection, weak listing quality, or both. The keyword alone is rarely the whole story.
Turn keyword research into a release plan
Your shortlist should end in action. Take the primary term, supporting terms, and messaging angle into Release Planner. Draft the title, subtitle, and supporting copy you want to ship, then verify that the listing still reads naturally.
If you want a faster way to expand your list after that first release, compare your app against a close rival and pull the obvious gaps into the next research cycle. That workflow is the bridge into competitor analysis.
Build a keyword set you can actually rank for
Start with your current app, score the terms that matter, and turn them into a tighter release plan.