# App Store Optimization Services · Appogean > App Store Optimization (ASO) services for iOS and Google Play — keyword research, metadata, conversion (CRO) and rank tracking, run as one ranking system. Canadian ASO agency, working worldwide. *Source: https://appogean.com/aso-agency/ — Markdown rendering for AI agents.* --- # App Store Optimization agency App Store Optimization, engineered as a system. Appogean’s App Store Optimization (ASO) services grow organic installs on the Apple App Store and Google Play — keyword research, metadata, store creative and rank tracking treated as one search-engine problem, measured and compounded. [Request a growth audit](#audit) [See app advertising](/ua-for-apps) In short **App Store Optimization (ASO)** is the practice of improving a mobile app’s ranking and conversion in the Apple App Store and Google Play — through keyword research, metadata, and store creative — so the app earns more **organic** installs. Appogean runs ASO as a continuous, measured system for apps and games. In app growth, “ASO” always means App Store Optimization. Why ASO matters ## The cheapest install you’ll ever buy is the one you don’t. Roughly two-thirds of app discovery still starts with a store search. Win that intent and every paid channel gets cheaper — because organic carries the base and paid scales the margin. ~65% of installs begin with store search 3.2× CVR gap between optimised & default listings What our App Store Optimization services cover ## Five services, one ranking system. ASO isn’t a one-off audit. Keyword research, metadata, creative, competitor intelligence and analytics run continuously and feed each other — that’s what turns rankings into compounding organic installs. KEYWORD RESEARCH ### Keyword research & semantics We map the full keyword surface — search volume, difficulty, relevance and competitor coverage — and build a semantic keyword model per market. Each term is scored on intent and conversion potential, with keyword cannibalization checks so your own listings never compete against each other. ASO keyword research · keyword analysis · cannibalization METADATA ### Metadata engineering Title, subtitle and the hidden 100-character keyword field on iOS; title, short description and a meaning-first long description on Google Play. Every keyword is used once and weighted by field — never stuffed, because both stores now read semantics, not density. app store metadata · iOS ASO · Google Play ASO STORE CONVERSION ### Store conversion (creative CRO) Icon, screenshots, preview video and custom product pages tested against live traffic with A/B experiments. Conversion is itself a ranking signal — a number-one result that doesn’t convert is just an expensive impression. ASO A/B testing · screenshots · icon · CRO · CPP MARKET INTELLIGENCE ### Market & competitor intelligence Continuous competitor coverage, category demand and share-of-visibility tracking, so keyword and creative bets go where the upside actually is — and so you see a rival’s move before it costs you rankings. competitor analysis · share of voice · category demand RANK TRACKING ### Rank tracking & analytics Every keyword has a baseline, a target and a trajectory. We track conversion-weighted rank, top-10 keyword count and organic install share, and attribute each metadata change to the movement it caused — reporting you can act on, not vanity scores. ASO analytics · ASO metrics · rank tracking · reporting iOS App Store vs Google Play ## Same goal, two different algorithms. Great ASO is platform-specific. Apple and Google index different fields, weight different signals and reward different tactics — so we run App Store Optimization for iOS and Google Play as separate playbooks, not one listing copied across. Ranking factor Apple App Store (iOS ASO) Google Play (Android ASO) Keyword fields Title (30) · Subtitle (30) · hidden keyword field (100) Title (30) · Short description (80) · Long description (4,000) Long description Not indexed for keywords Read semantically — meaning over density Reviews Not indexed Indexed — review text and replies can rank Localization Extra locales add keyword reach within a country Any locale can influence any market Custom pages Custom Product Pages (CPP) Custom Store Listings (CSL) — indexed by country Technical signal Crashes matter, no hard thresholds Android Vitals — breach it and rankings fall How we work ## A loop, not a checklist. 1. 01 ### Audit & keyword model We teardown your listing, rankings and competitors, then build the keyword map — the terms worth winning and the ones you’re leaking today. 2. 02 ### Metadata & creative Metadata rewritten per platform; icon and first screenshots rebuilt as testable hypotheses. Each keyword placed once, weighted by field. 3. 03 ### Test & index A/B experiments on live traffic, In-App Events for extra surfaces, and a controlled launch push to move install velocity on target keywords. 4. 04 ### Measure & compound Weekly conversion-weighted rank tracking. Every change is attributed, every win fed back into the next iteration — and into paid. Ranking growth ## Movement you can see, week over week. We don’t report on vanity scores. Every keyword has a target, a baseline and a trajectory — and every metadata change is attributed to the movement it caused. - **Top-10 keyword count** as the north-star ranking metric - **Share of category visibility** against named competitors - **Conversion-weighted rank** — position valued by traffic, not vanity Creative conversion ## Store CRO, decided by data — not by taste. Every visual asset is a hypothesis. We test it against live traffic and keep only what lifts conversion. A/B - ✓ Screenshot order — benefit-first product page CVR +18% - ✓ Title: outcome keyword vs brand-first impression → tap +11% - × Icon — high-contrast vs scene tap-through −3% - ✓ CPP for paid social cohort install rate +27% Advanced lever · available on request ## When rankings need a push: keyword-targeted install velocity. Metadata and creative win the long game — but **install velocity**, a burst of installs on a specific search term in a short window, is a real ranking lever inside the App Store. On iOS it still moves positions that paid traffic alone can’t reach. It’s often called **incentivized** or **motivated traffic**, and when it fits your goals we run it as a controlled, add-on service — not part of the core retainer. [Ask about a velocity push →](#audit) - 01 ### Targeted by keyword Installs driven to a specific query in a tight window signal velocity on that term — helping a new app get indexed and an existing one climb the searches that matter. - 02 ### Sharper on iOS The App Store rewards this lever more than Google Play, where anti-fraud and attribution windows have blunted it. We point it where the return is real — mid- and low-frequency terms first. - 03 ### Dosed & timed No fixed formula — pace and timing are set from your live analytics, the specific region and where the niche sits right now, and tuned as the campaign runs. - 04 ### Run responsibly Careful pacing and monitoring, paired with genuine organic and paid demand — so the gains hold instead of washing out. The detail ## App Store Optimization services, explained Written by [Oleksandr Uliankin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-uliankin/) — mobile growth & ASO lead, Apple Search Ads certified, 8+ years across the App Store, Google Play and alt-stores. [More about the team →](/#expert) ### What is App Store Optimization (ASO)? **App Store Optimization (ASO) is the practice of improving a mobile app’s ranking and conversion inside the Apple App Store and Google Play so it earns more organic installs** — installs you don’t pay for per click. It combines keyword research, metadata, store creative and post-install signals. In mobile growth, “ASO” always means App Store Optimization (not the volcano, the fabric, or any other sense of the acronym). ### Why ASO is the cheapest growth you can buy Roughly two-thirds of app discovery still starts with a search inside the store. An organic install won on that search carries no marginal media cost, so every keyword you own lowers your blended cost per install and makes paid user acquisition cheaper on top. Optimised listings also convert far better than default ones — the gap between a tuned and an untuned product page is routinely multiples, not percentages. That’s why we treat ASO as infrastructure: the base that paid scales on, not a side project. ### What great ASO actually involves Modern App Store Optimization is not keyword stuffing — both stores now read meaning, and over-repetition hurts. The levers that move rankings in 2026 are: - **Text relevance.** Title, subtitle and the hidden keyword field on iOS; title, short and long description on Google Play. Each keyword placed once and weighted by field, expanded through multiple locales. - **Install velocity & conversion.** Installs per day against your category median, and impression-to-install conversion — both direct ranking signals we grow with creative testing and a controlled launch push. - **Retention & behaviour.** The stores increasingly reward apps people keep and open; a listing that over-promises wins installs then loses rank. - **Ratings & reviews.** Freshness and volume matter — and on Google Play the review text itself is indexed, so it doubles as a ranking surface. - **Extra surfaces.** In-App Events, Custom Product Pages (iOS) and Custom Store Listings (Google Play) add indexed entry points and conversion lift. What doesn’t work: backlinks (the app stores ignore them entirely), keyword-density tricks, chasing head terms owned by giants, and buying raw installs with no retention. We skip the vanity levers and spend the effort where the algorithm actually pays. ### iOS App Store vs Google Play ASO The two stores share a goal and almost nothing else mechanically — Apple leans on the title, subtitle and keyword field and never reads your long description for keywords, while Google Play parses the whole description semantically and even indexes your reviews. We run **iOS ASO** and **Google Play ASO** as separate playbooks; the comparison table above summarises where they diverge. ### How much do ASO services cost? App Store Optimization with Appogean **starts from $150 per language locale**. There’s no single flat price, because cost scales with how many locales and markets you target and the current state of your listing — every app is different. Rather than a generic monthly retainer, we confirm exact scope and price after a short, free audit — priced to the growth it returns, not to undercut a competitor. Send your App Store or Google Play link through the form below for a number. ### Choosing an ASO agency The difference between an ASO agency and an ASO consultant filling in a spreadsheet is whether the work compounds. Look for a team that runs keyword research, metadata, creative CRO, competitor intelligence and rank tracking as one continuous loop; that reports on conversion-weighted rank rather than raw keyword counts; that handles both the App Store and Google Play natively; and that connects organic to your paid user acquisition instead of treating them as separate budgets. That’s the system Appogean runs. And if you’re specifically looking for an ASO agency in Canada — we’re based in Toronto and work with Canadian app teams in the same timezone band, from Vancouver to Montreal, alongside clients worldwide. Questions, answered ## ASO, without the mystique. What is App Store Optimization (ASO)? App Store Optimization (ASO) is the practice of improving a mobile app’s ranking and conversion in the Apple App Store and Google Play — through keyword research, metadata, store creative and post-install signals — so the app earns more organic installs. In app growth, “ASO” always means App Store Optimization. How much do ASO services cost? App Store Optimization with Appogean starts from $150 per language locale. There’s no single flat price — cost scales with how many locales and markets you target and the state of your listing, so every app is quoted individually. Send your app link through the audit form and we come back with exact scope and pricing. How is ASO different from SEO? SEO improves visibility in web search engines like Google; ASO improves visibility inside the App Store and Google Play. The keyword logic rhymes, but the ranking factors differ — app stores weight metadata fields, install velocity, conversion and retention, and ignore backlinks entirely. How long does ASO take to show results? Metadata changes typically influence keyword rankings within 2–4 weeks as the stores re-index. Conversion experiments on screenshots and icons show signal faster — often within days of reaching statistical significance. Compounding ranking growth builds over the first two quarters. Do you do ASO for both iOS and Android? Yes. We optimise for the App Store and Google Play as distinct algorithms — Apple weights the title, subtitle and keyword field, while Google Play reads the full listing semantically and indexes reviews. Strategy and creative are adapted per platform, never copied across. Is ASO different for mobile games versus apps? The mechanics are the same but the playbook differs. Games compete on broad category and genre terms with heavy creative testing; apps often win on specific feature and intent keywords. We tailor keyword strategy, creative cadence and localization to the vertical. What does an ASO agency actually do? A good ASO agency runs keyword research, metadata engineering, store creative testing, competitor intelligence and rank tracking as one continuous system — not a one-off audit. The goal is compounding organic installs, measured against conversion-weighted rank rather than vanity keyword counts. How does ASO connect to paid user acquisition? Organic keyword data tells UA which terms convert, lowering wasted spend; paid traffic, in turn, sends ranking signals and feeds custom product pages. We run both as one growth loop rather than separate engagements — organic carries the base, paid scales the margin. Do you provide ASO services in Canada? Yes — Appogean is a Canadian ASO agency based in Toronto, working with app teams across Canada including Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and Ottawa. ASO work runs entirely remotely over your App Store Connect and Play Console, so we serve apps in the US, Europe and worldwide the same way. Do you offer incentivized or keyword-targeted install traffic? Yes — as an optional add-on, not the core service. Keyword-targeted install velocity (often called incentivized or motivated traffic) is a real ranking lever on the App Store, and on iOS it still moves positions that paid traffic alone can’t reach. We run it dosed and timed so the gains hold. Ask about it in your audit and we’ll tell you honestly whether it fits your app. Start here ## See where your ranking is leaking. Send your App Store or Google Play link. We’ll teardown your listing — keywords, metadata, creative and competitors — and show you the highest-leverage moves before you spend another dollar on paid. - A real human reviews your app — no automated funnel - Pricing scoped to the work and built to pay for itself — shared after we look - Reply within one business day --- _Appogean — Canadian mobile app marketing agency (App Store Optimization + app advertising for apps and games). Full site: https://appogean.com/_