How to Measure Keyword Changes in App Store Connect Analytics

Apple describes App Analytics in App Store Connect as a way to measure user engagement, marketing campaigns and monetization. On the Sources page in the Acquisition section, downloads are broken out by sources such as App Store Browse, App Store Search, App Referrers and Web Referrers, and downloads can also be broken out by territory, device and source (Apple: Analytics). That is the view to use for keyword work.

Pick the date of your change. Apple says updated app information may take up to 24 hours to appear (Apple: view and edit app information), so start the "after" period two days later. Use equal lengths: 14 days before, 14 days after. Avoid windows with a release, a promotion or a holiday.

On the Sources page filter to App Store Search. Note impressions, product page views and downloads. Filter by territory to the country of your localized keyword change. A change to a German keyword field can only be read in the German storefront.

Apple defines conversion rate as the ratio of total downloads to unique impressions, where unique impressions are the number of people who view your app icon on the App Store in a given day. Total downloads include first-time downloads and redownloads. More impressions with a lower conversion rate may mean your new keywords bring the wrong audience; see spotting dead keywords.

Look at the same period for a territory you did not change. If both rose, something broad happened, such as seasonality. If only the changed territory rose, the change is a candidate cause. This is the same logic as the control keyword in the tracking routine.

The pages we checked do not describe per-keyword search data. For keyword-level evidence, use a rank log for the keywords you edited; see how long keyword changes take. A rise in rank followed by a rise in search impressions is stronger than either alone.

Streakly adds adhd in Germany. App Store Search downloads there average 18 per day over the 14 days before and 23 per day over the 14 days after. In the unchanged France storefront they go from 12 to 12. Conversion in Germany holds at the same level. The reading: a plausible gain of about five downloads a day, supported by a rank entry for adhd. The numbers are invented to show the method.

Apple states certain sources, such as app referrers, web referrers and campaign links, require a minimum threshold of data to display, for privacy. Small apps may see gaps. Differences of a few downloads can be noise; extend the window rather than concluding from a week.

Write the result into your change log in one line: the change, the window, the search downloads before and after, the control and your conclusion. After a year, this log tells you which kinds of change moved the numbers for your app, which no general article can.

Analytics shows downloads; LocalASO shows rank per keyword and country with daily history stored on your Mac. Put the two side by side. See the keyword research docs and the App Analytics glossary entry.