Common ASO Mistakes to Avoid
Misreading Keyword Intent and Indexation Rules
Apple indexes App Name, Subtitle, and the 100‑character keyword field; promotional text isn’t indexed. Google indexes Title, Short Description, and Long Description. Treat them separately, avoid duplication, and map intent-driven phrases by store to prevent silent ranking loss.
Crowding titles and descriptions with repeated terms looks spammy, reduces clarity, and can violate policies. Focus on readability, distinct modifiers, and natural phrasing. Use long-tail combinations that reflect real queries. Comment with your best-performing long-tail phrase and why it works.
High-volume queries attract browsers, not necessarily installers. Prioritize keywords that match your app’s core job. Align to user intent, then expand outward. Test intent clusters and track conversion, not just rank. Share a win where intent-based targeting outperformed a bigger, vanity keyword.
Weak Titles, Subtitles, and Descriptions
Both stores cap titles at 30 characters, so lead with brand and a crisp value cue. Avoid superlatives like “best,” price language, or promotional claims. Front-load essential intent and keep wording human. Ask peers to vote on two options and report back with conversion results.
Weak Titles, Subtitles, and Descriptions
On iOS, the subtitle supports discoverability; on Google Play, the short description boosts conversion. Clarify the core job-to-be-done, not a feature list. One vivid benefit beats five buzzwords. Share your most effective benefit statement and why your audience believes it.
Icons That Signal Value Instantly
Your icon must be recognizable at a glance and readable on small screens. Avoid dense detail, muddled color, or text-heavy marks. Test contrast on dark and light backgrounds. Run a five-second test with real users and report whether they recalled your core use case correctly.
Screenshot Narratives Above the Fold
Most users see only the first one to three screenshots. Lead with a promise, not a menu of features. Use captions that finish a sentence from the title. Show real in-app UI, not mock illusions. Drop your best-performing caption in the comments for others to remix.
Video Previews With Purpose
Keep videos focused, captioned, and quick to a payoff. Demonstrate core benefit within the first five seconds. Avoid loud music or life-style fluff with no UI. Test silent playback performance. If your latest edit lifted conversion, tell us which scene order made the difference.
Ignoring Ratings, Reviews, and Sentiment
Use in-app rating prompts after a clear success event, not at first launch. On iOS use SKStoreReviewController; on Android use the In-App Review API. Respect frequency limits and context. If one trigger doubled positive reviews, post the trigger and timing so peers can test it.
Skipping Experiments and Seasonal Iteration
Write Hypotheses You Can Actually Falsify
Tie each change to a user belief: “If we promise X faster, installers who value speed will convert.” Define the metric, expected lift, and stopping rule before launch. After your next test, return and post the hypothesis and result, win or lose, to help others learn.
Seasonal and Event-Driven Refreshes
Holidays, school seasons, and regional events change intent. Update screenshots, captions, and keywords to match timely needs while staying brand-consistent. Capture before/after conversion deltas. If a seasonal visual boosted installs, share the concept so others can adapt thoughtfully.
Statistical Rigor and Clean Reads
Avoid overlapping tests, monitor traffic mix, and wait for significance. Watch for novelty effects and country-level variance. Keep holdouts when possible. Post the biggest testing mistake you made and what you changed in your process to prevent it from happening again.
