LocalASOASO glossary
ASO vs SEO
ASO and SEO both aim to be found through search, but they work on different things. ASO improves an app's listing inside the App Store. SEO improves web pages for search engines such as Google.
Updated
Side by side
| ASO | SEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | App Store search | Web search engines |
| What you edit | Name, subtitle, keyword field, description and visuals | Page content, titles, links, site structure |
| Hidden field | Yes, the keyword field (100 bytes) | No |
| Backlinks | Not a documented factor | Central |
| Success metric | Rank, conversion rate, downloads | Rank, clicks, visits |
What Apple documents
Apple states an app is searchable by its name, subtitle, keywords and company name, and that results rely on text relevance and user behavior. The description is not on the searchable-fields list for App Store search, but Apple says it is used for web search engine results once the app is released. That is where the two disciplines meet: your description can show up in web search.
Habits that carry over
- Research what people search before you write.
- Match the page to the intent behind the query.
- Measure before and after.
Habits that do not
- Repeating a keyword many times. Apple advises against adding unnecessary keywords to the description; see keyword stuffing.
- Using promotional text for keywords. Apple states it does not affect search ranking.
Example
A hypothetical habit app also has a website. SEO work targets "how to build a habit" with a blog post. ASO work targets "habit tracker" in the App Store listing. They support each other: the post links to the store page, and the store's marketing URL points back.
Next step
Learn the store side in the keyword research guide.
Sources
- Apple: developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/create-an-app-record/view-and-edit-app-information (checked November 1, 2026)
- Apple: developer.apple.com/app-store/search (checked November 1, 2026)
- Apple: developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/platform-version-information#description (checked November 1, 2026)
- Apple: developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/reference/platform-version-information#keywords (checked November 1, 2026)
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