App Store Keywords: How to Use the 100-Character Field
The fields App Store search actually reads, and how to get the most out of 30 + 30 + 100 characters.
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App Store search decides who finds your app, and it reads far less text than most developers assume. Three fields do almost all the work: the app name, the subtitle and the hidden keyword field. Together that is 160 characters. Using them well is the cheapest growth lever you have.
Which fields count
| Field | Limit | Visible to users | Used for search |
|---|---|---|---|
| App name | 30 characters | Yes | Yes, strongest weight |
| Subtitle | 30 characters | Yes | Yes |
| Keyword field | 100 characters | No | Yes |
| Promotional text | 170 characters | Yes | Generally understood: no |
| Description | 4000 characters | Yes | Generally understood: no |
The promotional text and description sell the app to people who open your page, but ASO practitioners broadly agree they don't affect App Store search ranking. Google Play is different, see below.
How to fill the keyword field
- Separate keywords with commas, without spaces. "budget,expense,tracker" uses fewer characters than "budget, expense, tracker", and spaces gain you nothing.
- Use single words, not phrases. App Store search combines words from your name, subtitle and keyword field, so "expense" plus "tracker" can already match "expense tracker".
- Never repeat a word. A word that is already in your name or subtitle is wasted in the keyword field.
- Skip words that add nothing: "app", "free", your own app name, and your category name are generally matched already.
- Don't use other companies' app names or trademarks. Apple's review guidelines forbid it and it can get your update rejected.
- Use all 100 characters. Every unused character is a search term you are not ranking for.
Keywords can only be changed when you submit a new app version, so plan your changes together with a release.
Choosing the words
Start from the words your users would type, not the words you use internally. Look at your competitors' names and subtitles, at App Store search suggestions as you type, and at the language in your reviews. Then sort candidates by two questions: is this word relevant enough that a searcher would download my app, and can I realistically rank for it?
- Relevance beats volume. A smaller search term that converts is worth more than a huge one where you sit on page five.
- Long tail first for new apps. "habit tracker for students" is easier to win than "habits".
- Put your most important term in the name or subtitle. Those fields carry the most weight, and people see them.
- Review every few months. Check where you rank and swap out words that bring nothing.
Name and subtitle: write for people and search
A good name pattern is a brand plus a short descriptor: "Duet: Habit Tracker". The subtitle then adds the main benefit and a second keyword: "Build routines that stick". Both are visible in search results, so they must read naturally. Stuffed titles look spammy and can be rejected.
Localisation multiplies your keywords
Each App Store language has its own name, subtitle and keyword field. Filling them for the languages you support gives you a fresh 160 characters per language. ASO practitioners also report that some storefronts index more than one language; the US store, for example, is commonly reported to also read Spanish (Mexico) metadata. Apple does not document this, so check your own rankings before relying on it. More in our localisation guide.
Google Play is different
- There is no keyword field. Google reads the title (30 characters), the short description (80) and the full description (4000).
- Use your main terms naturally in the title and short description, and a few times in the full description.
- Avoid keyword stuffing: Google Play's metadata policy forbids repeating keywords unnaturally and can remove listings that do.
Make your screenshots match your keywords
When someone searches for "budget planner" and your first screenshot says "Plan your budget in minutes", they know they found the right app. Aligning captions with your target keywords improves conversion, which in turn helps ranking. Our best practices guide shows how.
StoreAppScreens Pro writes your name, subtitle, keyword field and description within the store limits, translates them into 39 languages, and can send them to App Store Connect together with your screenshots. The keyword field it writes follows the rules above: no spaces, no repeated words, no wasted characters.