The Complete ASO Checklist for 2025: 47 Steps to More Downloads

Why Most ASO Guides Are Useless

I've read dozens of ASO guides. They all say the same things:

Thanks. Very helpful.

What they don't give you is a specific, actionable checklist you can work through step by step.

So I made one. 47 steps. Everything I do when launching or optimizing an app. Bookmark this page—you'll need it.

Part 1: Pre-Launch Research (Steps 1-12)

Market Research

1. Identify your top 5 competitors

Search for your main keyword. Who ranks #1-5? These are your competitors.

2. Screenshot their listings

Save their titles, subtitles, descriptions, screenshots, and videos. You'll reference these.

3. Note their keyword patterns

What words appear in their titles and subtitles? Make a list.

4. Check their review sentiment

Read their 1-star and 2-star reviews. What are users complaining about? This is your opportunity.

5. Analyze their update frequency

Apps that update frequently tend to rank higher. Check their version history.

Keyword Research

6. Brainstorm 50 potential keywords

Think like your user. What would they search for?

7. Use App Store autocomplete

Type your keywords into the search bar. Note what Apple/Google suggests.

8. Check keyword difficulty

Use a tool (or just search manually) to see how competitive each keyword is.

9. Identify long-tail opportunities

"Budget app" is competitive. "Budget app for couples" is less so.

10. Create your final keyword list

Prioritize: high relevance + medium/low competition = best opportunities.

Positioning

11. Define your unique value proposition

Complete this sentence: "My app is the only [category] app that [unique benefit]."

12. Identify your target user persona

Age, job, pain points, goals. Be specific. "Everyone" is not a persona.

Part 2: App Store Listing (Steps 13-28)

Title & Subtitle

13. Include primary keyword in title

Example: "BudgetFlow - Money Tracker" (not just "BudgetFlow")

14. Use full character limit

iOS: 30 characters for title, 30 for subtitle. Use them all.

15. Put brand name first, keyword second

"BrandName - Keyword" reads more naturally than "Keyword | BrandName"

16. Subtitle = secondary keywords

Don't repeat title words. Add new searchable terms.

Description

17. Hook in first 3 lines

That's all users see before "More." Make them count.

18. Lead with benefits, not features

"Wake up feeling rested" not "Sleep tracking algorithm"

19. Use short paragraphs

2-3 sentences max. Wall of text = nobody reads.

20. Include keywords naturally

Don't stuff. Write for humans, sprinkle keywords.

21. Add a clear call to action

"Download now and start your free trial."

22. Update description with each release

Tells Apple/Google your app is active.

Keywords Field (iOS Only)

23. Use all 100 characters

Every unused character is wasted opportunity.

24. Separate with commas, no spaces

"budget,tracker,money,expense" not "budget, tracker, money"

25. Don't repeat title/subtitle words

Apple already indexes those.

26. Don't use plurals if you have singulars

Apple indexes both automatically.

27. Skip competitor brand names

Violates guidelines and doesn't work well anyway.

Screenshots

28. First screenshot = value proposition

Answer: "What does this app do for me?"

29. Show actual UI, not illustrations

Users want to see what they're getting.

30. Use readable text at thumbnail size

If users can't read it small, it doesn't work.

31. Tell a story across screenshots

Hook → Show → Prove → Close

32. Include social proof if you have it

"10,000+ 5-star reviews" builds trust.

33. Use current device frames

iPhone 15, not iPhone 8.

34. Test on actual devices

How do your screenshots look on a real phone?

Icon

35. Keep it simple

One clear shape/symbol. No text.

36. Use distinctive colors

Stand out from competitors in search results.

37. Test at small sizes

Your icon will often be displayed at 29x29 pixels.

Video (If Applicable)

38. Keep it under 20 seconds

Nobody watches longer.

39. Design for muted playback

Use text overlays, no narration.

40. Show core value immediately

Don't waste time on logo animations.

Part 3: Reviews & Ratings (Steps 41-47)

41. Implement review prompt

Use Apple/Google's native prompt.

42. Trigger after positive moments

After completing a task, achieving a goal, using app for 7 days.

43. Never prompt after crashes

Obvious, but I've seen apps do this.

44. Respond to all negative reviews

Users can change their rating. 30% do after you respond.

45. Thank positive reviewers

Shows you're engaged.

46. Use feedback to improve

Common complaints = product roadmap.

47. Track your average rating

Goal: Stay above 4.5 stars.

The Quick-Start Version

Don't have time for 47 steps? Here are the 10 that matter most:

Tools I Use

Free

Paid

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Optimizing once and forgetting

ASO is ongoing. Review quarterly at minimum.

Mistake 2: Copying competitors exactly

Learn from them, but differentiate.

Mistake 3: Ignoring localization

English-only = 15% of the market.

Mistake 4: Changing everything at once

Change one thing, measure, then change the next.

Mistake 5: Obsessing over rankings

Downloads and revenue matter more than rank for vanity keywords.

Your Action Plan

This Week

This Month

Ongoing

Conclusion

ASO isn't magic. It's a checklist.

Work through these 47 steps systematically. Track your results. Iterate based on data.

The apps that win aren't the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones that execute the fundamentals consistently.

You now have the fundamentals. Go execute.

Create professional screenshots →