Competitor keyword (ASO)

Descriptive terms are fair to research and to target if they honestly describe your app. Names of other apps or companies are not allowed in the keyword list. Apple's prohibited content includes competing app names and unauthorized trademarked terms, and the subtitle rules say not to reference other apps. See branded keyword.

1. Add three to five apps that rank above you for your main phrase.
2. List the keywords where they rank in the top 10 and you do not.
3. Remove their brand names. Keep the descriptive terms.
4. Check search volume and keyword difficulty.
5. Pick terms that honestly fit your app and do not repeat words already in your name, subtitle or category.

This process is called competitor tracking when done repeatedly, and the gaps it finds are a keyword gap.

A hypothetical habit tracker sees a rival ranking 3rd for "morning routine" and itself ranking outside the top 20. "Morning routine" is descriptive, so it becomes a candidate. The rival's app name is excluded.

LocalASO lets you add any app as a competitor and shows where it ranks for your keywords, with a "Losing to" list of apps ahead of yours and their rating counts.

• Copying a competitor's whole keyword list. Their app may differ.
• Adding their name for the sake of traffic.

See the LocalASO keyword research docs or read the keyword research guide.

Single apps can be read by ID with the iTunes Lookup API.